SOURCE: AFI
In a significant intelligence breakthrough, Indian air defence systems and radars have gathered extensive data on Chinese-origin military equipment deployed by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during the recent India-Pakistan aerial clashes in May 2025. The information, which includes electronic and digital signatures of advanced weaponry such as the J-10C and JF-17 combat jets, the PL-15 active radar-guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), and the HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), is poised to enhance India’s defensive capabilities and provide valuable insights to New Delhi’s strategic partners.
The data collection occurred during Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The PAF’s response, involving Chinese-supplied platforms and munitions, inadvertently exposed these systems to India’s sophisticated air defence network, including the Russian-origin S-400 Triumf and indigenous systems like the Akash and QRSAM. According to a defence official, “The parameters of weapons systems can be reconfigured for export versions, but access to basic information such as electronic signatures allows a country’s defensive equipment to be better calibrated to counter such threats.”
Key Chinese-Origin Systems Under Scrutiny
- J-10C and JF-17 Combat Jets:
- The J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter equipped with a KLJ-10 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and WS-10B engine, was deployed by the PAF’s No. 15 ‘Cobras’ Squadron. Its electronic warfare suite and radar emissions were captured by Indian systems, providing critical data on its detection and tracking capabilities.
- The JF-17 Block III, a lightweight fighter co-developed by Pakistan and China, features the KLJ-7A AESA radar but is limited by its smaller nose cone, reducing its radar aperture and effective engagement range. Indian radars recorded its electronic signatures, revealing operational constraints, particularly when paired with long-range missiles like the PL-15E.
- PL-15E Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile:
- The PL-15E, an export variant of China’s PL-15 BVRAAM, was used extensively by the PAF during the May 2025 clashes. With a reported range of 145 km (compared to the domestic PL-15’s 200–300 km), the missile features a dual-pulse rocket motor, AESA radar seeker, and two-way datalink for mid-course guidance.
- Indian forces recovered multiple PL-15E debris, including a near-intact rear section in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, and fragments bearing Chinese markings, such as part numbers P15E12203039 and P15E12203023. These recoveries, described as an “intelligence coup,” allowed the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to study the missile’s guidance systems and countermeasures resistance.
- Posts on X indicate that several PL-15E missiles underperformed, with some failing to engage targets, possibly due to effective jamming by the Rafale’s SPECTRA electronic warfare suite. This data is being analyzed to develop soft-kill and hard-kill countermeasures.
- HQ-9 Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile:
- The HQ-9P, a Pakistani variant of China’s HQ-9 SAM system, is a derivative of the Russian S-300, featuring track-via-missile (TVM) guidance and a range of 125 km against aircraft and 25 km against cruise missiles.
- Indian intelligence confirmed the presence of four HQ-9 units, rather than the previously estimated two, deployed at strategic locations like Chaklala and Malir cantonments. Their radar signatures, including those of the HT-233 target-acquisition radar and Type 305A AESA search radar, were captured, enabling India to map their operational patterns.
- The HQ-9’s integration with shorter-range SAM systems was noted, suggesting a layered air defence strategy that India’s air defence systems successfully penetrated during strikes.
The electronic and digital signatures collected provide a rare glimpse into Chinese-origin equipment, much of which had not been tested in combat prior to the May 2025 conflict. According to the defence official, this data is “invaluable” for recalibrating India’s air defence systems to counter these threats more effectively. The S-400’s ability to track and engage multiple targets, combined with indigenous systems like the Akash and Barak-8, demonstrated resilience against PAF’s drone swarms and missile barrages, further validating India’s layered defence architecture.
The intelligence is also of significant interest to India’s strategic partners, including the United States, France, and NATO members, who seek to understand the capabilities of Chinese weaponry. Western defence analysts are eager to study the J-10C’s radar emissions and the PL-15E’s performance to refine their own countermeasures. The recovery of PL-15E debris offers a unique opportunity to reverse-engineer its seeker and guidance systems, potentially informing the development of advanced electronic countermeasures.
The insights gained from this conflict have prompted the Ministry of Defence to approve inventory upgrades, including longer-range loitering munitions, kamikaze drones, and BVRAAMs that outrange the PL-15E, such as the MBDA Meteor. The DRDO is leveraging the recovered PL-15E debris to enhance indigenous missile programs like the Astra Mk-2, while electronic signatures of the HQ-9 and J-10C are being used to refine radar and jamming technologies.
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