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IAF Releases First S‑400 Video, Cites 'Longest‑Ever' Air Kill

The timing serves as strategic messaging before the Vayu Shakti‑2026 drill.

Overview

  • The Indian Air Force published its first official footage of the S‑400 ‘Sudarshan’ air‑defence system in operation ahead of the February 27 Vayu Shakti exercise in Rajasthan.
  • In captions referencing Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the IAF asserted the system executed the longest‑range air kill on record, a claim not independently verified in the released material.
  • Officials have previously said the intercept occurred roughly 300 km inside Pakistani airspace and involved a Pakistan Air Force aircraft, presenting the account as an IAF finding.
  • Media reporting notes the missile sequence shown is promotional exercise footage rather than combat video from Operation Sindoor.
  • The IAF said full‑dress rehearsals at Pokhran validated operational parameters, while public briefings reiterated the S‑400’s Russian‑supplied long‑range capabilities of up to about 400 km.