SOURCE: AFI
On April 26, 2025, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) released images showcasing its JF-17 Block III fighter jet equipped with PL-15 missiles, sparking widespread discussion on social media platforms like X. The PAF’s announcement, coming amid heightened tensions with India following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, appears to be a strategic move to project enhanced aerial capabilities. However, a deeper analysis reveals that this claim may be more of a “jumla”—a hollow boast—than a genuine leap in operational strength.
The PAF likely acquired only the export variant, PL-15E, which is supplied with the J-10CE fighter jets and has significant limitations when integrated with the JF-17 Block III.
The images released by the PAF on April 26, 2025, depict the JF-17 Block III carrying PL-15 missiles, with some posts on X noting the presence of PL-10E short-range missiles, an in-flight refueling probe (IFRP), and a helmet-mounted display (HMD). The PAF’s messaging suggests a significant upgrade, with the PL-15 touted as a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) capable of engaging targets at long distances. This comes at a time when India is considering scrapping the 2021 LoC ceasefire, following Pakistan’s failure to curb terrorism and recent GPS jamming incidents along the border, signaling heightened electronic warfare activity.
The PL-15 missile, in its domestic Chinese variant, is a formidable weapon, with a reported range of up to 200–300 km and advanced active radar guidance, equipping fighters like the J-20 and J-10C in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). However, the PAF’s claim raises questions about the missile’s integration, the variant in use, and the actual operational impact on its fleet.
Contrary to the PAF’s projection, the missiles in question are likely the PL-15E, an export variant supplied by China, which has a significantly reduced range of 145 km compared to the domestic PL-15’s 200–300 km. This export version was initially acquired alongside the J-10CE fighter jets, which Pakistan inducted in March 2022 as part of a $1.525 billion deal for 20 aircraft, 10 spare WS-10B engines, and 240 PL-15E missiles. The J-10CE, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter, is equipped with an AESA radar and advanced avionics, making it a natural platform for the PL-15E.
The JF-17 Block III, while an improvement over earlier variants, faces significant hurdles in effectively integrating the PL-15E. The Block III, inducted in 2023 and made fully operational in 2024, features the KLJ-7A AESA radar, which enhances its ability to track multiple targets and resist jamming. However, the PAF’s JF-17 fleet is not uniform. Out of an estimated 150 JF-17s in service, only 45–50 are Block III variants with the AESA radar. The older Block I and Block II models, numbering around 100, rely on mechanically scanned radars like the KLJ-7, which lack the scan rate, range, and multi-target tracking capabilities needed to fully exploit a BVR missile like the PL-15E. Upgrading these older variants to AESA standards would be costly and logistically challenging, and there is no evidence that such upgrades have occurred.
The integration of the PL-15E on the JF-17 Block III, while technically feasible, is constrained by several factors:
- Radar Limitations: The KLJ-7A AESA radar on the Block III, while advanced, is smaller and less powerful than those on larger fighters like the J-10CE or India’s Rafale (equipped with the RBE2 AESA). The PL-15E’s 145 km range requires a radar with sufficient detection range and tracking accuracy to guide the missile effectively. The JF-17’s smaller nose cone limits the radar’s aperture, potentially reducing its effective range to 100–120 km, underutilizing the missile’s potential.
- Fleet Size and Readiness: With only 45–50 Block III jets and 20 J-10CEs capable of deploying the PL-15E, the PAF’s ability to field a significant number of PL-15E-equipped fighters is limited. This contrasts with India’s larger fleet of Rafale (36 jets) and Sukhoi-30 MKI (272 jets), many of which are equipped with the Meteor missile (range 150+ km) and R-77 (110 km), respectively.
- Logistical Challenges: The PL-15E stockpile, initially acquired for the J-10CE, may not be sufficient to arm both the J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fleets in large numbers. Reports from 2024 indicated that China was initially reluctant to allow PL-15E integration on the JF-17, suggesting potential restrictions on supply or integration support.
With only 65–70 aircraft (20 J-10CEs and 45–50 JF-17 Block IIIs) capable of carrying the PL-15E, the PAF’s ability to challenge India’s air superiority is limited. India’s S-400 air defense system, with a 400 km range, can engage PAF jets long before they reach the PL-15E’s 145 km engagement range, while the Rafale-Meteor combination outranges and outmaneuvers the JF-17.
The release of these images coincides with India’s heightened alert status and potential strikes on Pakistani terrorist launch pads in PoK, as speculated by analysts like Abhijit Iyer-Mitra. The PAF may be attempting to deter India by projecting a capability that, in reality, is constrained by fleet size, radar limitations, and missile numbers.
However, India must remain vigilant. The PL-15E, even with a 145 km range, poses a threat to slower-moving ISR assets like AWACS or the A-321 intelligence jet spotted over Jammu on April 25, 2025. The PAF’s focus on BVR combat could also complicate Indian air operations near the LoC, especially if Pakistan deploys these missiles in larger numbers in the future.
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