Reference Message Network reported on May 11 that the website of Newsweek, a U.S. publication, published an article titled "Large-Scale Air Combat Between India and Pakistan Shows Changes in Air Combat Patterns" on May 9. The author is Amira Fikki. The following are excerpts from the article: The air combat between India and Pakistan has been described as one of the largest air combats since the end of World War II, highlighting the fact that modern air combat largely takes place out of sight - and relies on radar instead of sharp-eyed pilots. As missiles track targets from miles away, countries are investing resources into stealth, advanced avionics, and electronic warfare to reshape combat concepts for battlefields no longer visible to the naked eye. This aerial conflict between India and Pakistan has pushed these two nuclear-armed rivals into their most serious confrontation in decades. However, the significance of this air combat goes beyond that. Other countries are closely watching the performance of weapons and armed forces in this air combat to learn lessons applicable to different conflict scenarios. A security source from Pakistan said that about 125 Indian and Pakistani fighters participated in an air combat lasting more than an hour on the 7th - possibly one of the largest air combats in contemporary times. India denied Pakistan's claim of shooting down its aircraft, but experts pointed out that if more evidence surfaces, it may indicate a major failure in India's military operation. It was reported that India used French-made Rafale fighter jets. Walter Radwicz, deputy researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a major UK defense and security think tank, said: "This is a very modern aircraft in India's arsenal and also one of the top fighters in the world. The procurement of this aircraft is a key point in the modernization of the Indian Air Force." The use of advanced missiles and modern fighters has expanded the concept of traditional air combat: once defined as close-range dogfights, it now includes long-distance scenarios known as beyond-visual-range. It was reported that the exchange of long-range missiles in this air combat exceeded 100 miles (approximately 160 kilometers). Radwicz said: "By aircraft standards, this is quite close. Ideally, people might aim to destroy targets hundreds of miles away." In recent decades, beyond-visual-range missiles have dominated air-to-air combat, with results increasingly dependent on maneuverability and defensive measures. John Stillion, a former US Air Force officer and defense analyst, wrote in a 2015 report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments: "Better sensors, weapons, and networks have reduced the prevalence of close-range air combat, making the flexibility of fighters less important." Douglas Barrie, a senior military aerospace researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in the UK, said: "Some countries' air combat circles will be extremely interested and will try to learn as much as possible about the battlefield truth in terms of tactics, technology, procedures, and equipment usage, to see what works and what doesn't." (Translated by Lin Zhaohui) Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7503125879947313703/ Disclaimer: This article only represents the views of the author. Please express your attitude by voting under the "Like/Dislike" buttons below.