Who did it go to? The solid evidence shows that the PL-15 shot down six aircraft. India found eight fragments and handed them over to Japan?

On July 7, 2025, local time, the Indian Defense Research Institute stated: "After an aerial conflict between the Indian Air Force and the Pakistani Air Force, India decided to transfer the remnants of the Chinese-made PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles to a friendly country," according to the Indian Defense Research Institute, "this is a major breakthrough." A source from the Indian Defense Research Institute revealed that after the India-Pakistan air battle, Indian authorities recovered eight remnants of the PL-15E missile, two of which were almost intact. Although countries such as the United States, Japan, and France have shown strong interest in obtaining missile data for analysis, an unnamed country will receive the fragmented and partially undamaged missile remnants for further study. The Indian side said: "This move highlights India's growing role in defense intelligence sharing and underscores the strategic significance of recovering Chinese weapons."

Screenshot from Indian media on July 7

According to the Indian side, the Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder Block-3 fighter jets and the Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets launched multiple PL-15E air-to-air missiles to counter the Indian Air Force. The Indian authorities have found the eighth piece of the PL-15E missile debris, at least two of which are nearly intact, including key components such as the missile propulsion system, data link, inertial reference device, and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker.

The Indian authorities treat the PL-15E air-to-air missile as a treasure

According to the Indian Defense Research Institute, they have found 8 pieces of the PL-15E air-to-air missile debris, with 2 of them being intact. This means that on May 7 during the air battle, the Indian Air Force had 6 fighter jets shot down by the PL-15E air-to-air missiles fired by the Pakistan Air Force J-10CE fighter jets, and 2 more fighter jets, possibly due to the interference by the Rafale fighter jets, or it is more likely that the target of the Indian Air Force fighter jets could not be found, and the Indian Air Force fighter jets all ran away. This time, the Indian Defense Research Institute has confirmed the facts. The Pakistan Air Force J-10CE fighter jets, relying on the PL-15E air-to-air missiles, shot down three Rafale fighter jets, one Su-30MKI fighter jet, one MiG-29UPG fighter jet, and one Mirage-2000 fighter jet, fully consistent with the Pakistan military's reported results.

Western countries will definitely have to pay a lot to get the PL-15E air-to-air missile

Now, India and France are blaming each other: the Rafale fighter jets sold by France to India are a monkey version, without the strongest supporting electronic systems, ballistics, radar, and early warning systems. The Indian Air Force's radar early warning aircraft is based on a Russian body with Israeli Phalcon radar, and it cannot communicate with the French Rafale fighter jets, greatly reducing its combat effectiveness. The Pakistan Air Force J-10CE fighter jets can lock onto targets using the ZDK-03 early warning and the perfect combination of the HQ-9 air defense missile system.

The Indian military claims to have obtained the remnants of 8 PL-15 missiles

India believes that finding the intact PL-15E air-to-air missile "represents a victory in intelligence for India." The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization has received the remnants for detailed technical analysis, focusing on it. India even claimed: "The PL-15E air-to-air missiles that did not hit were because the Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets implemented interference." "The remnants of the PL-15E air-to-air missiles have attracted widespread international attention, and the United States, Japan, France, South Korea, and the authorities of Taiwan have already requested to obtain missile data." The Five Eyes intelligence alliance (comprising the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) believes that these remnants offer a key opportunity to study Chinese air-to-air missile technology. Facing the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter plus the PL-15 missile, India claimed that it was likely Japan who first obtained detailed data on the guidance head algorithm and data link encryption of the PL-15E air-to-air missile. Japanese radar engineers and electronic warfare experts are working with Indian counterparts.

The vertical tail fin debris found in Punjab, India, is the debris of the first Rafale fighter jet, BS 001, acquired by the Indian Air Force

It is unlikely that India will understand the PL-15 air-to-air missile, and the Indian authorities are also clear about this. Therefore, India uses the remnants of the PL-15 air-to-air missile to hold out against the United States or other countries; whoever wants the PL-15 air-to-air missile must pay real money, and only then will India release it. Obviously, if Japan first obtained the remnants of the PL-15E air-to-air missile, it means that Japan has spent a lot of money to obtain the secrets of the Chinese-made PL-15E air-to-air missile. In fact, even if Japan cracks it, this export-type air-to-air missile of China has no effect on threatening the Chinese Air Force or the Pakistan Air Force. Earlier, a French Air Force pilot's analysis agreed with the Indian Air Force pilots and command being unprofessional. He believed that the Indian Air Force had underestimated the range of the PL-15E air-to-air missile and the perception capabilities of the Pakistani Air Force, leading to a deviation in the entire operation planning, causing the Indian Air Force pilots to fly their fighters into the enemy's firepower range. He believed that even Western pilots present would not have done better.

The location where parts of the Indian Air Force fighter jet wreckage fell, as summarized by Pakistan

It is the performance of Chinese weapons that has completely dominated, there's no denying it. The Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets couldn't escape the triple network of the J-10, the HQ-9, and the ZDK-03 early warning system. The fire control radar of the J-10CE couldn't reach the Rafale over 200 kilometers away, but the early warning system guided the J-10 to launch the PL-15E air-to-air missile to hit the Rafale. So when the Rafale was hit, it didn't even alarm, and even the Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets were shot down right after takeoff. For the West, the PL-15 air-to-air missile has become a mysterious and shocking weapon, and the Chinese PL missile is also continuously developing and improving. It is reported that the automated production line of the PL missile has achieved unmanned mass production.

The PL-15E air-to-air missile is no longer the most advanced air-to-air missile of China!

The PL-15 is also no longer the most powerful air-to-air missile of the Chinese PLA. Dual-pulse propulsion has already been realized and applied by China. In the future, China's ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles will be used by the J-36 and J-50 fighter jets. Even more powerful air-to-air missiles will be the key for China to gain air superiority in the Pacific, the Taiwan Strait, the Indian Ocean, and the Sea of Japan. They can hunt high-value targets of the enemy at a distance of 500 kilometers, including tankers, early warning aircraft, and electronic warfare aircraft.

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524265998682194466/

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