India has almost intact recovered a Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile launched by Pakistan, which is extremely helpful in understanding the performance of this new type of missile.
On Friday, near Hoshiarpur in the eastern part of Punjab, India, an almost intact Chinese-made long-range air-to-air missile was discovered, providing the Indian Air Force and even the West with a first-hand opportunity to understand its technical specifications and combat capabilities, which will help enhance defense measures against this type of missile.
In the early hours of May 7th, a large-scale aerial combat occurred between the Indian and Pakistan air forces. Pakistan stated that both sides deployed 125 fighter jets for a one-hour long-range air combat near the Line of Control. It was an beyond-visual-range combat where long-range air-to-air missiles were used to attack each other. According to Indian Air Force officials, the missile in question was likely fired at an Indian fighter jet but missed its target, continuing until it ran out of fuel and fell from the sky.
Experts are particularly interested in the missile’s guidance system, which is crucial for detecting, tracking, and targeting the enemy. If the adversary obtains the complete guidance system, they can understand its confidential specifications, capabilities, weaknesses, and limitations, aiding in researching defense measures such as countermeasures and interference.
The evaluation of opponent’s weapon systems and equipment capabilities is critical for operational planning and procedures, and every military takes this aspect very seriously. Undoubtedly, other countries viewing China as a threat, especially the United States, are interested in further understanding this missile, especially because it is China’s latest long-range air-to-air missile and an important part of China’s air force arsenal.
The PL-15 is an active radar-guided missile known for being fire-and-forget, with a reported range of 200 to 300 kilometers. Pakistan likely acquired the export version PL-15E with a reduced range of 145 kilometers, which is installed on the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft produced in cooperation between China and Pakistan, and the J-10CE fighter aircraft exported by China.
The Indian Air Force also possesses long-range air-to-air missiles such as the French-made Meteor missile with a range of 150 to 200 kilometers, and the Russian-made R-77 missile with a range of around 100 kilometers.
Experts point out that the range of air-to-air missiles is not fixed and may vary based on launch platform altitude, speed, environmental conditions, and attack angle. Therefore, officially disclosed ranges should only be considered as a reference.
The PL-15 missile fell in the village of KamahiDevi in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab, located about 60 kilometers from the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, which aligns with its range exceeding 100 kilometers.
This is the second PL-15 missile found by India, as pieces of a PL-15 missile were previously discovered in Hoshiarpur. That missile likely also did not hit its target and eventually self-destructed after fuel exhaustion.