Chinese-Made PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Components Came Down Intact Inside India
The largely intact rear section and other parts of a Chinese-made PL-15E active-radar-guided air-to-air missile came down in India during a battle in the skies along the country's border with Pakistan earlier this week. While many details about the aerial confrontation between the two countries remain murky, it marked the first known combat use of any version of the PL-15. Recovery of any parts of what is one of China's most modern air-to-air missiles could be of great interest to authorities in India, as well as to its allies and partners.
Readers can otherwise find out more about the ongoing India-Pakistan crisis in TWZ's reporting here.
At a press conference today, Pakistani officials said that Chinese-made J-10 and JF-17 fighters, as well as U.S.-supplied F-16 Vipers, had taken part in the aerial fighting with Indian forces on the night of May 6-7. They also explicitly noted the employment of PL-15E missiles. Pakistani authorities claim 42 of their fighters tangled with 72 Indian jets, downing five of the opposing aircraft – three French-made Rafales, one Russian-made Su-30MKI Flanker, one Russian-made MiG-29 Fulcrum and a drone in the process.
Weapon systems used by Pakistan during air clashes with India:– JF-17– J-10– F-16– PL-15 missilespic.twitter.com/hXPj2h17JO
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025
Pakistan Air Force official explains how PAF shot down IAF fighter jets, a must watcher
pic.twitter.com/cPTl26a3iR
— Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) May 9, 2025
BREAKING: Pakistan Army shares locations where 5 Indian jets were shot down on the night of May 7. pic.twitter.com/bSAtiBthg4
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025
Pakistan's claims remain largely unsubstantiated. Pakistani officials have now released radar data and audio recordings, but they cannot be readily verified independently. There is visual evidence of at least one of India's Rafales having been lost. There have also now been multiple reports on Indian Air Force losses, citing unnamed U.S., French, and Indian officials, but they disagree on the exact numbers and circumstances. Pakistan has also denied losing any of its aircraft in response to unconfirmed counterclaims.
PAF, Pakistan Navy & DG ISPR explaining to the International media, a must watcher for everyone. pic.twitter.com/76OvQXsoY7
— Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) May 9, 2025
BREAKING: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) played audio recordings of downed Indian Rafale jets from the night of May 6-7 during the ISPR press conference.Formation commander checking on formation on the record."REPORTING EXPLOSION IN AIR!" pic.twitter.com/Ujs7lV8cYl
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025
In these exchanges, parts of Pakistan's Chinese-built PL-15E missiles fell inside Indian territory along the border with Pakistan. This includes one missile that reportedly came down near the village of Kamahi Devi in the Hoshiarpur district of the Punjab region with significant portions intact. Pictures and video show much of the rear body of the missile and what appears to be a portion of the guidance section lying nearby.
*Recovered ..
— 𝐊𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐈𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐒 (@Kunal_Biswas707) May 9, 2025
Whether any part of that missile was subsequently recovered is unclear.
'On Friday, on the information of the villagers, Indian Air Force personnel reached the spot and successfully neutralized that missile,' according to a machine translation of a report from India's Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). 'The soldiers sent the villagers away from the spot and later deactivated and destroyed it.'
However, while there is video, seen below, showing Indian personnel securing the site, there does not appear to be imagery showing the physical destruction of the PL-15 components. Not recovering any parts of the missile seems unlikely given the intelligence potential.
Hoshiarpur, Punjab: Army and Air Force personnel have arrived at the village Kamahi Devi, where a missile fired by Pakistan was successfully deactivated. The process of dismantling the missile is currently underway pic.twitter.com/CuYa1GoROH
— IANS (@ians_india) May 9, 2025
Smaller PL-15 parts were reportedly found elsewhere in Punjab after the air battle this week.
So 1st Use of PL-15 Very Long Range Air to Air Missile by PAF. pic.twitter.com/LMR1vgBk55
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) May 7, 2025
Didn't think I'd ever see a PL-15(E)'s AESA without going to a vault lolGood to know my guess was right pic.twitter.com/XQBwDiMOoN
— John Ridge
(@John_A_Ridge) May 7, 2025
The loss of missiles, especially in a relatively intact state, can be the result of many circumstances. This includes shots taken at the maximum reach of a beyond-visual-range missile's capabilities, without prolonged guidance support of the launching aircraft. These launches can be used defensively or offensively, with the missile being fired at a target and entering into its 'fire-and-forget' mode, without assistance from the launching aircraft, long before its own seeker activates. These shots are made with the missile best predicting where the target will be based on initial telemetry up until its launch aircraft stops sending it mid-course updates. The missile's onboard radar, which has short range, would then turn on and search for the target when it thinks it's within range.
This mode of fire drastically lowers the probability of a kill, but it also can greatly enhance the survivability of the launching fighter. Considering no Indian or Pakistani aircraft reportedly crossed over the border during these extensive air-to-air skirmishes, longer-range shots made with limited guidance by the launch aircraft likely occurred, with most aircraft staying far enough away from each other to survive the maximum capabilities of the opposing force's weapon systems. Mid-course updates provided from the launching fighter's radar would also be truncated due to the aircraft's proximity to the border and the need to turn physically away from it so as not to cross it or enter deep into the engagement envelopes of opposing fighters and surface-to-air missile systems. Just turning on a fighter radar for an extended time in such a high threat area can lead to rapid detection and death.
Long-range shots also mean that the missiles would more likely be at a very low energy state when they eventually impact the ground.
Once again, there are many reasons why a missile could turn up relatively intact like this, but considering what we know about the tactical situation along the border, this seems like one very likely possibility.
The PL-15, which has been in Chinese service since the mid-2010s, is one of that country's most modern air-to-air missiles. It was reportedly developed to be at least a rough analog to the U.S. AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). It is a radar homing design with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker that offers active and passive modes, and that is said to offer better resistance to radiofrequency countermeasures than its Chinese predecessors. It also has a two-way data link that allows for guidance updates after launch.
The PL-15's reported maximum range is around 124 miles, but the reach of the export PL-15E variant in service in Pakistan is said to be just 90 miles. It is not uncommon for export versions of missiles to have reduced capabilities compared to the ones a country builds for its own use.
In general, the recovery of relatively intact weapons and other material, especially more advanced designs, can be a boon for intelligence services. Retrieving parts of an air-to-air missile like the PL-15E can provide valuable details about its capabilities and limitations, which can then be used to help with the development of new countermeasures and tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Though a missile guidance package – especially an AESA seeker like the one in the PL-15 – and other electronics would be of chief interest, close examination of other components could still yield very useful data. The PL-15 uses a dual-pulse rocket motor, and an expended example might still offer some insights into its performance. Testing of the materials used in the construction of the body and other parts of a missile could provide useful intelligence about the overall industrial capacity and quality control of production lines in the country of origin.
The use of the PL-15 at all in the recent fighting would have offered opportunities for intelligence gathering, whether or not significant parts of the missiles are recovered.
India could also share components of PL-15, or any other advanced materiel it recovers in the country of the current crisis, for further examination and analysis by allies and partners. The possibility of gleaning new details about the PL-15 could be of particular interest to the United States. The missiles would be a pressing threat to American aircraft in any future conflict with China.
It is also worth noting that we don't know what information Indian, U.S., or any other foreign intelligence agencies may already have on the PL-15. The U.S. Intelligence Community, to include elements of the U.S. military, has an extensive so-called Foreign Materiel Exploitation (FME) enterprise charged specifically with acquiring items of interest ranging from aircraft to missiles to tanks, and much more, by whatever means might be available, as you can read more about in this detailed TWZ feature.
In the meantime, the current India-Pakistan crisis shows no signs of slowing down. Just as this piece was being written, reports emerged of a new wave of Indian strikes targeting Pakistani bases, including one in the northern city of Rawalpindi, immediately to the southeast of the country's capital, Islamabad. Pakistani officials have denied the loss of any assets, but imagery has emerged raising the question of whether a C-130 was hit at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan military spokesman says Indian airplanes fired missiles at an airbase in Rawalpindi. He adds that multiple military bases were targeted by Indian missiles.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) May 9, 2025
"India has fired Air to Surface Missiles from its planes targeting NurKhan airbase, Mureed Airbase and Shorkot airbase have been targeted, All Assets are SAFE", says Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif, Pal Mil Spox. #Pakistan
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) May 9, 2025
It appears that a Pakistani Air Force C-130 military transport plane caught fire following Indian missile strikes on the Nur Khan Air Base. https://t.co/GGQU2jcFCY pic.twitter.com/qdNmk8fFvG
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) May 9, 2025
Alert: at least tow explosion sounds heard in Rawalpindi and surrounding area. According to locals, most probably the drones were shot downed. More details awaited pic.twitter.com/IUzkPWwtWq
— Mahaz (@MahazOfficial1) May 9, 2025
#BREAKING: Multiple explosions heard at Noor Khan Air Base of Pakistan Air Force in Rawalpindi – Headquarters of the Pakistan Army. Tit for Tat action by India after Pakistan Army launched attack on India Air bases and Military Stations. pic.twitter.com/L1MqRsMY9Q
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 9, 2025
Pakistan's air defenses intercept Indian cruise missiles targeting Rafiqui Air Force Base near Shorkot, Jhang.At leeast 1 interception clearly recorded. pic.twitter.com/8yGi8SlNKN
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025
Whether or not the relatively intact parts of the PL-15E that fell in India's Punjab region this week were recovered, there may well be more chances to retrieve portions of those missiles or other valuable materiel for intelligence exploitation before the ongoing crisis ends.
Tyler Rogoway contributed to this story.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
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