SOURCE: AFI
As regional security dynamics in South Asia evolve, Pakistan’s reported interest in acquiring China’s fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighter poses a new challenge for the Indian Air Force (IAF). With its low radar cross-section (RCS) and advanced avionics, the J-35A could enhance the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) ability to penetrate Indian airspace and conduct precision strikes.
To counter this emerging threat, India must strengthen its integrated air defense system (IADS). The Russian S-500 “Prometheus” surface-to-air missile system, a next-generation platform with unparalleled capabilities, could be a game-changer for the IAF. Capable of engaging ballistic missiles, stealth aircraft, and even low-orbit satellites, the S-500 would significantly bolster India’s deterrence posture, ensuring air superiority and neutralizing Pakistan’s J-35A ambitions.
Pakistan’s pursuit of the J-35A, a single-engine stealth fighter derived from China’s FC-31 Gyrfalcon, signals its intent to modernize its air force and counter India’s growing capabilities, including the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, and upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Reports from Chinese media and posts on X suggest Pakistan could acquire 30-40 J-35As by 2028-30, priced at $70-80 million per unit, leveraging its deep defense ties with China. The J-35A, with an estimated RCS of 0.001-0.01 m², features a combat radius of 1,200 km, a payload of 8,000 kg, and advanced sensors like an AESA radar and electro-optical targeting system. Its ability to carry PL-15 missiles (200 km range) and conduct network-centric operations makes it a formidable adversary, capable of evading legacy air defense systems like Pakistan’s HQ-9 or India’s older S-125 Pechora.
For India, the J-35A’s deployment along the Line of Control (LoC) or in Balochistan could threaten critical assets, including airbases, command centers, and border infrastructure. Combined with Pakistan’s nuclear-capable Ra’ad cruise missiles and potential hypersonic weapons, the J-35A could complicate India’s air defense planning, particularly in a two-front scenario involving China’s J-20 and J-35 fighters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The S-500 Prometheus: A Next-Generation Air Defense Solution
The S-500 “Prometheus,” developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, is a cutting-edge air and missile defense system designed to counter a wide spectrum of threats. Unlike its predecessor, the S-400 Triumph, which India operates, the S-500 integrates advanced missile defense capabilities with anti-aircraft roles, making it a versatile platform for modern warfare. Key features include:
- Ballistic Missile Defense: The S-500 can detect and intercept up to 10 ballistic missile warheads traveling at hypersonic speeds exceeding 6.4 km/s (Mach 19). With a range of 600 km and an altitude of 180-200 km, it can neutralize Pakistan’s Ababeel (2,200 km range) and Shaheen-III (2,750 km) ballistic missiles, as well as China’s DF-21D and DF-26.
- Anti-Stealth Capabilities: Equipped with the 91N6A(M) radar and advanced 77N6-N/N1 missiles, the S-500 can detect and engage low-RCS targets like the J-35A at ranges up to 400 km. Its X-band fire control radar and multi-mode sensors enhance tracking of stealth aircraft, reducing the J-35A’s survivability.
- Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Potential: The S-500 can target low-orbit satellites and spacecraft at altitudes up to 200 km, countering Pakistan’s growing reliance on Chinese Beidou navigation and surveillance satellites for military operations.
- Multi-Target Engagement: The system can simultaneously engage aerodynamic targets (aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles) and ballistic threats, with a reaction time of under 4 seconds. Its 40N6M missile (400 km range) and 77N6-N1 (600 km range) ensure flexibility against diverse threats.
- High Mobility: The S-500’s wheeled chassis enables rapid deployment, critical for India’s vast borders, from the LoC to the LAC.
The S-500’s ability to operate at altitudes 30-50% higher than the S-400 and its integration with Russia’s layered IADS (S-400, S-350, Pantsir-S1) make it a force multiplier. For India, deploying 2-3 S-500 regiments alongside its five S-400 units could create a near-impenetrable air defense shield, protecting key cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru), airbases (Ambala, Sulur), and strategic assets like the INS Arihant-class submarines.
Why the S-500 is Ideal for Countering the J-35A
The J-35A’s stealth and agility pose a challenge to India’s legacy air defenses, such as the Akash and Barak-8 systems, which are optimized for non-stealth targets. The S-500’s advanced sensors and long-range interceptors address this gap:
- Stealth Detection: The S-500’s low-frequency radars and AI-driven signal processing can detect the J-35A at extended ranges, negating its stealth advantage. This is critical, as Pakistan may deploy J-35As for surprise strikes or to escort non-stealth platforms like the JF-17 Block III.
- Overwhelming Firepower: The S-500’s ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously counters the J-35A’s potential to operate in networked formations, supported by drones or AWACS like Pakistan’s ZDK-03 Karakorum Eagle.
- Hypersonic and Cruise Missile Defense: The J-35A could deploy stand-off weapons like the Ra’ad-II (600 km range) or Chinese-supplied hypersonic missiles. The S-500’s 77N6-N1 missile, designed for exo-atmospheric intercepts, ensures these threats are neutralized before reaching Indian airspace.
- Strategic Deterrence: The S-500’s ASAT capability signals to Pakistan and China that their satellite-dependent operations, including ISR and missile guidance, are vulnerable, raising the cost of aggression.
To mitigate these challenges, India could negotiate technology transfer (ToT) for S-500 components, as with the S-400’s indigenous radar production by BEL. A staggered procurement of 2 regiments by 2030, integrated with DRDO’s Project Kusha (long-range SAM) and XRSAM, would balance costs and timelines.
Pakistan’s J-35A pursuit is part of its broader alignment with China, which supplies 60% of its military hardware, including JF-17s, Type-054A frigates, and HQ-9 SAMs. China’s $62 billion CPEC investments and Gwadar port operations underscore Pakistan’s strategic role in countering India’s Indo-Pacific ambitions. The J-35A, potentially based in Skardu or Karachi, could target IAF airbases in Jammu, Rajasthan, or Gujarat, disrupting India’s air operations.
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