SOURCE: AFI
A leaked document from the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), a Chinese state-owned defense company, has shed light on a recent arms deal with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). According to the document, Pakistan has acquired 240 PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVR-AAMs) as part of a larger defense procurement package. However, the document clarifies that the PL-15E variant supplied to Pakistan has a capped range of 145 kilometers, contrary to claims in Pakistani media that the PAF had procured the PL-15 variant used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), which boasts a range exceeding 200 kilometers.
The leaked document details a loan of CNY 10,136,650,000.00 (approximately USD 1.4 billion) from CATIC to the PAF for the procurement of 20 J-10CE fighter jets, the 240 PL-15E missiles, 10 KWS-10B spare power plants, and one flight management system (FMS), along with associated stores and services. The deal, executed on a seller’s credit basis, highlights China’s continued role as a key defense supplier to Pakistan.
The PL-15E, an export version of the PL-15 missile, is designed with reduced capabilities to comply with international arms export regulations. While the PL-15 used by the PLAAF is equipped with advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and a dual-pulse motor, enabling ranges beyond 200 kilometers, the PL-15E’s capped range of 145 kilometers reflects a deliberate downgrade. This revelation contradicts earlier reports in Pakistani media, which had propagated the acquisition of the full-capability PL-15, raising questions about the accuracy of public statements regarding the PAF’s missile capabilities.
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