SOURCE: AFI
In a strategic move to sharpen its combat edge, the Indian Air Force’s Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) has deployed its Dassault Mirage-2000 fighters to mimic the Chengdu J-10CE, Pakistan’s latest addition to its air arsenal. Based at Gwalior Air Force Station, TACDE—often dubbed the “Top Gun” school of India—trains the IAF’s elite fighter pilots in advanced aerial tactics. By tasking the Mirage-2000 to play the role of an aggressor simulating the J-10CE, the IAF aims to prepare its pilots to counter this formidable adversary in realistic combat scenarios.
The decision to use the Mirage-2000 as a stand-in for the J-10CE is rooted in their striking design similarities. Both aircraft feature a delta wing configuration, a hallmark that enhances agility, high-speed performance, and maneuverability—crucial attributes in modern air combat. The Mirage-2000, a battle-proven fourth-generation fighter in the IAF’s inventory since the 1980s, shares more than just aesthetics with the J-10CE. Like its Chinese counterpart, it employs a relaxed stability design, allowing for a large delta wing that sacrifices inherent stability for exceptional nimbleness. This design philosophy, paired with fly-by-wire systems, enables both jets to execute tight turns and rapid maneuvers, making them lethal dogfighters.
The J-10CE, an export variant of China’s J-10C, represents a significant upgrade for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Introduced in 2022 with an initial batch of 25 jets and plans for up to 50, the J-10CE boasts advanced avionics, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and compatibility with modern beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles like the PL-15. Its single-engine design, powered by the Russian AL-31FN or the indigenous WS-10A, delivers thrust comparable to the Mirage-2000’s SNECMA M53-P2 engine. These parallels make the Mirage-2000 an apt choice for TACDE to replicate the J-10CE’s flight characteristics and combat potential.
TACDE’s use of “aggressor” aircraft to simulate enemy tactics is a time-honored practice, drawing inspiration from programs like the U.S. Navy’s Top Gun school. By configuring the Mirage-2000 to emulate the J-10CE’s performance envelope, TACDE instructors—many of whom are veteran pilots with thousands of flying hours—can recreate the PAF’s likely tactics and strategies. This includes mimicking the J-10CE’s agility in close-quarters combat, its BVR engagement capabilities, and its electronic warfare profile, giving IAF pilots a taste of what they might face across the Line of Control.
The Mirage-2000’s adaptability adds to its suitability for this role. During the 1999 Kargil War, it proved its mettle by delivering precision strikes with laser-guided bombs, and its upgrades—such as the RDY-2 radar and MICA missile integration—keep it relevant in modern warfare. While it lacks the J-10CE’s AESA radar, TACDE can simulate these advanced systems through electronic countermeasures and scenario scripting, ensuring that IAF pilots train against a realistic threat.
Pakistan’s acquisition of the J-10CE has shifted the aerial balance in South Asia, posing a direct challenge to India’s air superiority. The jet’s advanced sensors and long-range weaponry outmatch older PAF platforms like the F-16 and JF-17, narrowing the technological gap with IAF fighters such as the Su-30 MKI and Rafale. For India, countering the J-10CE requires not just superior hardware but also superior tactics—a domain where TACDE’s expertise comes into play.
By pitting its pilots against the Mirage-2000 in aggressor mode, the IAF is honing skills to exploit the J-10CE’s potential weaknesses. The delta wing design, while agile, can bleed energy quickly in sustained turns—a trait the Mirage-2000 shares and TACDE can emphasize. Additionally, the J-10CE’s reliance on Chinese supply chains for spares and maintenance, often a logistical bottleneck, could be a vulnerability in prolonged conflicts—insights the IAF can factor into its planning.
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