ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Friday commemorated the seventh anniversary of Operation Swift Retort at Air Headquarters, describing the 2019 mission as a defining moment in the country’s modern air warfare doctrine.
Addressing the ceremony, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu said Pakistan remained a responsible state that sought “peace with honor,” but would respond decisively to any challenge to its sovereignty.
Sidhu recalled that seven years ago the aggressor had miscalculated Pakistan’s resolve by attempting to violate its airspace under the cover of darkness, prompting what he described as a measured daylight response that restored deterrence against a numerically superior adversary.
Highlighting evolving regional and global security dynamics, the air chief said that since March 2021, the PAF had pursued modernization and indigenization despite fiscal constraints, aiming to transform into a “next generation air force.”
He said the service had recalibrated its operational doctrine and inducted advanced combat and support capabilities, including domestically developed unmanned systems, as well as electronic warfare, space, and cyber assets.
"These efforts had enabled the creation of a home-grown, multi-domain 'kill chain' integrating air, cyber, and space capabilities for enhanced situational awareness and rapid response".
Referring to “Marka-e-Haq” in May 2025, he reiterated that when Pakistan’s sovereignty was again challenged, the PAF carried out full-spectrum multi-domain operations that overwhelmed the adversary. He cited the downing of advanced aircraft platforms and unmanned aerial systems, deep-strike missions inside hostile territory, and the neutralization of sophisticated air defence systems, including S-400 units and associated command and control centres.
Reaffirming the force’s commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty, the air chief said the PAF would remain vigilant and maintain a responsible but firm defense posture to ensure long-term stability and deterrence.
