[Military & Defense Section] Author: Tianlang

Recently, the Indian website "Asian Defense Security" disclosed a message with profound implications: The Indian side has approved Japanese electronic warfare and radar experts to enter the country for technical research on the debris of China-made PL-15E medium-to-long-range air-to-air missiles obtained recently, and will hand over detailed data and reports on the missile debris. At first glance, this seems like a high-level technical exchange, but in reality, it appears more like an "ideological anti-China" action taken by India and Japan抱团取暖 (huddling together for warmth).

▲Related report from "Asian Defense Security"

The origin of the PL-15E missile debris is well known: In the air battle that erupted on May 7th between India and Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force's J-10CE and "J-16 Block 3" aircraft were equipped with Chinese-made PL-15E air-to-air missiles and shot down multiple targets including three Indian "Rafale" fighters. After the battle, several pieces of PL-15E missile debris fell into the Indian-controlled area, one of which remained relatively intact. Faced with this unexpected windfall, although the Indian authorities publicly claimed that it was "far inferior to India's domestically produced 'ASTRA' missile," they secretly tried to sell this "war trophy" in hopes of exchanging it for technological resources or geopolitical benefits.

As a country directly facing pressure from the Chinese Air Force, Japan naturally showed great interest in this missile. In today's East China Sea and Western Pacific airspace, advanced Chinese fighter jets such as the J-20 and J-16 frequently make appearances. In the future, they are likely to be complemented by the KJ-3000 early warning aircraft, capable of detecting targets at distances up to 1,000 kilometers, and the PL-17 ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles, posing a significant threat to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Therefore, attempting to analyze the missile debris to gain a better understanding of China's technology is essentially part of Japan's efforts to build its electronic countermeasure system.

▲Debris of PL-15E missile

However, this operation by India and Japan is bound to remain just talk on paper. First, the PL-15E is a specially improved export version specifically designed for foreign markets, with its radar seeker head, data link encryption, and electronic countermeasure systems all downgraded, lacking the full combat capability of the models used by the People's Liberation Army. For example, the PL-15E uses a KU-band active phased array radar seeker head, while the more advanced versions currently used by active units may have entered the W-band or adopted more complex adaptive anti-jamming algorithms. Additionally, the seeker head of the PL-15E activates at distances of about 10 to 20 kilometers, only achieving maximum effectiveness within the non-evade zone, rendering electronic interference almost useless. This means that even if Japan gains access to all seeker head data, it cannot effectively deduce the true capabilities of the missile in terms of long-distance search, lock-on, and interference avoidance.

In terms of propulsion systems, the dual-pulse solid rocket technology suspected to have been used by Pakistan in the PL-15E is self-developed by China, but this technology is not unique globally; similar technologies are also found in America's AIM-260 and Europe's "Meteor." Japan's AAM-4B excels somewhat in radar guidance. Therefore, even if the Japanese side obtains the complete debris, what they gain is merely "re-validating once again that China has indeed reached world-leading levels," without any real technological "breakthrough."

▲Related reports from Indian media

This incident is not limited to bilateral issues between India and Japan. According to India's "Defense Research Institute," countries including the "Five Eyes Alliance" nations (the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and France have also expressed strong interest in the PL-15E debris, and there is even speculation that they might attempt reverse engineering to develop analogous products. This phenomenon is intriguing: China's export weapons from ten years ago have become objects of interest for Western countries, which sufficiently illustrates that in today's field of air-to-air missiles, China has transitioned from being a technical follower to becoming one of the rule-makers.

In a sense, this is also a form of information warfare and psychological warfare. The Western world is amplifying the public discourse on "studying Chinese weapons" to create the illusion that China's technological systems can still be deciphered, attempting to alleviate their increasingly exposed capability disadvantages in actual confrontations. However, the reality is that the PL-15 series is continuously evolving, with the latest publicly disclosed PL-17 reportedly having a range exceeding 500 kilometers and possessing true "strategic-grade" strike capabilities. Naturally, these types will not be exported, let alone leave behind debris for study.

▲The PL-15E missile debris shows that related components were produced 10 years ago

From India's perspective, this "open cooperation" is more about compensating for a lack of technology. Although India's domestically developed "ASTRA" missile is hyped up in publicity, its actual capabilities still remain at the level of the AIM-120B generation, with an unstable active radar seeker head and extremely limited target recognition ability. Compared to the PL-15E, it clearly lags behind in core indicators. As for Japan, it is driven by reality. Facing the continuous eastward advance of China's air power, the stealth performance of the J-20 combined with the long-range air-to-air missiles has left Japan struggling in its attempts to seize air superiority. Especially in the fields of electronic countermeasures and multi-aircraft coordination technology, Japan falls far short of the U.S. Navy and Air Force. It is not difficult to understand why Japan eagerly seeks intelligence advantages through studying the PL-15E.

The reality is that no matter how hard India performs or how urgently Japan dissects the missile, the export version of the PL-15E is merely "the tip of the iceberg." Its technical value pales compared to the new missiles that truly worry the West, such as the PL-17 and PL-21. Moreover, the Chinese Air Force now places greater emphasis on integrated combat capabilities: KJ-3000 provides long-range early warning and target guidance, electronic warfare aircraft suppress enemy radar environments, stealth fighters execute assault and breakthrough missions, and air-to-air missiles are merely one "tooth" in this system.

▲We not only have a more advanced "domestic version" PL-15, but also a more powerful PL-17

We need to recognize that debris will always pale in comparison to practical drills, coordinated systems, and cutting-edge scientific research. China's achievements achieved through its own efforts cannot be reversed by a few scraps of debris. On the contrary, every attempt by enemies to peek serves as an indirect acknowledgment of China's military-industrial standards. To Japan, the PL-15E debris might serve as nothing more than psychological comfort. For China, it is an obsolete pawn long retired.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509327227692007988/

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