Electronic Ambush: Did Turkey’s KORAL EW Blinds Indian Fighters Ahead of Pakistani Kill Shots ??

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a potentially game-changing development with far-reaching implications for regional air dominance, reports from Turkish defence circles allege that Pakistan has deployed the KORAL electronic warfare (EW) system—developed by Turkish defence powerhouse Aselsan—to blind Indian Air Force fighter radars prior to their engagement and destruction by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) assets.

Sources indicate that the KORAL system, known for its potent electronic disruption capabilities, was used not only to neutralize airborne radar but also to degrade the effectiveness of India’s terrestrial radar and military communications networks.

“In the pitch-black darkness of night, Indian pilots began to panic after suddenly losing radar contact and being unable to communicate with either their base or each other, leading to disorientation and rendering them easy targets for Pakistani air-to-air missiles,” the report claimed.

This assertion comes amid earlier media claims that no fewer than six IAF fighter jets—including the much-touted French-built Rafales—were downed in combat by PAF J-10C multirole fighters armed with China’s PL-15 beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles, widely considered among the most capable in its class.

Among the reported downed aircraft were three Rafales, alongside other IAF frontline platforms such as the Su-30MKI, MiG-29, and Mirage 2000—each forming a critical component of India’s layered air power.

New Delhi has officially refrained from acknowledging these losses, but during a high-profile interview with Bloomberg TV at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan conceded that the IAF did lose fighter aircraft during the Pakistan-India confrontation.

He did not, however, divulge the quantity or models of aircraft involved, fuelling further speculation about the extent of India’s combat attrition.

Defence analysts cited in the report suggest that Pakistan may have employed the KORAL system to jam Indian fighter jets’ high-frequency (HF), very high-frequency (VHF), and ultra-high-frequency (UHF) communications—effectively crippling their ability to coordinate and execute combat flight plans.

The report further notes that the system’s directed energy pulses may have had a catastrophic impact on Indian platforms, potentially triggering crashes by disabling critical avionics such as GNSS, VOR/ILS, DME, 75 MHz marker beacons, ADS-B, TCAS, ELT, SATCOM, weather radar, and even onboard Wi-Fi systems at standoff distances.

Such a suite of EW effects would render night-time Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) navigation virtually impossible and increase the risk of terrain collisions—particularly in mountainous environments like Kashmir.

While Islamabad has not officially confirmed the operational deployment or possession of KORAL, defence ties between Turkey and Pakistan have deepened considerably in recent years, raising the likelihood that the system may indeed have been transferred and utilised in combat.

Aselsan confirms that the KORAL/NG system is NATO-compliant, can function autonomously or be remotely controlled, and includes hardened protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) threats—ensuring full operational integrity even in WMD-contaminated environments.

In modern electronic battlespaces, the ability to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum is no longer optional—it is decisive.

With the KORAL system, Turkey has positioned itself among a select group of nations capable of deploying long-range EW platforms capable of jamming and spoofing radar signatures across hostile territory without crossing borders.

KORAL is built around two key subsystems: the KORAL-ED (Electronic Support) unit for threat detection and classification, and the KORAL-ET (Electronic Attack) unit for executing jamming and deception missions.

The system’s effective operational range—exceeding 150 kilometers—offers significant standoff capability, allowing friendly forces to suppress enemy air defences without entering contested airspace.

KORAL is mounted on high-mobility 8×8 tactical trucks, giving it the flexibility to be rapidly deployed in high-threat environments, along borders, or in expeditionary scenarios.

Its next-generation variant, KORAL/NG, introduces cutting-edge capabilities including AI-enabled signal processing, broadband jamming, enhanced tactical communications disruption, and the ability to spoof IFF systems.

Fully protected to NATO standards, the system is delivered with mission planning and analysis software, allowing operators to simulate EW environments pre-mission and conduct deep signal analysis post-mission to update threat libraries.

KORAL has demonstrated its battlefield worth in Syria and Libya, where it reportedly neutralised advanced Russian-made air defence systems, including the Pantsir-S1.

Its success in disabling hostile radars has made KORAL a cornerstone of Turkish electronic dominance strategy, and its export potential has garnered significant interest among non-NATO militaries.

In an era of multi-domain warfare, systems like KORAL do not merely support operations—they redefine strategic options.

As of June 2025, no open-source intelligence or official Pakistani statements have confirmed KORAL’s presence in the country’s EW inventory.

Nevertheless, unverified social media claims of its use during recent India-Pakistan skirmishes persist, though they remain speculative.

Global militaries routinely classify EW assets to preserve operational secrecy, and Pakistan is no exception.

That said, Pakistan and Turkey have steadily grown closer in defence collaboration, with Turkey supplying combat drones, EW systems, and naval platforms such as the MILGEM-derived Babur-class corvettes equipped with the ARES-2N EW suite.

While KORAL’s official transfer remains unconfirmed, these growing ties make it plausible that Pakistan is benefiting from Turkish EW technologies, either directly or through hybrid platforms.

Pakistan’s military doctrine has increasingly emphasised “deterrence by denial,” and EW forms a core pillar in offsetting India’s quantitative and technological edge.

Through a mix of indigenous R&D and foreign procurement, supported by institutions like DESTO and NESCOM, Pakistan has expanded its EW toolkit to include high-power jammers, spoofing systems, and GNSS interference assets.

In the air domain, PAF aircraft such as the JF-17 Block III are equipped with cutting-edge EW suites and passive sensors, while older platforms like the Mirage ROSE series have been retrofitted with ECM pods.

The PAF also deploys external jamming modules such as the ALQ-131 and advanced Chinese EW pods to support deep penetration and survivability in hostile airspace.

Pakistan Army EW units reportedly field mobile jamming systems capable of disrupting enemy radio nets and neutralising drone incursions via radio-frequency denial.

Cyber-electronic warfare integration is also advancing, enabling Pakistan to disrupt adversary C4ISR networks and digital infrastructure in high-stakes conflicts.

At sea, the Pakistan Navy’s Babur-class corvettes, with their integrated ARES-2N systems, enhance the fleet’s ability to detect, jam, and counter radar-guided threats across the maritime domain.

Though many details remain classified, defence analysts widely believe that Pakistan is leveraging strategic partnerships with China and Turkey to elevate its EW capabilities.

China’s contribution, through JF-17 development and the integration of J-10C and Wing Loong II UCAV technologies, has supplied Pakistan with modular EW options tailored to regional threats.

Combined with Turkey’s asymmetric warfare doctrine and EW systems like KORAL, Pakistan’s electronic arsenal now plays a front-line role in its force posture.

In recent confrontations, the prominence of EW as a pre-kinetic game changer—one that paralyses enemy systems before missiles are launched—has been more visible than ever.

For Pakistan, the silent war for spectrum dominance may prove to be its most potent strategic asset.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA