SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant blow to Pakistan’s air defense capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has destroyed a Chinese-supplied YLC-8E anti-stealth radar stationed at the Chunian Air Base in central Punjab, identified as a frontline operational station. The radar, developed by the Chinese state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and touted as the “flagship of Chinese stealth radar,” was obliterated during India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike launched on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist infrastructure and military assets in Pakistan.
The YLC-8E, a UHF-band 3D surveillance radar, was donated to Pakistan by China in 2023 from the People’s Liberation Army’s own inventory, reportedly to counter India’s superior ELM-2090U Ultra UHF radars deployed by the IAF. Described by China’s state-owned Global Times as the world’s first UHF-band anti-stealth radar system, the YLC-8E features a massive antenna—equivalent to two badminton courts—and leverages high-power, cutting-edge information processing technology to detect advanced stealth aircraft, including the U.S. F-22 and F-35, at ranges exceeding 500 kilometers. It is also designed to track missile threats up to 700 kilometers, offering high-definition targeting and independent guidance capabilities. The radar’s active phase-controlled array and novel anti-stealth technology were marketed as superior to foreign competitors, positioning it as a backbone of modern air defense networks.
Chunian Air Base, located approximately 70 kilometers south of Lahore, serves as a critical hub for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operations and Pakistan Army aviation assets, including fixed-wing aircraft. The YLC-8E’s deployment at this forward base was part of Pakistan’s effort to bolster its Comprehensive Layered Integrated Air Defence (CLIAD) system, particularly to counter India’s non-stealth Rafale jets and standoff munitions like the BrahMos and SCALP cruise missiles. However, satellite imagery and Indian military briefings confirmed the radar’s destruction on May 10, 2025, alongside other air defense assets at Chunian, Pasrur, and Arifwala, leaving a significant gap in Pakistan’s early warning and airspace monitoring capabilities in central Punjab.
Indian defense officials, during a press briefing led by Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, revealed that the IAF employed advanced air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs), likely the BrahMos, to execute precision strikes on Pakistani military targets, including the YLC-8E. The attack disrupted radar coverage and communications infrastructure vital for Pakistan’s air defense, enabling Indian aircraft to penetrate deeper with reduced risk. The IAF’s success in neutralizing the YLC-8E, despite its touted anti-stealth and anti-jamming capabilities, has sparked skepticism about its operational reliability, especially under Pakistan’s command. Chinese netizens, already critical of Pakistan’s handling of systems like the HQ-9 and PL-15E, have expressed frustration on social media, attributing the failure to inadequate training and poor integration rather than flaws in the radar itself.
The YLC-8E’s destruction is a strategic setback for both Pakistan and China. For Pakistan, the loss compromises its ability to detect and engage Indian aircraft and munitions, particularly in the eastern theater. For China, the incident dents the credibility of its defense exports, as the YLC-8E was marketed as a counter to Western and Indian radar systems. Indian analysts suggest that the IAF’s ELM-2090U, combined with electronic warfare capabilities and real-time intelligence, likely outmaneuvered the YLC-8E, exposing limitations in its anti-jamming and target-tracking features. The strike also aligns with India’s broader Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) strategy, which targeted Pakistani radar sites, command centers, and weapon depots across eight bases, including Rafiqui, Murid, and Sukkur.
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