Illustrative image. Via Telegram.
Photos posted to social networks after the May 7 India strikes on Pakistan seemed to confirm that Pakistani Air Force (PAF) fighter jets had used advanced Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles to shoot down multiple Indian Air Force (IAF) warplanes.
India launched the strikes in response to the April 22 terrorist attack on the resort town of Pahalgam, which it held militant groups based in Pakistan responsible for. The strikes hit nine sites in both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. At least 26 civilians were killed in the Indian strikes, according to the Pakistani military.
Meanwhile, Indian police and medics said that some 11 others were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir by Pakistani retaliatory strikes.
The Pakistani military said that PAF fighter jets shot down during the attack five IAF fighter jets, including three French-made Rafales, one Russian-made Su-30MKI and one Russian-made MiG-29, inside India, in addition to an Israeli-made IAI Heron combat drone.
There was no immediate comment from India about Pakistan’s claim, although Reuters said that at least three aircraft crashed in separate areas of the Himalayan region in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Chinese-made JF-17C Block III and J-10CE fighter jets of the PAF were reportedly responsible for all the Indian aerial losses.
Photos that surfaced online later showed the remains of what appears to be a PL-15, confirming the use of the beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.
The PL-15 was developed by the Luoyang-based China Airborne Missile Academy. The missile has a dual-pulsed solid-fuel rocket motor, capable of a speed up to Mach 5 and a range of more than 200 kilometres.
The missile is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar seeker, sporting both active and passive modes for the different mission set. It also features improved resistance to countermeasures. The hybrid guidance system supports a mid-course two-way data-link led by AEW&C aircraft and autonomous terminal radar homing.
Click to see full-size image. Via Telegram.
Click to see full-size image. Via Telegram.
The Pakistani military released photos showing its JF-17C Block III fighter jets armed with the PL-15 at the start of the crisis with india. It is unclear, however, how many PL-15 the PAF possess, and if the missiles are from the original version, or a downgraded expert version known as PL-15E with a range limited to 145 kilometers.
It’s worth noting that the PAF has more than 20 JF-17C Block III and at least 20 J-10CE fighter jets which can be armed with PL-15 missiles in service.
While there is not enough information to estimate how successful the Indian attack was, there is no doubt that the PAF was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of its Chinese-made equipment.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
