Aerial skirmish over Kashmir region – Chinese surface-to-air missiles bring down a French aircraft

• Author: Gernot Kramper
• Reading Time: Approx. 4 minutes

Aerial Combat Over Kashmir: Chinese Missiles Down French Aircraft - Aerial skirmish over Kashmir region – Chinese surface-to-air missiles bring down a French aircraft

The India-Pakistan conflict took a backseat in Germany's public discourse, with government formation and papal election dominating headlines. However, the military sees a historic shift.

Triggered by a devastating terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam with 26 fatalities, the conflict escalated with Indian air strikes on May 6 (Operation Sindoor) against suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan. Although limited in scale, this confrontation ignited a massive air battle on May 7, 2025 - approximately 125 jets engaged for an hour without breaching enemy airspace. The sheer scale and nature of this battle are astonishing, marking a turning point in air warfare.

For the first time, an air battle of such magnitude occurred "out of sight". The planes engaged each other from a great distance - missiles such as PL-15 and MBDA Meteor were fired over 160 kilometers away. The pilots didn’t see the enemy’s machines but launched long-range missiles with impressive reach. Pakistan reported five Indian shootdowns, including three Rafale, crediting the PL-15, while India acknowledged three. The "combat" took place between the jets—the targets—and the missile’s seekers. This battle illustrates the role of modern sensors and networking.

The Dawn of "Out of Sight" Air Battles

For the development of combat jets, this marks a pivotal moment. The traditional fight between jets is coming to an end, as is the close turning fight, known as a "dogfight". This demands new requirements for aircraft. Maximum speed, climb rate, and turn rate lose significance. A cannon becomes obsolete. Crucial are long-range radar systems and the ability to carry heavy missiles. The fighter becomes simply a weapons carrier.

Maneuverability remains important to evade enemy missiles, but the ability to disrupt their sensors holds greater weight. In addition to active defense systems that shoot down enemy missiles, drones, and AI-assisted target acquisition will further change air warfare. However, the central focus is whether enemies can be detected from a great distance and how far one’s own weapons reach.

If one side brings air-to-air missiles with a range of 300 kilometers into the fight, opponents with shorter range have little chance. Ultimately, a race for these weapons ensues. The MBDA Meteor of the German Armed Forces, with over 200 kilometers range, uses a ramjet. China’s PL-15, in a version up to 400 kilometers, relies on a dual-pulse motor for similar performance. The Russian Wympel R-37M, on the other hand, reaches 300 to 400 kilometers—at higher speeds.

The U.S. is continuing to develop its standard weapon, the AIM-120 (with a range of 70 to 180 kilometers). The AIM-260 JATM is expected to reach over 300 kilometers. China is focusing on long ranges to keep the US Air Force away from its mainland. The PL-15 of the People’s Liberation Army can reach up to 400 kilometers in a special version. The PL-17 is currently being tested, which is designed to destroy targets over 500 kilometers away—dimensions that only a few ground-based air defense systems can reach. The range of the PL-17 (over 500 kilometers) exceeds most ground-based systems such as the USA’s PAC-2 (160 kilometers) or even the PAC-3 MSE (up to 100 kilometers), while only systems like Russia’s S-400 (up to 400 kilometers) can keep up. Nevertheless, such air-to-air missiles require "heavy" fighter jets that can carry these massive weapons.

China's Advancements on Display

In the air battle, Pakistan successfully employed the Chinese PL-15. Pakistan reported shooting down five Indian jets—three Rafale, one MiG-29, and one Su-30MKI—with the PL-15. India confirmed the crash of three aircraft in Jammu and Kashmir, failing to specify the cause. Debris of the PL-15 was documented.

India used the MBDA Meteor and the R-77, but they were outmatched in range by the PL-15. Independent reports, supported by satellite images and missile debris, confirm at least two shootdowns, although the exact number remains disputed. A French government official confirmed the loss of a Rafale multi-role combat aircraft. Debris of this type of missile, along with fragments of a Rafale and an Indian jet of Russian origin (MiG-29 Fulcrum or Su-30MKI Flanker), were photographed.

The PL-15 exists in various configurations, including a stripped-down export version. Pakistan uses the Chinese jets JF-17 Block and J-10C for this purpose. India, in addition to the Rafale with the MBDA Meteor, also used Su-30MKI and MiG-29 with the Russian R-77 (range up to 200 kilometers), which was also outmatched by the PL-15.

China Achieves Parity

All signs suggest that the Indian Air Force suffered a significant defeat in the air battle. Pakistan reported 26 civilian deaths, including women and children, from Indian attacks, while India emphasized "precision strikes". Both sides use media for propaganda, making independent reports difficult.

For China, the outcome was more than a PR success if the losses could indeed be attributed to the PL-15—especially if a Western combat aircraft like the Rafale was hit. The success of the PL-15 against a Rafale boosts China’s arms industry and forces the West to push forward systems like the AIM-260. This would be a clear indication of how far Chinese military technology has caught up. Especially since it is assumed that Beijing did not supply Pakistan with the most advanced variants.

Sources: TWZ, CNN, Reuters, "Newsweek"

• Keywords:
  • Air battle
  • Air war
  • Pakistan
  • India
  • MBDA
  • Pahalgam

Enrichment Data:The current long-range air-to-air missile development race includes notable competitors: Europe's MBDA Meteor, China's PL-15 (and its variant PL-15E), the USA's AIM-120 AMRAAM series, and the newer AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). Each missile embodies the strategic priorities and technological advancements of its respective country, with differences in propulsion, range, guidance systems, and countermeasure resistance.

MBDA Meteor

• Propulsion: The Meteor is powered by a ramjet engine.
• Range: Estimated effective range is around 100+ km, though exact operational ranges depend on launch parameters.
• Guidance: Features active radar homing with mid-course updates and strong resistance to countermeasure.
• Performance: Its ramjet propulsion allows it to maintain high speeds and energy in the terminal phase, resulting in a "no escape zone" larger than many competitors.
• Deployment: Integrated on European platforms such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, and Saab Gripen.
• Significance: Considered one of the most advanced in terms of maneuverability and resistance to electronic warfare.

Chinese PL-15 / PL-15E

• Development: Began early 2010s, operational since between 2015 and 2017, replacing the PL-12 as China’s primary beyond-visual-range missile.
• Propulsion: Uses a two-stage dual-pulse solid rocket motor enabling speeds above Mach 5.
• Range: The PL-15E variant reportedly has a maximum range of approximately 145 km.
• Guidance & Electronic Warfare: Equipped with a gallium nitride (GaN) AESA radar seeker resistant to jamming, frequency agility, and digital signal processing capable of countering deception and broadband noise jamming.
• Launch Platforms: Compatible with multiple Chinese fighters, including J-10C, J-11B, J-15, J-16, J-20, and stealth fighters like the J-35 with folding fins variant for internal carriage.
• Combat Use: Confirmed combat employment by the Pakistan Air Force, indicating operational maturity.

AIM-120 AMRAAM (AIM-120C and AIM-120D)

• Development: The AIM-120 series has been a U.S. mainstay since the 1990s, with incremental improvements.
• Versions: AIM-120C has a range around 90 km, AIM-120D extended to approximately 150 km.
• Guidance: Active radar homing with two-way data link allowing mid-course trajectory updates.
• Speed: Supersonic speeds around Mach 4.
• Deployment: Widely used by U.S. and allied forces on a broad range of fighters.
• Limitations: Considered effective but outmatched by newer very long-range missiles in terms of maximum range, prompting the U.S. to develop the AIM-260 JATM to counter threats like the PL-15 and Russian long-range missiles.

AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)

• Purpose: Developed to compete with the Chinese PL-15 and Russian longer-range missiles exceeding 200 km.
• Range: Estimated to surpass AIM-120D, with speculative operational range around 200+ km, though exact figures remain classified.
• Technology: Expected to incorporate advanced propulsion and seeker technologies to improve range, speed, and electronic counter-countermeasures.
• Status: Under development with U.S. Air Force focused on fielding it to maintain technological parity or advantage over emerging threats.

1. The air battle between India and Pakistan in 2025, ignited by an incident in Pahalgam, Kashmir, saw the use of long-range missiles such as the MBDA Meteor and China's PL-15, with reports suggesting these missiles were fired over 160 kilometers away.
2. The success of the PL-15 in downing Indian jets, including a Rafale, has boosted China's arms industry and forced the West to push forward systems like the AIM-260 JATM, potentially indicating how far Chinese military technology has caught up.
3. In the sports world, predictions are being made about the race for long-range air-to-air missiles, with notable competitors including Europe's MBDA Meteor, China's PL-15 and PL-15E, the USA's AIM-120 AMRAAM series, and the newer AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM).
4. The anticipated operational range of the AIM-260 JATM is over 200 kilometers, developed to counter threats like the PL-15 and Russian long-range missiles.

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