So F16s fired AIMs from well inside their own territory cz Su30s didnt cross LoC?
Essentially, I have said it before many times, and I am saying it again, we simply don't know that.
There is no way for us to verify what and in how it played out in the skies that day. I have already written extensively on why India's account of the day is an absolute sham. And I have said it, we won't know how it actually played out until an Air Officer retires and decides to write a book about it out of the blue.
In the end, however, the play out was irrelevant and we can still ascertain certain some facts.
- Was a F-16 shot down? IAF claims it was the Mig-21 Bison which shot down F-16, but there's a HD footage of the wreck on Youtube, you can analyse and spot parts of all 4 missiles in the wreck meaning none were fired. PDF admins posted it somewhere.
- Furthermore, a person reputed as an aviation defence analyst with contacts in Pentagon and Air Force (how often do you get to sit in a F-18 Tomcat), and journalist in Foreign Policy, did say that according to her sources, PAF F-16 jet's numbers were accounted for.
- IAF Mig-21 Bison was downed.
- IAF Mil Helicopter was downed by friendly fire, whether it was due to a rookie mistake or due to electronic warfare employed by PAF, we don't know.
( Sukhoi 30MKI kill, no fact to ascertain this. Alan says Air Force chief did claim it, there was a badge rolled out as well you can see here. Likely through radar feed. It was speculated that the Mil was out to look for the ejected pilots of Sukhoi, but not facts, speculations, so we will leave it out )
The toll stands pretty clear, and that is 2 - 0, with a pilot captured. And that's pretty big. The icing on top is that Pakistan did launch counter air strikes, one near the Brigade HQ, and the fact that it was done in broad daylight, and that there were no Air defences cover in the radius is alarming because the military leaders, as confirmed much later by Indian media, were there.