How Pakistani F-16s Shot Down Russian Vice President

During the Soviet military involvement in Afghanistan, their aircraft would sometimes attack Mujahideen bases in Pakistani territory. Initially, Pakistan couldn't prevent those intrusions because it lacked modern fighter aircraft. But they managed to convince USA to sell them F-16, a state of the art fighter airplane. First results came in 1986. when F-16s shot down two Su-22s of Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The first Soviet aircraft would be confirmed shot down in August 1988. And the victim was none other than a future vice-president of Russia, Alexander Rutskoy. That wasn't his first shootdown in the war either. This video tells both stories.

Sources:
- Alexander Mladenov - Osprey Combat Aircraft 109 - Su-25 'Frogfoot' Units In Combat
- Soviet Air confrontations with Pakistan Air Force, during Soviet-Afghan War
- Did Pakistan’s F-16 shoot down Russian vice president’s fighter jet?
- Air Forces - Pakistan
- In 1986, a Pakistani F-16 Almost Killed a Russian Vice President

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[Lane]

Khaled Mahmood was the most successful Pakistani F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot shooting down 2 Soviet MiG-23MLD Floggers, 1 Afghan Su-22 Fitter, and 1 Soviet An-24 Coke transport aircraft. Pakistani F-16 Fighting Falcons shot down Soviet MiG-23MLD Floggers, 1 Soviet Su-25 Frogfoot, Afghan Su-22 Fitters, 2 Soviet An-26 Curl transport aircraft and 1 Soviet An-24 Coke transport aircraft.

[johnhill]

Good video. 1) Rules of engagement was that the pilot was only cleared to shoot if the wreckage was to stay inside Pakistan borders. 2) I was a GD rep with the PAF from 85 to 88 and had met most of the players during this time. 3) The F-16 lost during this time was a Kamra aircraft that was a blue-on-blue event (knew both pilots).

[GhostfPakistan]

The US had offered Pakistan 3 fighters in the 1980 deal. Namely:
-A7 Corsair
-F20 Tiger shark
-A10 thunderbolt (yes Pakistan could've been the first foreign buyer of the warthog)
But the Pakistani government decided to persuade the US into selling them the Viper/Falcon.

[FS-tvkb]

Nice recreation of event. There’s also an incident of a PAF pilot in a Syrian Mig 21 shooting down an Israeli Mirage IIIC Aircraft in 1973 Arab Israeli war. Wonder if you can recreate that in DC World.

[cp]

I remember reading some where that Pakistan Air Force actually shot down many Soviet Aircrafts during Soviet-Afghan war in dogfights on Pakistan-Afghanistan border and that was actually surprising for me...

[EDUCATIONGUY-le]

PAKISTAN IS THE ONLY COUNTRY TO EVER SHOT DOWN USSR AIRCRAFT. PAF IS THE BEST OF THE BEST!

[pontiacGXPfan]

If you're a Russian getting shot down over Afghanistan, you're better off not ejecting

[owais]

AMAZING YOU REALLY WORK HARD TO SHOW PERSPECTIVE FROM EACH SIDE DEAR FRIEND GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP IT UP

[ThunderingVipers]

There were multiple engagements of F16 hunting and shooting down planes coming over from Afghanistan.

There was one blue on blue as well when the PAF F16 fired it's sidewinder and it went in the tail pipe of another F16.

[healthiswealth]

MM alam was a pakistani fighter pilot hving record of killing 5 hunters in just 1 minute by using seber

[ivanski]

Very interesting, the Fencers were possibly a diversion. If there were Floggers as cover the F-16s could have been in trouble due to them being equipped with medium range R-23 missiles, Pakistani F-16s only had sidewinders.

[garethhughes]

Awesome firefight sounds @ 6:38, even the boom from the exploding plane takes a few seconds to reach, very realistic. Interesting watch and very very well made vid. :)

[bazej]

Fantastic video and interesting story! Your historical commentary videos are such a great idea.
(BTW: I'm surprised there is so many "fictional" mods like F-22, Rafale, Su-57 having nothing in common with their real counterparts, but there is no i.e. F-16A to portray proper fighters for video like this one.)

[WELSHDESI]

I remember watching first Batch of F16 landing on Pakistan 🇵🇰 airbase. PTV showed it live 😊

[hannesorisson]

As always 10 out of 10. Love the background voices suring the SU 25 attack from the AAA team.

[wingsofwar]

Great video as always. I really enjoy you historical/reenactment content. Would you consider putting links in the descriptions for the various mods/skins/etc that you utilize? I’m particularly interested in the hesco type barriers and revetments you used to outline the resupply base and AAA emplacements in the first attack. Thanks!

[richardwolf]

Great video! Yes, more from this conflict would be appreciated.

[ashtonbailey]

How above the 5 IAF hunters shot down by M M Alam in under 60 seconds?

[sociallyinept]

Not the only results and not indulging in self praise, We Pakistanis are fking lethal with their F-16

[RealDarko]

Excellent video as always! Good work mate!