Military watchers may analyze the brief four-day war between India and Pakistan for a long time because the conflict offered a rare window to scrutinize the performance of hitherto untested Chinese and most Western military platforms in a real combat situation.
While the Russia-Ukraine war offered plenty of opportunities to assess the performance of Russian and Western weapon systems, the India-Pakistan conflict pitted Western, Indian, and Russian weapon systems against primarily the latest Chinese military platforms.
The brief conflict, especially the aerial battle between India and Pakistan on the night of May 6 (early morning May 7), was unprecedented in the annals of military conflict in many ways.
This was the first time, at least since the Second World War, when more than 125 modern fighter jets fought simultaneously for air superiority. According to claims made by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as many as 75-80 Indian fighter jets were airborne, while over 50 PAF jets were responding to the situation from the Pakistani side.
This was the first time a unique combination of Russian MiG-29s, Su-30s, French Mirage-2000s, and Rafales was up against the latest Chinese fighter jets, such as the JF-17 and J-10C, and possibly American F-16s as well.
This was the first time Chinese fighter jets were in combat against state-of-the-art Western platforms. On the Indian side, although the MiG-29s, Su-30s, and even the Mirage-2000s had seen plenty of action in the Russia-Ukraine war, in many ways, this was the first real combat test of Rafales as well.
While the Rafales have seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, this was perhaps the first time they were up against a near-peer platform.
This was also the first time that Chinese air-to-air missiles, such as the PL-15, were seen in action. The PL-15 was up against what many believe to be the world’s best, the MBDA-manufactured Meteor missiles.
While it is still too early to declare the real winner in this air battle, if Chinese military bloggers are to be believed, the contest already has an undisputed winner and a loser.
According to them, the winner is the PL-15. Even more shocking, they claim that it is not only a loss to India but also a big loss to Europeans, who widely operate the Meteor missiles in their fighter jets, including F-35 stealth fighters.
PL-15 Vs Meteor: The Specifics
The PL-15 and Meteor both fall in the category of BVR missiles.
The PL-15 is China’s latest and most advanced beyond visual range (BVR) missile. It was developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA), a subsidiary of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The PL-15 is a long-range, active radar-guided air-to-air missile featuring a dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor.
It has an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. With the addition of a two-way datalink, the AESA radar becomes a highly adaptable weapon, enabling accurate targeting and mid-course corrections.
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The missile blends maneuverability and speed. It can supposedly reach top speeds of Mach 5 and has an operational range of 200 to 300 kilometres. The missile is compatible with various combat jets, including the J-20, J-10C, J-15, J-16, J-11B, and JF-17 Block-III. The Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter can carry four PL-15s in its internal bay.
At the Zhuhai Air Show last year, China showcased the PL-15 missiles with folding fins. This modification could allow the J-20 to carry six of these missiles instead of the four it currently carries.
The export variant of the missile, PL-15E, has a claimed range of 145 km.
India’s counter to the PL-15 is the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range missile (BVRAAM). Meteor is known for its ramjet propulsion and large no-escape zone.
India’s most advanced fighter jet, Rafale, can carry Meteor and MICA, long-range air-to-air missiles. The Meteor’s range is 60 – 120 miles (100 – 200 km), depending on the launch platform, altitude, and target dynamics. It can reach speeds exceeding Mach 4.
In terms of range, Meteor is comparable to the export variants of the PL-15. However, the standard PL-15 is claimed to have a longer range than the Meteor.
Additionally, some reports claim the PL-15 can reach speeds exceeding Mach 5, compared to Meteor’s Mach 4. It is worth noting that Meteor utilizes a ramjet engine, which enables it to sustain high speeds throughout its flight, including during the terminal phase of engaging a target aircraft.
In contrast, the PL-15 uses a dual-pulse solid-fuel rocket motor. Solid propellant missiles burn out after only a short period, but their burn-out speed can be significantly higher than that of a missile using a ramjet sustainer. So, while PL-15 can achieve peak speeds exceeding Mach 5, it cannot sustain this speed throughout its flight.
The Meteor’s data link also has two-way capability, so the pilot can re-target the missile while it is already in flight. The pilot can also view the missile’s fuel, energy, and tracking state in real-time.
In short, both missiles are comparable in speed. However, due to its ramjet propulsion, Meteor can maintain high speeds for a longer duration than PL-15. This advanced propulsion system also provides a larger ‘no escape zone.’ Though in range, the PL-15 has an advantage over Meteor.
The Worldwide Meteor Fan Club
A testament to Meteor’s capabilities is the fact that the missile has been integrated into Rafale, Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, and even fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 and South Korea’s under-development KF-21.
According to MBDA, the Meteor can fire multiple shots at a variety of targets, including planes, cruise missiles, long-range moving targets, and unmanned aerial vehicles, even in conditions with strong electronic countermeasures. The Meteor provides all-weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets.
Meteor is known for its remarkable kinematic performance, achieved through its distinctive ramjet propulsion system—a solid-fuel, variable-flow, ducted rocket.
MBDA highlights that this “ramjet” motor creates the greatest No-Escape Zone, within which there is a high kill probability against a target, even if it has been alerted, of more than 60 kilometers. This is believed to be the largest no-escape zone among air-to-air missiles.
The cutting-edge propulsion system also enables the Meteor to conserve fuel during the initial phase of flight, adjust thrust as needed, and maintain endurance and range for extended engagements.
The Meteor functions more like a small air-to-air cruise missile than a traditional rocket-propelled missile with a sophisticated thrust modulation mechanism that enables fine control throughout its flight.
These advantages are enough for many analysts to term the Meteor the world’s best air-to-air missile.
As some Chinese military bloggers claimed, there’s no evidence of the Meteor missile’s “failure” that would constitute a notable setback for MBDA or Europe’s defense industry.
No official reports confirm the Meteor’s failure in this engagement. Western analysts, including those cited in Reuters, note that details are murky, and MBDA and Dassault Aviation have not commented, possibly due to the sensitivity of the incident. The narrative stems from Pakistani commentators and unverified X posts.
Even if the Meteor underperformed in one engagement, MBDA’s diverse portfolio (SCALP, Aster, Exocet) and strong market position mitigate any single-product risk.
Interestingly, a senior IAF official, now retired, told EurAsian Times on condition of anonymity that PAF may not have shot down any Indian aircraft, so all big claims of PL-15 and J-10C are just propaganda. When asked if IAF lost an aircraft during Operation Sindoor, he said: Wait for the official announcement.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
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