Intricate planning, midnight sorties, flying at low level and aggressive manoeuvring in the face of heavily fortified enemy defences was how IAF pilots carried out multiple high-stakes missions to hit critical targets deep inside Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May last year.During most of the strike missions carried out from May 7 to 10, the opportunity to penetrate the hostile threat envelope was extremely restricted and the launch window available to deliver the weapons was miniscule.Nine IAF officers — Group Captains Manish Arora, Kunal Kalra, Animesh Patni and Ranjeet Singh Sidhu; Wing Commander Joy Chandra; Squadron Leaders Sarthak Kumar, Siddhant Singh and Rizwan Malik; and Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh Thakur — were decorated with the Vir Chakra for gallantry with their citations giving a captivating account from the cockpits.The IAF has not officially disclosed the aircraft used in the operation or the units involved, but it is widely believed that the SU-30 MKI, Rafale, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Tejas and MiG-29 were used for strikes and air defence cover. These were equipped with the BrahMos cruise missile and HAMMER, SCALP and SPICE stand-off precision attack munitions.Flying as mission leader of an unescorted strike package to neutralise targets that were heavily fortified by advanced weapon system and defended round the clock by aircraft equipped with long-range missiles, Group Captain Manish Arora, commanding officer of a squadron, had a limited opportunity to penetrate this envelope and the window to launch his weapons was significantly short.Proceeding at low level by dark night followed by aggressive manoeuvring to achieve accurate launch parameters and simultaneously evade hostile defences, he was targeted by multiple aerial and ground launches, but ensured successful target destruction. During the operation, his audacious and aggressive manoeuvring plunged the opposing forces into tactical chaos and the attacks carried out by him and his unit against the adversary were so intense that they rendered them incapable of retaliating, his citation states.Under similar operational circumstances, Group Captain Kunal Kalra was tasked with destroying two targets while navigating through adverse weather en route. Despite encountering aircraft unserviceability in air and overwhelming presence of adversaries, he fired his first weapon on the target.While readying his weapon for firing on the second target, the aircraft systems indicated a malfunction, but he kept flying under lethal range of enemy forces, evaded multiple aerial and ground attacks and successfully executed remedial actions to reset his weapon system and hit the second target.As part of the mission planning cell, Squadron Leader Sarthak Kumar played a pivotal role in the conceptualisation, coordination and execution of multiple high-value deep strike missions, incorporating precise intelligence data and methodically accounting for every detail of the targeting plan.On the designated day, he successfully executed a deep strike mission with surgical precision and the next day he was tasked with flying a long-range strike mission that resulted in the destruction of another critical target, thereby severely degrading the operational capabilities of the enemy and crippling his ability to wage war.A three-aircraft formation tasked with a precision strike required accurate engagement of the particular target with a weapon system that had limited stand-off capability, requiring precise control of the weapon till impact. This called for exceptional flying skills and the highest level of airmanship owing to the presence of heavily networked and integrated air defence, which included long and medium-range guided missiles.In the early morning hours, Squadron Leader Siddhant Singh flew with the formation at low level to avoid detection and at the opportune moment pulled up to higher levels for weapon release. The formation encountered rapid air response from both aircraft and missiles but he ensured launch of the weapons and its successful guidance till impact on target.Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sighu, commanding a fighter squadron, not only led multiple deep penetration strike missions in a complex and high-stakes combat environment, but also carried out air defence missions in support of other IAF formations carrying out similar strike objectives.Wing Commander Joy Chandra, Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik and Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh Thakur were the other pilots decorated for carrying out several arduous strike missions in a similar fashion. Group Captain Animesh Patni, commanding a strategic surface-to-air missile unit, was decorated for conducting a pioneering offensive air defence operation, inflicting significant losses to the enemy which thwarted its strike missions.