SOURCE: AFI
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has intensified its efforts to secure the transfer of China’s PL-17 Very Long Range Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) following a recent setback. Intelligence officials, speaking to idrw.org, revealed that the PAF is pushing for the anti-AWACS missile after India’s S-400 air defence system successfully downed a PAF Saab 2000 AWACS deep within Pakistani airspace during a recent engagement.
The loss has underscored the vulnerability of PAF’s early warning and control assets, particularly after the Indian Air Force (IAF) effectively utilized its Netra Mk1 and Phalcon AWACS during the 2019 and 2025 conflicts. These platforms played a pivotal role in providing situational awareness, a capability the PAF seeks to counter with the PL-17, designed to target high-value support aircraft like AWACS.
Initially, the PAF anticipated the PL-17 would accompany China’s J-35A stealth fighter jets, expected as part of a future deal. However, ongoing trials of the missile system have delayed its availability. Intelligence sources indicate that the PAF is now pressing China to integrate the PL-17 with its existing J-10CE fighters.
Earlier this year, a J-10C unit spotted during a Chinese exercise reportedly carried what appeared to be a PL-17, fueling speculation about its development progress.The request highlights the PAF’s strategic shift to bolster its long-range air-to-air capabilities amid escalating regional tensions, though the timeline for the PL-17’s deployment remains uncertain.
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