SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) much-hyped Chinese-made PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs), touted as a game-changer in the recent Operation Sindoor, failed to down a single Indian Air Force (IAF) jet, according to sources who informed Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org). The missiles, deployed by PAF’s J-10C and JF-17 Block III fighters, underperformed due to a combination of poor tactics by PAF pilots and effective jamming by India’s advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems. This revelation, backed by the recovery of near-intact PL-15E debris in Indian territory, exposes vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s aerial strategy and raises questions about the missile’s reliability in contested environments.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, saw the IAF execute precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure and PAF bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). During the operation, PAF jets attempted to counter IAF’s Rafale, Su-30MKI, and Mirage 2000 aircraft with PL-15E missiles, which boast a 145 km range, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker, and dual-pulse motor. However, sources confirm that none of these missiles hit their targets, with multiple PL-15Es recovered in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on May 7–9, 2025, bearing serial numbers like P15E12203023 and P15E12203039, indicating failed engagements.
The PL-15E’s failure is attributed to two key factors. First, PAF pilots employed suboptimal tactics, firing missiles at their maximum range (D-MAX), which reduces accuracy and allows agile IAF jets to evade. Chinese netizens on Weibo criticized this approach, noting that the PL-15E’s effectiveness relies on real-time data from AWACS and ground radars, which were disrupted by Indian EW. Second, India’s robust EW capabilities, including the Rafale’s SPECTRA system and Su-30MKI’s EL/M-8222 pods, jammed the PL-15E’s datalink and AESA seeker, rendering them ineffective.
The recovery of near-intact PL-15E missiles, including propulsion systems, datalinks, and seekers, has provided India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) a rare opportunity to analyze China’s missile technology. A senior DRDO official dismissed claims of the PL-15E’s superiority, stating it lags behind India’s Astra MkII and MkIII missiles, which offer comparable or better range and sophistication. The debris suggests missiles either failed to acquire targets or crashed after fuel exhaustion, likely due to EW interference. The IAF’s S-400 and Akash systems further deterred PAF jets, forcing long-range launches that diminished the PL-15E’s effectiveness.
Pakistan’s claims of downing five IAF jets—three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Su-30MKI, and a drone—rely on recycled imagery and unverified audio, debunked by India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB). The IAF confirmed only one Rafale loss (BS-001) in Bathinda, with no pilot casualties, while evidence like a destroyed Saab 2000 Erieye at PAF Base Bholari and Mirage-5 wreckage in PoK substantiates IAF’s claims of downing at least five PAF jets. Chinese bloggers downplayed the PL-15E’s failure, arguing its export variant is downgraded compared to the PLAAF’s PL-15 (200–300 km range), but the missile’s combat ineffectiveness has sparked debate about China’s defense exports.
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