ISLAMABAD / NEW DELHI – August 2 (Reuters): In the early hours of May 7, alarms in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operations center lit up as dozens of Indian aircraft were detected crossing into sensitive airspace. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, who had been stationed at the command post for days in anticipation of a conflict, gave the go-ahead for immediate action.
He ordered Pakistan’s advanced Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets to engage, specifically directing them to target the French-built Rafale jets — widely regarded as the pride of India’s air fleet and previously undefeated in combat. A senior PAF official present during the operation told Reuters that Sidhu explicitly asked, “Get the Rafales.”
What followed was the largest aerial engagement in decades, involving an estimated 110 aircraft from both sides, and conducted in complete darkness. According to U.S. officials cited by Reuters in May, at least one Indian Rafale was downed during the exchange. The loss shook defense analysts worldwide, raising concerns about Western combat platforms’ vulnerability to newer Chinese technologies.
Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the Rafale, saw a drop in its stock value following the reports. Indonesia — a potential Rafale buyer — is now reconsidering its procurement and has expressed interest in China’s J-10 platform instead.
Indian defense officials later acknowledged that the downing of the Rafale may have resulted from a critical intelligence failure. The pilots reportedly believed they were operating beyond the engagement range of Pakistan’s PL-15 missile — an advanced, radar-guided air-to-air weapon integrated into the J-10C. Indian estimates, based on export versions, pegged the PL-15’s range at around 150 km. However, Pakistani fighters launched the missile from approximately 200 km away, catching the Indian aircraft off guard. Indian officials now believe the strike may have occurred from even farther away.
The surprise strike also involved a significant electronic warfare component, with Pakistani forces disrupting Indian communications and radar feeds. Though Indian sources downplay the effectiveness of this effort, Pakistani officials maintain it was crucial in creating confusion.
“The Indians weren’t expecting to be fired upon,” said Justin Bronk, an air warfare analyst at the UK’s RUSI think tank. “The PL-15 has demonstrated clear capabilities at long ranges.”
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France has not publicly confirmed the Rafale’s loss, but its Air Chief acknowledged seeing evidence of a destroyed Rafale and two other aircraft — including a Russian-made Sukhoi — operated by India. A senior Dassault executive also told French lawmakers in June that one Rafale had been lost in operations, though he lacked full details.
The engagement revealed the tactical edge provided by Pakistan’s integrated battlefield system, which connected surveillance platforms, data networks, and combat aircraft into a cohesive “kill chain.” Pakistani officials said their Data Link 17 system enabled radar data from Swedish surveillance aircraft to be fed directly to Chinese J-10s, allowing them to operate with radars off and remain undetected.
India, by contrast, faces integration challenges due to its diverse fleet sourced from multiple foreign suppliers. While India is working to develop a similar kill chain, it remains behind in real-time sensor fusion and tactical coordination.
Retired UK Air Marshal Greg Bagwell remarked that the skirmish didn’t definitively settle the debate over Chinese vs. Western fighter capabilities. However, he emphasized that the side with superior “situational awareness” had the advantage — and in this case, it was clearly Pakistan.