How India Fooled Pakistan with Dummy Jets in Operation Sindoor

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: In a daring display of modern warfare tactics and psychological operations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed dummy aircraft disguised as fighter jets to deceive Pakistan’s air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, India's coordinated military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

According to sources cited in defence reports, the operation wasn’t just about firepower but also strategic misdirection. On the night of May 9–10, India executed precision strikes on 11 out of 12 key Pakistani air bases. But before launching these attacks, the IAF initiated a deception phase using unmanned aerial targets (UATs) that mimicked the radar signature and flight patterns of combat aircraft.

These dummy aircraft tricked Pakistan into believing that real fighter jets were approaching, prompting their military to activate HQ-9 missile defence systems—supplied by China. The act of engaging these systems exposed their exact locations, making them vulnerable to India’s follow-up missile strikes.

Once Pakistan’s air defence units were lit up and identifiable, the IAF launched a barrage of BrahMos, Scalp, Rampage, and Crystal Maze missiles. The offensive, which reportedly included 15 BrahMos and multiple air-launched precision weapons, targeted airstrips, hangars, radar installations, and communication nodes deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

One particularly significant outcome was the reported damage to a Pakistani airborne early warning aircraft and several long-endurance surveillance drones in Sindh. The strikes significantly degraded Pakistan’s air combat capabilities and sent a clear message about India’s technological edge and strategic preparedness.