IAF Shows Debris Of Chinese-Origin PL-15 Used By Pakistan, Know About Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile
China PL-15 Missile: The PL-15 is considered one of its most advanced missile systems and has been integrated into the PAF’s latest fighter aircraft.
China PL-15 Missile: Amid the recent four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan, reports indicate that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) deployed Chinese-made PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles during aerial operations. Developed by the People’s Republic of China, the PL-15 is considered one of its most advanced missile systems and has been integrated into the PAF’s latest fighter aircraft.
Addressing a briefing, Air Marshal AK Bharti on Monday informed, "Over the past week, several enemy threats were neutralised. Displayed visuals include debris from a Chinese-origin PL-15 missile that missed its target, fragments of a long-range rocket, and downed unmanned aerial systems. Among them is the YIHA system, also of Chinese origin, used by Pakistan." He later issued a correction saying that the YIHA drones are of Turkish origin.
The remarks came as the Indian military showed the debris of a likely PL-15 air-to-air missile, which is of Chinese origin and was used by Pakistan during the attack on India. The wreckage of the Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones that were shot down by India has also been shown.
#WATCH | Delhi | The Indian military shows the debris of a likely PL-15 air-to-air missile, which is of Chinese origin and was used by Pakistan during the attack on India.
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2025
The wreckage of the Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones that were shot down by India has also been shown pic.twitter.com/kWIaIqnfkQ
Indian forces reportedly thwarted many of these attacks using an integrated air defence network that includes the S-400 systems, Akash surface-to-air missiles, Barak 8 defences, and anti-drone technologies.
What Is the China-Made PL-15 Missile?
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The PL-15 is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile developed by the Luoyang-based China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA). It employs a combination of inertial, satellite navigation, datalink, and active radar guidance systems. According to Global Times, the missile was test-fired in 2011 and inducted into China’s military in 2015. It has been deployed on platforms such as the Chengdu J-10C, Shenyang J-16, and Chengdu J-20.
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With a maximum range of 200 kilometres and the capability to reach speeds exceeding Mach 5, the PL-15 is powered by a dual-pulsed solid-fuel rocket motor. At the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow, China showcased the export variant of the PL-15, which has a slightly reduced range of 145 kilometres. The missile measures four metres in length and has a diameter of 200 millimetres, The Hindustan Times reported.
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As per a report by CNN, the PAF has recently inducted Chinese J-10CE fighter jets—an export variant of China’s J-10C aircraft—into its fleet. These 4.5-generation aircraft are considered a major upgrade, equipped with advanced avionics and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars. The PAF also operates the JF-17 Block III, another 4.5-generation fighter co-developed with China.
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Experts in both Pakistan and China believe the PL-15 is likely integrated with the J-10CE fighters, providing the PAF with extended-range strike capabilities reportedly reaching 200 to 300 kilometres, CNN reported. However, the export versions of the missile have a range limited to 145 kilometres.
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While the PAF continues to operate a sizeable fleet of US-made F-16s, CNN notes that they remain in an early-2000s configuration, lagging behind modern upgrades. Defence analyst Bilal Khan told CNN, “So, the F-16s are still a major piece to any PAF-led reprisal, but not the central or indispensable one.”
The latest hostilities erupted after Pakistan launched attacks on Indian defence facilities and urban centres in retaliation for India’s targeted operations on terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India’s counter-attacks included strikes on key Pakistani airbases, notably the Nur Khan station in Rawalpindi, causing significant damage.
The evolving aerial capabilities of the PAF, bolstered by Chinese support, underscore the shifting dynamics of regional air power in South Asia.
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