A powerful Chinese-made missile known as the PL-15 has likely been used in a real combat situation for the very first time. According to reports, the Pakistan Air Force fired the missile amid recent fierce battles with the Indian Air Force.
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These air battles are the most serious between India and Pakistan in decades and have led to several aircraft being shot down, though full details remain unclear.
Pakistan has purportedly shot down five Indian military aircraft in recent days. Reports and images shared online seem to confirm that at least two Indian planes have crashed. While not all of these losses have been officially confirmed, there is one major development that has caught global attention — the apparent use of the Chinese PL-15 missile.
Photos posted on social media show what looks like wreckage from a PL-15 missile in Punjab, a northern state in India. One part shows a serial number and a seeker test port, which is a small door used to test the missile’s radar before it is fired. It looks to be the missile’s radar seeker in another photograph. This radar uses advanced technology that helps it find targets even when there are attempts to block or confuse it.
While it’s not confirmed without doubt that these missile parts are from a PL-15, experts say the signs match well with this Chinese weapon. It’s also unclear whether the missile hit its target or simply fell without causing damage. This could be the first time the PL-15 has ever been used in a real conflict, hence its potential employment in this conflict is a significant moment.
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What Makes the PL-15 Missile Special
The PL-15 is a Chinese air-to-air missile. That means it is launched from a fighter jet to hit other aircraft in the sky. It uses a radar system to find and follow targets after it has been fired. The radar inside the PL-15 is more advanced than in older missiles, which helps it ignore enemy countermeasures like flares or jamming signals.
The PL-15 was created to compete with top missiles used by other countries, such as the American AIM-120D. It was designed to be carried inside stealth fighter jets like China’s J-20. To fit inside the jet’s weapons bay, the missile has special short fins that reduce its size.
The PL-15’s two-way datalink is one of its most crucial characteristics. This means that the missile can send information back to the pilot who fired it, and also receive updates from the aircraft. This helps the missile stay locked on the target more effectively during its flight.
The missile also uses a dual-pulse rocket motor. This type of engine allows the missile to travel longer distances by giving it two separate boosts. The regular version of the PL-15 used by China is said to reach targets as far as 124 miles away. The PL-15E, the version that is marketed to other nations like Pakistan, has a somewhat reduced range of about 90 miles.
Pakistan’s more recent fighter jets, such as the JF-17 Block III and the J-10C, are equipped with this missile. In 2022, these aircraft started coming to Pakistan. With the PL-15E now in service, Pakistan has a modern weapon that may give it an edge in aerial battles.
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Wreckage, Claims, and Rising Tensions
The recent fighting between India and Pakistan has created a lot of confusion. Many different claims have been made by both sides. India says it attacked several targets inside Pakistan in an operation named Sindoor. These strikes reportedly hit places linked to armed groups. In return, Pakistan launched its own attacks, leading to air battles between fighter jets.
News reports and social media pictures display what appear to be the remains of an Indian aircraft that went down. A French-made Rafale jet, which India just added to its air force, may be depicted in one of the images. Debris from a missile known as the MICA, which is employed on Indian Rafale and Mirage aircraft, is shown in another video.
Another image seems to depict the remains of a Russian-built jet, such as the Su-30 or MiG-29, which India also operates. According to reports, this jet crashed in the Jammu and Kashmir area. There are also images that show parts of ejection seats used by pilots when escaping a crashing aircraft.
Adding to the tension, the Pakistani government has said its military is ready to take further action in response to Indian strikes. Meanwhile, Indian officials say their attacks were aimed at stopping future violence by hitting terrorist infrastructure. Pakistan denies that any terrorist camps were hit and instead says civilians were killed and injured.
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The strikes appear to have been carried out by India using its BrahMos missile. Together, India and Russia created the swift and potent BrahMos weapon. It can be launched from the ground, air, or sea and has a range of up to 500 kilometers.
The situation is still tight as both parties keep making contradictory claims and assertions. The possible use of the Chinese PL-15 missile in this conflict is a major event in modern military history. Whether or not it was the weapon that shot down any aircraft, its presence on the battlefield shows how new technology is shaping air combat in South Asia today.