India bombs Jaish camp in Pakistan’s Balakot
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  1. India with its Mirage-2000 fighter jets and other weapons has decimated multiple terror camps across the Line of Control in Pakistan.
  2. A dozen of Mirage-2000 were used, accompanied by four Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft. Sukhoi which is Russian origin aircraft acted as protective sheets were meant to provide cover if the Mirages were intercepted.
  3. The Israeli Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and the indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control System Aircraft (AEW&C) aircraft were deployed to monitor the mission to show that no aircraft was within 100 km while the operation was carried out.
  4. The Mirage-2000 which were armed with SPICE-2000 and Crystal Maze Mark2, also known as AGM 142 Popeye missile.
  5. The Israeli-built Popeye is a medium-range conventional missile which can be fired from a stand-off distance of around 90 km, i.e., the aircraft doesn’t need to be vertically above the target to hit it.
  6. The SPICE (Smart Precise Impact and Cost Effective guidance kit)-2000 is a forward and tail kit evolved by Israel from the Popeye missile, mounted on a standard 2000-pound Mk 84 unguided bomb. This converts it into smart guided air-to-surface munition that can be dropped from a stand-off distance of up to 60 km.It is a “fire and forget” weapon that automatically goes to its target once launched relying only on its navigation/seeker system.
  7. The Heron Unmanned Aerial vehicle (UAV) was used for monitoring and assessment of the target. Two IL-78 mid-air refuelling tankers were also used during the operations by the Mirage-2000 and Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft after the target was hit to return to various separate air bases.
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