Rafale Shot Down at 182km: Pakistan’s J-10C Unleashes China’s PL-15 in Record-Breaking Kill ???

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – In what is being hailed as a defining moment in modern aerial warfare, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) J-10C reportedly downed an Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale from a staggering 182 kilometres away using the Chinese-manufactured PL-15 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile, according to sources cited by a Pakistani defence journalists.

The claim, which if validated would set a new global record for the longest air-to-air missile kill in aerospace history, has stirred significant interest across military and strategic circles, although independent verification of the exact distance remains unavailable.

Previously, reports indicated that a Russian Su-35S fighter jet had successfully shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 at a distance of 213 kilometers using the long-range hypersonic R-37M air-to-air missile, which is believed to have a maximum engagement range of up to 400 kilometers.

Developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA) under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the PL-15 is considered one of the world’s most formidable BVR air-to-air missiles, rivaling the American AIM-120D AMRAAM and the European MBDA METEOR in both range and electronic counter-countermeasures capability.

The PAF’s J-10C, developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAIG), is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter that forms a critical part of Pakistan’s airpower modernization strategy, particularly aimed at counterbalancing India’s Rafale fleet.

In the reported engagement, the Pakistani J-10C is said to have remained entirely within Pakistan’s sovereign airspace while launching the PL-15 missile that successfully engaged the IAF Rafale across the Line of Control during the opening salvos of the India-Pakistan aerial conflict.

The initial days of the conflict between the two nuclear-armed South Asian rivals saw what defence analysts now describe as “the largest air battle in modern history,” with a total of 125 fighter jets from both air forces reportedly taking to the skies in simultaneous combat sorties.

According to American news network CNN, this unprecedented aerial showdown occurred despite both Indian and Pakistani fighters remaining within their respective airspace, relying on BVR engagements instead of traditional close-range dogfights.

“Fighter aircraft from both sides engaged each other in airspace separated by up to 160 kilometers, with missiles being launched well beyond visual range,” CNN quoted a Pakistani security source as saying.

The encounters were dominated by long-range precision engagements, with both sides leveraging AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars, electronic warfare systems, and high-speed BVR missiles in a battle dictated by radar locks and electronic signatures rather than visual sighting.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar disclosed that, in the early stages of the war, PAF fighters confronted a force of 75 to 80 Indian jets in what he called the “largest aerial confrontation in recorded history.”

“And we successfully downed five of those Indian fighter aircraft,” he said during a press briefing.

Earlier media reports had maintained that Pakistani aircraft, including the J-10C and the JF-17 “Thunder,” were equipped only with the PL-15E—a downgraded export variant of the missile with a maximum effective range of 140 kilometers.

However, if the 182-kilometre engagement distance is accurate, it strongly suggests that China has secretly supplied Pakistan with the full-range domestic variant of the PL-15, which is believed to have a strike envelope of up to 300 kilometers and is usually restricted for use by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

The PL-15 in domestic form is operationally integrated with advanced Chinese fighters such as the stealthy fifth-generation J-20 “Mighty Dragon,” although recent reports indicate that the J-20 is beginning to field an even more powerful air-to-air missile known as the PL-17, believed to have an engagement range of up to 400 kilometers.

This delivery of advanced missiles to Pakistan appears to be part of Beijing’s calibrated strategic response to rising tensions in the subcontinent, especially after the recent skirmish in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

Only days ago, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated that all five IAF aircraft shot down by the PAF—three of which were Rafales—were targeted using the PL-15E missile from PAF J-10C fighters.

Capable of reaching speeds of Mach 4 and guided by an AESA radar seeker, the PL-15 was specifically engineered for BVR supremacy, enabling its operator to strike first in contested airspace before the enemy detects the launch platform.

Designed for maximum lethality in the BVR domain, the PL-15 provides Chinese and now Pakistani fighters with a crucial strategic edge, potentially rewriting the rules of air dominance in Asia.

Multiple Western sources have backed Pakistan’s claim, adding significant weight to its battlefield credibility.

“PAF J-10C fighters were responsible for downing at least two Indian Air Force jets,” senior U.S. officials reportedly told Reuters, corroborating the use of PL-15E missiles in the engagement.

Each of the five Indian fighters is said to have been downed using PL-15E missiles, which retain a maximum export range of 145 kilometers, though the record 182 km strike suggests otherwise.

CNN’s Chief National Security Correspondent, Jim Sciutto, also confirmed via social media platform X that French intelligence had verified the loss of at least one IAF Rafale during the engagement.

If confirmed, this marks the first operational loss of a Rafale fighter jet in any military conflict globally, dealing a blow to the aircraft’s hitherto flawless combat record.

Despite mounting visual and electronic evidence, the Indian government and its military continue to deny the loss of five fighter aircraft, including three Rafales, to Pakistan’s air-to-air missile strikes.

When pressed for comment on the fate of the missing Rafales, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti of the Indian Air Force cryptically replied, “We are in a wartime scenario; losses are part of combat,” without elaborating further.

For defence analysts, that ambiguous response appears to indirectly confirm what official statements refuse to acknowledge—that India did indeed lose five combat aircraft, including its prized Rafales.

The other two aircraft claimed to have been shot down by the PAF were a MiG-29 and a Su-30MKI, both of which form core components of India’s frontline air defence fleet.

The J-10C fighters now fielded by the Pakistan Air Force were first received on March 4, 2022, with the initial six aircraft arriving at Minhas Airbase in Kamra.

They were formally inducted into operational service with the No. 15 “Cobras” Squadron on March 11, 2022.

This acquisition was widely interpreted as a strategic response to India’s induction of the Rafale, signalling Pakistan’s intent to maintain strategic parity in the South Asian skies.

The J-10C, a 4.5-generation platform, comes equipped with cutting-edge AESA radar, advanced electronic warfare suites, and compatibility with long-range weapons such as the PL-15, making it a high-value asset in modern air combat.

Pakistan initially announced its intention to purchase 25 J-10C aircraft in December 2021, with deliveries timed to coincide with Pakistan’s Republic Day celebrations on March 23, 2022.

Since then, the country has expanded its J-10C fleet and is currently in advanced talks to acquire up to 60 aircraft in total, a move that will significantly boost the PAF’s deterrence posture and long-range air superiority capability amid the region’s rapidly evolving security environment.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA