Operation Sindoor: 'My money's on the Indians if...,' says ex-US Air Force pilot amid peak India-Pakistan tensions

Dale Stark, a former US Air Force pilot, on Thursday said in a post that if the tensions between India and Pakistan escalate post Operation Sindoor, then he will bet all his money on the Indians. On Wednesday, the Indian armed forces conducted precise strikes on terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) across 9 locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 

"I’ve flown with both Indian and Pakistani fighter pilots during my career. I’ll just say my money’s on the Indians if this continues to escalate," Stark, who has also served in Afghanistan in the 2000s, wrote in his post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Well, Stark's bet on India does not come without facts. After the success of Operation Sindoor, many experts have been comparing India's most ambitious defence purchase from France -- Rafale -- with F-16, the US's hand-me-down to Pakistan as well as JF-17, co-created jointly by Islamabad and Beijing. 

So, how is India's Rafale superior to Pakistan's F-16 in terms of air arsenal? Classified as a 4.5-generation fighter, Rafale is the most advanced aircraft in the arsenal of the Indian Air Force (IAF). In keeping with the Indian subcontinent conditions, the Rafales supplied to India feature 13 enhancements

The enhancements in the Indian Rafales include the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile, advanced electronic warfare suits, as well as superior radar and communication systems. The aircraft's Thales RBE2 AESA radar, as well as frontal stealth capabilities, provide the IAF with unparalleled situational awareness and survivability. 

Rafale's ability to carry precision weapons like the SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER bombs used in Operation Sindoor allows the IAF to pursue deep-strike missions with pinpoint accuracy. 

Pakistan's fleet of F-16s, on the other hand, is grappling with serious issues such as restricted use cases and ageing aircraft. As per agreements with the US, the deployment of F-16s or their American-supplied munitions is strictly limited to counter-terrorism and internal defence roles.

Pakistan can't use it for offensive operations against India. The fleet is facing maintenance-related challenges due to financial constraints and America's hawk-eye over the use of F-16s, thus leading to limited operational capability.

F-16s are great for dogfights and have AIM-120C5 AMRAAM missiles but they lack the advanced electronic warfare and BVR capabilities that the Rafale is armed with. Besides F-16s, the JF-17 Thunder is an integral part of Pakistan's aerial arsenal. 

While JF-17 Thunder is cost-effective and versatile, it is a lightweight and single-engine jet which performance and sensor limitations when compared to the Rafale. The newly unveiled Block 3 variant boasts advanced AESA radar and upgraded avionics. It also falls short when compared to the Rafale, particularly regarding range, payload capacity, and survivability in contested airspace.