The Indo-Pakistani air battle on May 7, 2025 (code-named "Battle 507") shocked the world with Pakistan Air Force's overwhelming victory of "6:0". In this campaign, Pakistan achieved over-the-horizon (BVR) kills against India's "Rafale" fighters and other aircraft through China-provided J-10CE fighters, PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, and a systemized combat network including HQ-9P+ZDK-03 airborne early warning aircraft+BeiDou Navigation. This air battle not only validated the trend of modern air combat moving towards over-the-horizon and long-range operations but also sparked a key controversy: in an over-the-horizon dominated battlefield, has traditional dogfight missiles lost their value?

Firstly, beyond-visual-range (BVR) air combat has become mainstream: systemized warfare can form a "dimensional strike" against traditional combat models.

The core outcome of Battle 507 stemmed from the absolute advantage of BVR strikes. The Pakistan Air Force achieved comprehensive suppression of Indian aircraft through the "detect-and-destroy" system constructed by airborne early warning aircraft, data links, and long-range missiles:

Information chain dominance: China-provided data link systems interconnected airborne early warning aircraft, fighters, and ground air defense units in real time, with information transmission delay less than 0.3 seconds, while India's forces suffered from data link incompatibility due to equipment from multiple countries, resulting in delays as high as 20 seconds. This 4.7-second time difference directly determined the initiative for missile launch.

Super-long-range strikes: PL-15 missiles have a range exceeding 200 kilometers, combined with the active phased array radar of J-10CE fighters and BeiDou navigation, allowing them to lock onto and attack targets without detection by Indian forces. India's "Rafale" fighters' "Mica" missiles have a range of only 50 kilometers, falling behind in both range and anti-jamming capability.

Systematic dimensional reduction: Pakistan achieved full automation from target detection to destruction through the "radar chain-electronic chain-firepower chain" triad system. In contrast, despite having advanced platforms like "Rafale" and Su-30, India's forces fell into isolated "targets" due to lack of systematic integration.

Secondly, dogfight missiles have different usage scenarios and irreplaceable tactical values in "special battlefields".

Encounter battles under complex electromagnetic environments: if the enemy disables beyond-visual-range radars through strong electromagnetic interference or both sides enter close-range dogfights due to surprise attacks, infrared imaging-guided dogfight missiles will become the "last line of defense". For instance, China's PL-10E uses an indium antimonide infrared detector, providing far superior anti-jamming capabilities compared to traditional radar-guided missiles, enabling it to lock onto targets even in strong electromagnetic interference.

Intercepting low-altitude high-speed targets: cruise missiles and drones often use terrain masking for low-altitude penetration, which can be difficult for beyond-visual-range radars due to Earth's curvature. Dogfight missiles, with their high maneuverability and infrared imaging capabilities, can quickly respond and intercept. The Pakistani military struck down 48 Indian drones in one day during counter-drone operations by combining the "Silent Hunter" laser system with dogfight missiles.

Infrared Imaging "Eyes" for Stealth Combat: Stealth fighters avoid radar detection through design and radar-absorbent materials, but the thermal signals from engine exhausts and friction cannot be completely shielded. Infrared imaging-guided dogfight missiles can penetrate stealth barriers; for example, indium antimonide material covers the 3-12 μm infrared wavelength band, accurately identifying the thermal signatures of stealth fighters.

Battle 507 revealed three core logics of modern air combat:

Systematic warfare determines victory: the single weapon performance advantage is replaced by systematic integration capabilities. The Pakistan military formed a closed-loop kill chain through the "plug-and-play" modular design of airborne early warning aircraft, data links, and missiles, while India's "multinational" equipment, due to compatibility issues, resulted in inefficient operations.

Tactical flexibility requirements: political restrictions may force air combat to take place within "non-cross-border" conditions (such as both sides launching missiles from within their own airspace), making beyond-visual-range strikes the optimal solution. However, if battlefield conditions change suddenly (such as electromagnetic suppression or sudden close encounters), dogfight capabilities remain essential for survival.

Combination of technological iteration and tactical innovation: China, by controlling strategic resources such as antimony and indium, promoted the miniaturization and anti-interference upgrades of infrared detectors, ensuring that dogfight missiles retain their vitality in the beyond-visual-range era. For instance, the blind pixel rate of the indium antimonide seeker head of PL-10E is reduced by 50% compared to traditional mercury cadmium telluride, achieving "hit upon detection".

Battle 507 was not the "swan song" of dogfight missiles but rather the starting point of their role transformation. Against the backdrop of beyond-visual-range strikes becoming mainstream, dogfight missiles have evolved from tools for "air combat with bayonets" to "tactical insurance" for special scenarios through upgrades in infrared imaging, anti-interference, and anti-stealth capabilities. Future air combat will be a dynamic balance between systematic beyond-visual-range operations and precise dogfight capabilities—as demonstrated in the U.S. military's "Loyal Wingman" program, where drones can remotely launch missiles and also carry dogfight missiles to escort manned aircraft. China's weapons performed exceptionally well in the Indo-Pakistani air battle, providing the best annotation for this balance: victory belongs to those armies capable of "deciding battles at a distance" while not fearing "close combat".

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517825274994557503/

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