⚡️🇮🇳🇵🇰 ✍️ In what appears to be their first real air combat encounter, a Chinese J-10C reportedly shot down three Indian Rafale jets in a single engagement. India also lost a Mirage 2000, a Su-30MKI, and a MiG-29 confirmed by the discovery of Russian K-36DM ejection seats at the crash sites.

The Indian Rafales were hit 100 km deep inside Indian territory, while the Pakistani jets never crossed into Indian airspace. Analysis of the wreckage confirmed the use of Chinese PL-15E long-range air-to-air missiles, which have a range of 145 km in the export version. The original PL-15, used by China, is believed to reach between 200 and 300 km depending on launch altitude. The missile flies at speeds of Mach 5 and uses active radar homing for terminal guidance.

Indian Rafales were reportedly heading to launch Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles, which have a range of 550 km. They were only armed with infrared-guided MICA missiles, which have a 60 km range. The radar-guided version reaches 80 km, but wasn’t onboard according to debris findings. The Rafales may have assumed they were safe due to their distance from the border and didn’t anticipate a long-range engagement.

The Pakistani jets, likely J-10Cs, maintained total radar and radio silence and were guided by AEW&C aircraft such as the Chinese ZDK-03 or Swedish Saab 2000 Erieye. These airborne radars can detect targets up to 350 km away and relayed tracking data to the silent fighters via encrypted datalinks.

Meanwhile, the Rafales equipped with the highly advanced RBE-2 AESA radar capable of detecting fighter-sized targets at around 200 km failed to spot the threat. The most likely explanation is that the Pakistani fighters flew at very low altitude, using mountainous terrain to stay under the radar horizon.

Once missiles were launched, the AWACS provided mid-course guidance, and the PL-15E’s onboard X-band radar seeker activated in the final 20–30 km to lock on with high precision.

Even if some of the Indian losses were due to poor preparation or tactical mistakes, the engagement demonstrates how long-range Chinese missiles, supported by AWACS and secure datalinks, can tip the balance. It also shows how modern air combat is no longer just about platforms but about who sees first, shoots first, and connects faster.