Clip of fighter jet being shot down is from video game not India-Pakistan conflict

Footage circulating on social media with claims it shows Pakistan shooting down an Indian fighter jet is actually from a video game.

The clip, which has been shared on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), features text saying: “Pakistan has shot down an Indian IAF Rafale fighter jet near Bahawalpur.”

In the footage, a jet is hit several times by rockets or missiles, before crashing into the ground. A parachute seemingly holding the ejected pilot can also be seen in the sky after the crash.

Pakistan claims it shot down several Indian fighter jets during the escalated conflict with India earlier this month, including French-made Rafale jets. India has not responded to these claims.

Bahawalpur is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan, which was hit by Indian air strikes.

However, the video does not show Pakistan downing an Indian fighter jet—it is actually gameplay footage from the military simulation video game Arma 3.

A longer and higher quality version of the same clip was uploaded to YouTube in March 2022, with a title saying it showed a tank shooting down a jet in the video game.

And a description posted with the video also confirms that it was a “created Simulation in ArmA3!”, adding “The graphics of ArmA 3 are very good, it almost looks like in real life [sic]”.

We have previously fact checked many other Arma 3 clips that have been shared on social media with misleading captions saying that they depict real-world events, from the Israel-Gaza conflict, to fighting between Russia and Ukraine.

Bohemia Interactive, the developer of Arma 3, have also written a helpful guide to distinguishing their own content from real-word footage.

Misleading videos and images often spread widely online in the wake of significant global events. For further advice on how to verify videos before you share them, read our guide.