Pakistan’s first combat use of Chinese PL-15E air-to-air missiles confirmed after debris found in India
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by Clash Report on May 7, 2025, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has employed the Chinese-made PL-15E very long-range air-to-air missile in combat for the first time. This event was confirmed when Indian authorities recovered debris from a PL-15 missile in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, amid what could be India’s heaviest air losses since 1971. Indian media, such as Jagbani Punjab Kesari, released photographs of the missile fragments, though the precise details of its deployment and trajectory remain under investigation. The missile in question was identified as the PL-15E, the export version of the PL-15 missile used by China.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
As of early 2025, Pakistan’s fleet includes approximately 45 to 50 JF-17 Block III aircraft and 20 J-10CEs, amounting to around 65 to 70 fighter jets capable of launching the PL-15E. (Picture source: Twitter/Clash Report and Weibo)
On April 26, 2025, the PAF released images of JF-17 Block III aircraft armed with PL-10 and PL-15E missiles, marking the first official confirmation that the JF-17 is capable of deploying such air-to-air missiles. As of early 2025, Pakistan’s fleet includes approximately 45 to 50 JF-17 Block III aircraft and 20 J-10CEs, amounting to around 65 to 70 fighter jets capable of launching the PL-15E. Older JF-17 Block I and II aircraft, which total around 100 units, use mechanical KLJ-7 radars and are not compatible with the PL-15E, and no confirmed information indicates that these older aircraft have received radar upgrades. The operational scope of PL-15E deployment is therefore limited, and reports from 2024 have suggested that additional deliveries of the missile may be constrained by Chinese export policy.
Pakistan acquired the PL-15E under a $1.525 billion agreement signed in June 2021 that included 240 missiles, 20 J-10CE fighters, and 10 WS-10B engines. While the J-10CE features a larger radome and more powerful AESA radar, offering better target detection and tracking performance than other platforms in the Pakistani fleet, the JF-17 Block III is fitted with the KLJ-7A AESA radar. Despite this upgrade, the JF-17’s radar system is considered to have lower performance compared to that of the J-10CE or India’s Rafale aircraft, which are equipped with the Thales RBE2 AESA radar. Due to the smaller diameter of the JF-17’s nose cone, estimated at approximately 360 mm, its radar aperture is reduced, possibly limiting the effective range of the PL-15E, which has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, to an effective engagement range of 100–120 kilometers when launched from a JF-17 Block III without external support from airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for targeting data after launch.
Platform endurance also plays a critical role, as the JF-17’s internal fuel capacity, estimated at around 2,330 kg without external tanks, and mission endurance, generally limited to 2.5 to 3 hours under standard loadouts, restrict its ability to sustain prolonged patrols or maintain a combat-ready posture in high-threat environments while armed with long-range missiles such as the PL-15E. These limitations become more pronounced during high-altitude loitering or when operating without aerial refueling, especially in the mountainous terrain of the Kashmir region, where air combat engagements are likely to occur at extended ranges. These factors, combined with potential challenges in data-link bandwidth and processing speed, reduce the missile’s operational effectiveness compared to scenarios involving more capable platforms like the J-10CE or AEW&C-supported engagements. The missile is a fire-and-forget system with terminal active radar homing and features designed to resist electronic countermeasures.
Due to the smaller diameter of the JF-17’s nose cone, its radar aperture is reduced, possibly limiting the effective range of the PL-15E, which has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, to an effective engagement range of 100–120 kilometers. (Picture source: Weibo)
The PL-15E is the export version of the PL-15, developed by China’s 607 Institute (China Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute). The PL-15E has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, compared to the 200 to 300 kilometers range of the PL-15 used by the Chinese Air Force. Both variants are equipped with dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motors and are capable of speeds exceeding Mach 5. Their guidance systems incorporate inertial navigation, Beidou satellite updates, a two-way datalink, and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker. The PL-15 series includes warheads estimated to weigh between 20 to 25 kilograms, typically high-explosive fragmentation types optimized for the destruction of maneuvering aerial targets.
In regional terms, the PL-15E introduces new variables to Indian air defense planning. India fields 36 Rafale aircraft equipped with Meteor missiles, which have a longer range and enhanced no-escape zone capabilities due to their ramjet propulsion. The Indian Air Force also operates approximately 272 Su-30MKI aircraft with R-77 missiles that have a nominal range of 110 kilometers. Furthermore, India’s S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems provide additional air defense coverage with engagement ranges of up to 400 kilometers. These capabilities contribute to a continued Indian advantage in both numbers and systems integration.
The PL-15 missile series forms a core component of China’s air combat modernization efforts. Development of the PL-15 began in the early 2010s, with test firings reported in 2011 and operational deployment commencing between 2015 and 2017. It replaced the PL-12 as the standard beyond-visual-range missile in the Chinese inventory. The PL-15 is employed on multiple aircraft, including the J-10C, J-11B, J-15, J-16, and J-20. Its introduction prompted the U.S. to develop the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). Key features of the PL-15 include a resistance to jamming techniques through the use of low probability of intercept waveforms, advanced frequency agility, and the integration of digital signal processing algorithms capable of countering both deception jamming and broadband noise-based interference. The missile’s two-stage dual-pulse propulsion enables high burn-out velocity and extended engagement envelopes.
New configurations with folding fins have been developed to allow for increased internal carriage on stealth platforms such as the J-20 and J-35, increasing payloads from four to six PL-15 missiles. (Picture source: Weibo/空警世界)
The PL-15E variant has a length of 3.996 meters, a diameter of 203 mm, and a weight of up to 210 kg. It is powered by a dual-pulse solid rocket motor that allows it to reach speeds exceeding Mach 5. The missile is typically fitted with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead estimated to weigh between 20 to 25 kg. Its guidance system includes inertial navigation, mid-course updates via Beidou satellite and datalink, and terminal active homing using an AESA radar seeker built with gallium nitride (GaN). This provides strong resistance to electronic countermeasures and enables engagements at extended ranges. The declared maximum range for the PL-15E is 145 kilometers, although operational ranges depend on launch parameters and platform limitations.
The estimated unit cost of the PL-15E is not officially disclosed, but defense analysts suggest figures between $900,000 to $1.2 million per missile, depending on the volume and support package provided to export customers. New configurations with folding fins have been developed to allow for increased internal carriage on stealth platforms such as the J-20 and J-35, increasing payloads from four to six missiles. China presented these modifications during the 2023 and 2024 Zhuhai Airshows, alongside visual documentation of robotic and automated production lines. A compressed airframe variant, sometimes referred to as PL-16, was confirmed in 2024 to facilitate internal storage while maintaining performance levels similar to the original PL-15.
The PL-15E has also been displayed with further refinements, including reduced aerodynamic control surface spans and foldable tail fins, aimed at improving compatibility with internal weapon bays. These enhancements are believed to optimize payload configurations for low-observable aircraft while reducing radar cross-section during carriage. Chinese state media previously aired a segment in August 2023 showing automated assembly lines and numerical control technologies in the missile’s production process, emphasizing consistency in manufacturing and a reduction in reliance on manual labor. Though the PL-15E is tailored for export, its use by Pakistan may represent a test case for operational deployment under combat conditions by a foreign air force.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by Clash Report on May 7, 2025, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has employed the Chinese-made PL-15E very long-range air-to-air missile in combat for the first time. This event was confirmed when Indian authorities recovered debris from a PL-15 missile in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, amid what could be India’s heaviest air losses since 1971. Indian media, such as Jagbani Punjab Kesari, released photographs of the missile fragments, though the precise details of its deployment and trajectory remain under investigation. The missile in question was identified as the PL-15E, the export version of the PL-15 missile used by China.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
As of early 2025, Pakistan’s fleet includes approximately 45 to 50 JF-17 Block III aircraft and 20 J-10CEs, amounting to around 65 to 70 fighter jets capable of launching the PL-15E. (Picture source: Twitter/Clash Report and Weibo)
On April 26, 2025, the PAF released images of JF-17 Block III aircraft armed with PL-10 and PL-15E missiles, marking the first official confirmation that the JF-17 is capable of deploying such air-to-air missiles. As of early 2025, Pakistan’s fleet includes approximately 45 to 50 JF-17 Block III aircraft and 20 J-10CEs, amounting to around 65 to 70 fighter jets capable of launching the PL-15E. Older JF-17 Block I and II aircraft, which total around 100 units, use mechanical KLJ-7 radars and are not compatible with the PL-15E, and no confirmed information indicates that these older aircraft have received radar upgrades. The operational scope of PL-15E deployment is therefore limited, and reports from 2024 have suggested that additional deliveries of the missile may be constrained by Chinese export policy.
Pakistan acquired the PL-15E under a $1.525 billion agreement signed in June 2021 that included 240 missiles, 20 J-10CE fighters, and 10 WS-10B engines. While the J-10CE features a larger radome and more powerful AESA radar, offering better target detection and tracking performance than other platforms in the Pakistani fleet, the JF-17 Block III is fitted with the KLJ-7A AESA radar. Despite this upgrade, the JF-17’s radar system is considered to have lower performance compared to that of the J-10CE or India’s Rafale aircraft, which are equipped with the Thales RBE2 AESA radar. Due to the smaller diameter of the JF-17’s nose cone, estimated at approximately 360 mm, its radar aperture is reduced, possibly limiting the effective range of the PL-15E, which has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, to an effective engagement range of 100–120 kilometers when launched from a JF-17 Block III without external support from airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for targeting data after launch.
Platform endurance also plays a critical role, as the JF-17’s internal fuel capacity, estimated at around 2,330 kg without external tanks, and mission endurance, generally limited to 2.5 to 3 hours under standard loadouts, restrict its ability to sustain prolonged patrols or maintain a combat-ready posture in high-threat environments while armed with long-range missiles such as the PL-15E. These limitations become more pronounced during high-altitude loitering or when operating without aerial refueling, especially in the mountainous terrain of the Kashmir region, where air combat engagements are likely to occur at extended ranges. These factors, combined with potential challenges in data-link bandwidth and processing speed, reduce the missile’s operational effectiveness compared to scenarios involving more capable platforms like the J-10CE or AEW&C-supported engagements. The missile is a fire-and-forget system with terminal active radar homing and features designed to resist electronic countermeasures.
Due to the smaller diameter of the JF-17’s nose cone, its radar aperture is reduced, possibly limiting the effective range of the PL-15E, which has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, to an effective engagement range of 100–120 kilometers. (Picture source: Weibo)
The PL-15E is the export version of the PL-15, developed by China’s 607 Institute (China Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute). The PL-15E has a declared maximum range of 145 kilometers, compared to the 200 to 300 kilometers range of the PL-15 used by the Chinese Air Force. Both variants are equipped with dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motors and are capable of speeds exceeding Mach 5. Their guidance systems incorporate inertial navigation, Beidou satellite updates, a two-way datalink, and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker. The PL-15 series includes warheads estimated to weigh between 20 to 25 kilograms, typically high-explosive fragmentation types optimized for the destruction of maneuvering aerial targets.
In regional terms, the PL-15E introduces new variables to Indian air defense planning. India fields 36 Rafale aircraft equipped with Meteor missiles, which have a longer range and enhanced no-escape zone capabilities due to their ramjet propulsion. The Indian Air Force also operates approximately 272 Su-30MKI aircraft with R-77 missiles that have a nominal range of 110 kilometers. Furthermore, India’s S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems provide additional air defense coverage with engagement ranges of up to 400 kilometers. These capabilities contribute to a continued Indian advantage in both numbers and systems integration.
The PL-15 missile series forms a core component of China’s air combat modernization efforts. Development of the PL-15 began in the early 2010s, with test firings reported in 2011 and operational deployment commencing between 2015 and 2017. It replaced the PL-12 as the standard beyond-visual-range missile in the Chinese inventory. The PL-15 is employed on multiple aircraft, including the J-10C, J-11B, J-15, J-16, and J-20. Its introduction prompted the U.S. to develop the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). Key features of the PL-15 include a resistance to jamming techniques through the use of low probability of intercept waveforms, advanced frequency agility, and the integration of digital signal processing algorithms capable of countering both deception jamming and broadband noise-based interference. The missile’s two-stage dual-pulse propulsion enables high burn-out velocity and extended engagement envelopes.
New configurations with folding fins have been developed to allow for increased internal carriage on stealth platforms such as the J-20 and J-35, increasing payloads from four to six PL-15 missiles. (Picture source: Weibo/空警世界)
The PL-15E variant has a length of 3.996 meters, a diameter of 203 mm, and a weight of up to 210 kg. It is powered by a dual-pulse solid rocket motor that allows it to reach speeds exceeding Mach 5. The missile is typically fitted with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead estimated to weigh between 20 to 25 kg. Its guidance system includes inertial navigation, mid-course updates via Beidou satellite and datalink, and terminal active homing using an AESA radar seeker built with gallium nitride (GaN). This provides strong resistance to electronic countermeasures and enables engagements at extended ranges. The declared maximum range for the PL-15E is 145 kilometers, although operational ranges depend on launch parameters and platform limitations.
The estimated unit cost of the PL-15E is not officially disclosed, but defense analysts suggest figures between $900,000 to $1.2 million per missile, depending on the volume and support package provided to export customers. New configurations with folding fins have been developed to allow for increased internal carriage on stealth platforms such as the J-20 and J-35, increasing payloads from four to six missiles. China presented these modifications during the 2023 and 2024 Zhuhai Airshows, alongside visual documentation of robotic and automated production lines. A compressed airframe variant, sometimes referred to as PL-16, was confirmed in 2024 to facilitate internal storage while maintaining performance levels similar to the original PL-15.
The PL-15E has also been displayed with further refinements, including reduced aerodynamic control surface spans and foldable tail fins, aimed at improving compatibility with internal weapon bays. These enhancements are believed to optimize payload configurations for low-observable aircraft while reducing radar cross-section during carriage. Chinese state media previously aired a segment in August 2023 showing automated assembly lines and numerical control technologies in the missile’s production process, emphasizing consistency in manufacturing and a reduction in reliance on manual labor. Though the PL-15E is tailored for export, its use by Pakistan may represent a test case for operational deployment under combat conditions by a foreign air force.
