SOURCE: AFI
The “Grim Reapers” YouTube channel recently conducted an exhilarating Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) scenario pitting the entire Indian Air Force and Navy against the Pakistan Air Force in a one-tenth scale, proportional battle. Titled WarGames 269, this simulation offers a fascinating glimpse into a hypothetical full-scale aerial conflict between two South Asian powers, set over the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, representing the rugged heights of Kashmir. With meticulous research and attention to detail, the simulation showcases the strengths, strategies, and technological disparities of both air forces as of 2025. Let’s dive into the setup, execution, and outcome of this thrilling virtual war.
The simulation begins with a detailed breakdown of both air forces’ combat capabilities, reflecting their real-world inventories as closely as possible within DCS constraints.
Here’s how the two sides stacked up:
Pakistan Air Force (Blue Team, North)
- Total Combat Aircraft: 592
- Key Aircraft:
- JF-17 Thunder: 153 (including Block 1, 2, and 3 variants), a lightweight Indo-Chinese fighter armed with SD-10A (PL-12) beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles and PL-5E2 close-range missiles.
- F-16 A/B/C/D: 85, equipped with AIM-120C-5 AMRAAMs (50-mile range) and Sidewinders, including Block 15 and Block 52+ variants.
- J-10C Mighty Dragon: 20 modern Chinese fighters with PL-15 BVR missiles (export variant, 90-mile range, though simulated with full 120-mile range due to DCS limitations).
- F-7PG (MiG-21 variant): 60, limited to short-range R-60M infrared-guided missiles.
- Mirage III/V: 135 and 139, respectively, aging 1960s fighters with PL-5E2 close-range missiles, lacking BVR capability.
- AEW&C: 4 ZDK-03 and 8 Saab 2000 platforms for situational awareness.
Indian Air Force (Red Team, South)
- Total Combat Aircraft: 588
- Key Aircraft:
- Su-30 MKI Flanker: 259, the backbone of the IAF, armed with a mix of Indian Astra Mk1 and Israeli I-Derby ER BVR missiles (50-mile range) and R-73 close-range missiles.
- Rafale: 36, equipped with Meteor BVR missiles (controversially included, as integration status is debated) and close-range missiles.
- Tejas (Tis): 35, India’s indigenous light fighter, simulated with Astra Mk1 missiles.
- MiG-29: 59, armed with R-77 Adder BVR missiles (40-mile range) and R-73 close-range missiles.
- Mirage 2000H: 46, carrying MICA RF/IR missiles.
- MiG-21-2000: 40, modernized with R-77 Adder BVR missiles.
- Jaguar: 113, attack aircraft with limited air-to-air capability (simulated with F-5E and Sidewinders).
- AEW&C: Embraer R99 and Beriev A-50 for enhanced command and control.
Both air forces are remarkably close in numbers (588 vs. 592), with a mix of modern fourth-generation fighters and older platforms. The simulation uses veteran-level AI pilots for all aircraft, ensuring a level playing field in skill, and employs real-world missile loadouts where possible, though some approximations were necessary due to DCS limitations.
Strategic Approach
The Grim Reapers devised distinct strategies for each side to reflect their hypothetical tactics:
- Pakistan: Deploys its modern fighters (JF-17s, F-16s, J-10Cs) on the front lines, leveraging BVR missiles like the PL-12 and AMRAAM to strike early. Older aircraft (F-7PG, Mirage III/V) are held in reserve, relying on close-range engagements due to their lack of BVR capability.
- India: Adopts a layered defense, sending less capable aircraft (Jaguars, MiG-21-2000s) first to absorb Pakistan’s initial missile salvos, preserving modern fighters (Su-30s, Rafales, Tejas) for a counteroffensive. This “shield” strategy aims to exhaust Pakistan’s missile stocks before unleashing India’s heavy hitters.
The battle unfolds as a “straight-up grudge match,” with no complex tactical maneuvers, focusing instead on a mass aerial clash to test raw firepower and endurance.
The simulation kicks off at 00:00 Zulu time, with both sides launching from their respective airbases. Technical issues force some Pakistani F-16s and J-10Cs to spawn airborne, but the Grim Reapers ensure fairness by timing their entry with the JF-17s’ takeoff.
Pakistan’s JF-17s take the lead, firing PL-12 missiles at 25 nautical miles, targeting India’s Jaguars. The Jaguars, ill-equipped for air-to-air combat, are decimated, with 110 (scaled to 11 in the simulation) shot down in minutes. The PL-12s prove fast and difficult to evade, fulfilling Pakistan’s goal of an early knockout blow. India’s strategy of using Jaguars as a missile sponge holds, but at a steep cost.
As India’s MiG-29s and MiG-21-2000s enter the fray, they fire R-77 Adders, but these 40-mile-range missiles struggle against Pakistan’s 50-mile AMRAAMs and PL-12s. The JF-17s and F-16s maintain an edge, downing several MiG-29s and MiG-21s. However, India’s Su-30 MKIs, the “missile factories,” join the fight, unleashing a barrage of Astra Mk1 and I-Derby ER missiles. The sheer volume of missiles from the Su-30s overwhelms Pakistan’s modern fighters, with F-16s and JF-17s taking heavy losses. The J-10Cs’ PL-15s cause some damage, but their limited numbers (2 in the simulation) restrict their impact.
With Pakistan’s modern fighters depleted, their Mirage III/Vs and F-7PGs enter the battle, but these 1960s-era aircraft are outclassed. Lacking BVR missiles, they attempt close-range dogfights, but India’s Su-30s, Rafales, and Tejas dominate with superior radar, missile range, and numbers. The Su-30s, in particular, prove unstoppable, their large missile loadouts allowing them to engage multiple targets without reloading. Pakistan’s remaining aircraft are systematically annihilated, with even their surviving J-10C running out of missiles and falling to an Astra.
The Scoreboard: A Decisive Victory
The simulation concludes with a resounding Indian victory:
- Indian Losses: 350 aircraft (60% of their force), including all Jaguars, MiG-29s, MiG-21-2000s, Mirage 2000s, and 90 Su-30s. No Rafales or Tejas were lost. India fired 156 BVR missiles and 12 close-range missiles, costing $1.1 billion.
- Pakistan Losses: 460 aircraft (effectively their entire air force), including all JF-17s, F-16s, J-10Cs, F-7PGs, Mirage IIIs, and Mirage Vs. Pakistan fired only 74 BVR missiles and one close-range missile, costing $1.6 billion.
The Grim Reapers highlight several factors behind India’s triumph:
- Missile Superiority: The Su-30 MKIs’ ability to carry eight BVR missiles each (Astra Mk1 and I-Derby ER) overwhelmed Pakistan’s fighters, which carried fewer missiles (typically four per aircraft). The Su-30s’ “missile factory” nature allowed India to sustain offensive pressure.
- Strategic Depth: India’s layered approach, sacrificing older aircraft to exhaust Pakistan’s missile stocks, preserved their modern fighters for the decisive phase. Pakistan’s reliance on early BVR engagements left their older aircraft vulnerable later.
- Technological Edge: While both sides fielded comparable BVR missiles (50-mile range for AMRAAM, PL-12, Astra, and I-Derby), India’s Rafales (with Meteors, if integrated) and Su-30s’ advanced radars provided a slight edge in long-range engagements.
- Numbers and Endurance: The Su-30s’ sheer numbers (259, scaled to 26) and missile capacity outlasted Pakistan’s modern fighters, leaving their Mirage III/Vs and F-7PGs unable to compete.
The simulation underscores the importance of missile quantity, modern avionics, and strategic planning in large-scale air combat. Pakistan’s early success was undone by their inability to match India’s sustained firepower.
The Grim Reapers note the surprising parity in air force sizes despite India’s larger population and GDP. This could reflect budgetary priorities, differing strategic doctrines, or India’s focus on modernizing quality over quantity. The simulation also highlights the challenges of modeling real-world conflicts in DCS, with approximations (e.g., substituting F-5Es for Jaguars, debated Meteor integration) introducing some inaccuracies. Nonetheless, the attention to detail—veteran AI, real missile loadouts, and proportional scaling—lends credibility to the exercise.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.