Preface:

India suddenly ignited the war, launching missiles at multiple locations in Pakistan and sending a powerful formation led by Rafale fighter jets to attack Pakistan. Facing the invasion of the Indian army, Pakistan did not panic but urgently activated the emergency plan, dispatching a powerful formation consisting of J-10C, JF-17 Thunder, and ZDK-03 Airborne Early Warning aircraft to respond. The Pakistani side announced that in the first air battle, six Indian military aircraft were shot down, including three Rafale fighters. According to relevant situations, Indian military aircraft seem to have no counterattack capability in actual combat.

1

The myth of the Rafale fighter jet has been shattered; it was destroyed by PL-15 remote air-to-air missiles before it even took off and detected the J-10C. Reports indicate that the PL-15E remote air-to-air missile launched by Pakistan's J-10CE fighter successfully locked onto the Indian Rafale fighter at a distance of 160 kilometers with its beyond-visual-range strike capability, turning it into a fireball without even triggering its radar warning system. Clearly, air combat is a confrontation between systems. Although the Indian fighter jet formation is large, lacking systematic support, it can only passively endure attacks during confrontations. This air battle reflects the deeper logic of the struggle for air superiority—the overwhelming advantage of systematic operations and long-range firepower.

The maximum range of the PL-15E missile reaches 200 kilometers, far exceeding the "Meteor" missile (150 kilometers) and the "MICA" missile (60 kilometers) equipped by the Indian Rafale. The airborne active phased array radar of the J-10CE has a detection range of up to 250 kilometers, while the RBE-2 radar of the Rafale only covers 200 kilometers. The electronic warfare system of the J-10C completely suppresses the electronic warfare pods of the Rafale in actual combat. The PL-15 uses "dual-pulse solid rocket engine + bi-directional data link" technology, with an endgame speed of up to 9 Mach, combined with active radar guidance, leaving no escape opportunity for the Indian military aircraft.

Before the Indian pilots could detect the J-10C, the PL-15 missile had already been launched, and the Indians had no idea what happened before being hit by the missile. Multiple实战 experiences show that after being locked onto by the J-10C, the Rafale fighters have only seven seconds left to escape after the radar warning. The coordinated system of Pakistan's "ZDK-03 early warning aircraft + J-10CE" can pose a threat to India's A-50EI early warning aircraft, forcing the Indian command nodes to retreat, making the Indian air combat system even more passive. Residents of Aklian Kalan village in Punjab Province, India, filmed debris from a MICA air-to-air missile manufactured by MBDA of France, still connected to its launcher. This indicates that the Rafale did not have time to react before being shot down.

2

The system is suppressed, and the Indian air force suffered a complete defeat in the first air battle. The J-10C and Hongqi-9 established their reputation in one battle. Pakistan achieved real-time radar data sharing through the joint operation network of "ZDK-03 early warning aircraft + J-10CE + JF-17 Thunder Block 3". Although the Rafale is equipped with the "Spectra" electronic warfare system, its digital interference capability is only equivalent to one-third of the J-10CE, leading to its complete disadvantage in system combat capabilities. Due to being completely suppressed in terms of systems, the Indian air force suffered a complete defeat in the first air battle. Videos and images of the Rafale being shot down are now spreading everywhere, making it difficult for India to cover up even if they wanted to.

India's air force equipment comes from multiple countries such as Russia, France, the United States, and Israel, leading to complex logistical support and a readiness rate consistently below 60%. Additionally, because the aircraft come from various countries, it is difficult to establish a complete system, resulting in the Indian air force always being at a disadvantage in terms of systems. The interception success rate of the Hongqi-9P for targets above 5 Mach exceeds 85%, while India's S-400 is less than 5%. The shooting down of the Rafale verifies its ability to strike stealth aircraft and highly maneuverable targets. India currently does not want to admit the facts, but from the relevant evidence, Pakistan's disclosed information is true. The French "Rafale,"号称 "four-and-a-half-generation" fighter jet, was indeed shot down by the Hongqi-9P or J-10CE, which is a significant blow to the Indian military.

Data chain integration, from individual units to systems, clearly places Pakistan ahead of India. If the export of J-35 stealth fighters to Pakistan becomes a reality, it will completely break the air defense myth of India's S-400, creating a "generational suppression." Not only did the Indian air force lose this air battle, but it also exposed its fatal flaw of "patchwork modernization." Systematization, intelligence, and cost-effectiveness will be key to winning future air battles. After this battle, the Indian military will also recognize its own gaps.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501525854992925210/

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