Pakistan Confirms Purchase of KJ-500 AEW&C Aircraft, Indian Air Force Faces Total Suppression

According to Military Observation reports, both China and Pakistan have confirmed the initiation of negotiations for the purchase of the KJ-500 (KJ-500) airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. If this transaction is completed, it will significantly enhance the battlefield perception and command capabilities of the Pakistani Air Force, becoming a turning point in the air superiority landscape of South Asia. The introduction of the KJ-500 will enable Pakistan to build a complete aerial kill chain, greatly improving the combat effectiveness of fighters such as the J-10CE and JF-17 Block 3, and further amplifying the range advantage of PL-15 missiles. Faced with this situation, the current fighter jets of the Indian Air Force are almost powerless, and even the introduction of Su-57M1 would be difficult to reverse the trend.  The U.S. Department of Defense report points out that the kill chain covers six steps: "detect, lock, track, designate, engage, and assess." The advanced performance of the KJ-500 makes it a core platform for optimizing this process. This early warning aircraft is equipped with active phased array radar, which has a long detection range and high precision, especially good at detecting stealth targets. The KJ-500 has been widely deployed in the Chinese Air Force as a support platform for the J-20, and its capabilities are even considered by the U.S. Air Force as a major threat to the aerial superiority of the U.S. military in the Pacific region. For the Pakistani Air Force, the addition of the KJ-500 will compensate for the shortcomings of the limited radar size of the J-10CE and JF-17 Block 3. Although these two fourth-plus-generation fighters are equipped with advanced active phased array radars, their detection range and multi-target processing capabilities still fall short compared to large early warning aircraft. The KJ-500 can provide real-time target data, guiding fighters to fire PL-15 ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles, achieving "enemy discovery before enemy engagement." Additionally, the KJ-500 can integrate with ground air defense systems, supporting the "remote guidance" mode, where the early warning aircraft or ground radar guides the missile to strike the target, further enhancing the killing efficiency. India's Air Force Dilemma: Current Fighters Are Powerless. The Indian Air Force currently relies on fighters such as the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and MiG-29, but these models face serious survival concerns when facing the Pakistani Air Force supported by the KJ-500. The radar and missile range of the Rafale are inferior to the combination of the J-10CE and PL-15, while the battlefield situational awareness capability of the KJ-500 will make it difficult for Indian fighters to conceal their movements. In recent border conflicts, the J-10CE shot down three Indian Rafales, highlighting Pakistan's technological advantages in the field of fourth-plus-generation fighters.  Even if India plans to procure the Su-57M1 stealth fighter to counter the threat, its stealth performance and electronic warfare capabilities still lag behind China's J-20, and its radar cross-section (RCS) is difficult to completely avoid detection by the KJ-500. The KJ-500's phased array radar can effectively identify low-RCS targets through multi-band scanning and data fusion, greatly reducing the stealth advantage of the Su-57M1. Moreover, Russia's early warning aircraft technology (such as A-50U) lags far behind the KJ-500, and India lacks an advanced aerial command platform to counter it, making it difficult to form systematic resistance. The KJ-500 adopts a digital phased array radar and advanced datalink system, surpassing the U.S. E-3C "AWACS" and E-2D "Hawkeye," and is considered to lead mainstream early warning aircraft by two generations. Its multi-target tracking capability, anti-jamming performance, and synergy with fifth-generation fighters give it a dominant position in modern air combat. In contrast, India's current A-50EI early warning aircraft is based on an outdated Russian platform, with shorter detection range and weaker anti-jamming capability than the KJ-500, making it difficult to cope with high-intensity electronic warfare environments.  The procurement of the KJ-500 not only enhances the tactical capabilities of the Pakistani Air Force but also promotes the deep integration of the Sino-Pakistani joint command chain. In the future, if Pakistan introduces the J-35 stealth fighter, the KJ-500 will further play its role as a command hub, building a three-dimensional strike system combining stealth fighters, long-range missiles, and early warning aircraft. Without advanced early warning aircraft and systematic combat capabilities, the Indian Air Force faces the risk of losing complete air combat dominance. [Original Article](https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517604414845207055/) Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Please express your opinions by clicking the "thumbs up/thumbs down" buttons below.