[Source/Observer Network Ruan Jiaqi]

India has consistently refused to acknowledge that it suffered any aircraft losses in the brief "air combat" with Pakistan on May 7. However, subsequent statements from Pakistan, France, and the United States have corroborated a key fact: the Pakistani Air Force successfully downed multiple Indian aircraft using China-made J-10C fighters, including the French-made "Rafale" fighter jets.

The "Rafale" and J-10C are generally considered "4.5th generation" fighters, representing the cutting edge of current fighter technology. According to a report by Reuters on August 7, this aerial confrontation between Chinese-made Pakistani fighters and French-made Indian fighters is being closely watched by military forces around the world. They hope to gather intelligence from it to gain advantages in potential future conflicts.

British media also noted that although there is no official confirmation regarding whether the relevant weapons were used in this air battle, social media is buzzing with discussions about the performance of China's PL-15 (PL-15E) missile versus the European Missile Group (MBDA) "Meteor" missile.

The report cited Western analysts and defense industry sources as saying that for various military forces, this aerial conflict presents a rare opportunity to study the performance of pilots, fighters, and air-to-air missiles in actual combat. They can use this information to optimize their air force deployment strategies. The real-world performance of advanced weapons potentially deployed in future great power conflicts will also be subject to serious scrutiny.

Douglas Barrie, senior military aviation researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a UK think tank, believes that France and the United States may want to gather relevant intelligence from India.

He said, "Personnel involved in air combat from China, the United States, and some European countries are eager to learn as much as possible about the true tactical, technical, operational procedures, and the types of equipment used, which are effective and which are not."

Barrie also stated, "This can be seen as a direct confrontation between China and the most powerful weapons of the West. Of course, (I am referring to) if they indeed loaded these weapons."

A defense industry executive also told Reuters, "The PL-15 missile is indeed a formidable presence (a big problem). The U.S. military is paying close attention to it."

Reported debris of the PL-15E missile that fell within Indian territory. "The Drive" website cited social media.

Due to a recent "terrorist attack incident" in late April, tensions between India and Pakistan have suddenly escalated. In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Air Force launched Operation Sindoor to attack "terrorist facilities" in Pakistan. Pakistan claimed that it shot down six Indian military aircraft (including one drone) in self-defense.

According to Pakistan's account, the Pakistani military is equipped with long-range missiles and anti-aircraft systems made in China, capable of striking targets inside India from 150 kilometers away, consolidating Pakistan's long-standing air superiority.

In his parliamentary speech on the 7th, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that Pakistan used J-10C fighters made in China to shoot down three newly acquired French-made "Rafale" fighter jets. Pakistan's Defense Minister Asif then confirmed this to Reuters.

The news of Pakistan shooting down the "Rafale" fighter jets has been confirmed by French officials. US officials further corroborated that they are highly confident that Pakistan used J-10 fighters to launch air-to-air missiles, at least downing two Indian aircraft, including the "Rafale" fighter jets.

Comprehensive reports by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on August 8 introduced that the J-10 is a single-engine multi-purpose fighter designed and manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which entered service in the Chinese Air Force in 2003. The J-10C is an upgraded version of this series, equipped with better engines and more advanced AESA radars, capable of launching PL-15 missiles.

According to Indian media reports, after the air battle, fragments suspected to be from the PL-15 (PL-15E) missile were discovered in a village in Punjab, India, indicating that the Pakistan Air Force may have launched this type of missile from the J-10C. The US military news website "The War Zone (TWZ)" also pointed out that "China's PL-15 air-to-air missiles seem to have been used in actual combat for the first time."

Reuters reported that for many years, the range and performance of China's PL-15 missiles have been focal points of Western attention, marking one of the important signals that China is shedding its dependence on Soviet-era derivative technologies.

The report mentioned that as part of the Western strategic focus shifting toward China, the United States is developing the AIM-260 "Joint Advanced Tactical Missile" through Lockheed Martin, partly to counter the beyond-visual-range combat capabilities of the PL-15 missiles.

In March, newly appointed President Trump awarded Boeing a defense contract to build the most advanced fighter jet yet for the US Air Force. This model is expected to feature stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, and cutting-edge engines.

On March 21 local time, Trump announced the production of the sixth-generation fighter by Boeing. Photo source: Associated Press.

European countries are also exploring mid-term upgrades for the "Meteor" missile. The report quoted content from Jane's Defense Weekly as saying that the upgrade may involve propulsion and guidance systems, but analysts claim progress is slow.

A Western industry insider believed that China's PL-15 missile uses a dual-pulse solid rocket engine, while Europe's "Meteor" missile uses a solid fuel ramjet engine, theoretically giving the latter a longer range. However, he also admitted that the actual capabilities of the PL-15 missile "may exceed expectations."

Reuters mentioned that due to conflicting messages from all parties, it is currently difficult to determine whether the PL-15 missiles possessed by Pakistan are the current service versions used by the Chinese Air Force or the low-range export versions displayed at the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow, with a maximum range of 145 kilometers. Barry, who has written extensively on this topic, speculated that Pakistan likely possesses the export version.

Washington defense expert and executive partner of research and forecasting company Capital Alpha Partners, Byron Callan, pointed out that just as US arms manufacturers continuously obtain feedback on their products in the Ukraine war, he expects "Indian European suppliers will also experience similar situations."

"Pakistan and China may also be sharing similar information. If the actual performance of the PL-15 missile matches its claims, or even exceeds expectations, the Chinese side certainly wants to know this information," he added.

However, the aforementioned analysis and sources stated that due to unclear details, including whether Indian aircraft carried "Meteor" missiles and the intensity of pilot training, it is currently difficult to reach definitive conclusions.

Callan said, "People will assess which equipment is effective and which is not, but I believe 'the fog of war' still exists." "The fog of war" refers to the uncertainty and incomplete information state in warfare.

In addition, analysts mentioned that arms companies are also eager to separate the technical performance of equipment from human combat factors. According to Reuters reports, the manufacturer of the "Rafale" fighter jets, Dassault Aviation of France, declined to comment on this matter. The European Missile Group could not be reached due to the French public holiday.

In an interview with Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, Abdul Basit, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, said that discussions about the performance comparison between China's fighter jets and France's most advanced fighters may finally come to a conclusion.

"If the Pakistani claims are accurate, this will definitely be big news for the manufacturer of the 'Rafale,'" he said.

Hu Shisheng, deputy secretary-general of the Academic Committee of the China Modern International Relations Research Institute, told Observer Network that the Chinese-made J-10C fighters equipped by the Pakistan Air Force, combined with China's provided PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles and early warning command systems, demonstrated significant combat effectiveness in this confrontation.

He pointed out that this situation may prompt India to accelerate its fighter procurement plans, including seeking to introduce the US F-35 fighters, as well as strengthening cooperation with countries like the UK and Japan in the development of sixth-generation fighters.

Rong Ying, a guest professor at the School of International Relations of Sichuan University, sees that because India unilaterally announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan responded with countermeasures by suspending several bilateral peace dialogue mechanisms, including the Simla Agreement. If the tensions continue to escalate, the only form of confrontation left between India and Pakistan will be military confrontation, which is very dangerous and easily leads to subsequent arms races.

This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7502287335606764047/

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