ISLAMABAD: In a stunning display of electronic warfare superiority duringthe May 2025 Operation Sindoor conflict, the Pakistan Air Force effectivelyneutralised the Indian Air Force’s Rafale fighters equipped with Meteorbeyond-visual-range missiles, preventing any successful engagement againstPAF assets despite the advanced armament.
Initial Indian claims suggested that Rafales lacked Meteor missiles,implying this as the reason for failing to down PAF fighters. However,subsequent revelations confirmed that IAF Rafales were indeed armed withthe highly touted Meteor, one of the world’s most advanced BVR missileswith a no-escape zone exceeding 100 kilometres.
Yet, not a single PAF aircraft was lost to these missiles. Independentanalyses and military observers attribute this outcome to the PAF’ssuperior electronic warfare and jamming capabilities that disrupted Rafaleradars and Meteor seekers.
The conflict, triggered by India’s strikes on alleged terrorist sites, sawintense aerial confrontations where PAF J-10C and JF-17 fighters, supportedby robust EW systems, blinded the AESA radars on Rafales.
Experts note that PAF’s integrated electronic countermeasures createdclutter and false targets, rendering the Rafale’s Thales RBE2 AESA radarineffective in acquiring locks on Pakistani jets.
This radar blinding extended to the active radar seekers of Meteormissiles, which rely on precise targeting data for terminal guidance,forcing them to miss or fail activation altogether.
The PAF’s strategy involved layered defence with ground-based jammers,airborne EW pods on JF-17s, and networked data links from AWACS platformscoordinating real-time jamming.
J-10C fighters, equipped with advanced PL-15 missiles, capitalised on thisby achieving locks while Rafales struggled, highlighting the effectivenessof Chinese-origin EW suites in countering Western technology.
Defence analysts describe this as a watershed moment, where electronicdominance trumped platform superiority, exposing vulnerabilities in theRafale’s much-vaunted SPECTRA suite against concentrated jamming.
The failure of Meteor missiles to engage underscores the evolving nature ofmodern air warfare, where EW has become the decisive factor over rawmissile range or radar power.
PAF sources emphasise that JF-17 Block III, with indigenous upgrades,played a pivotal role in jamming operations, proving the viability ofhomegrown technology in high-intensity conflicts.
This tactical success not only preserved all PAF assets in BVR engagementsbut also allowed counterstrikes that reportedly downed several IAFaircraft, including Rafales.
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The episode has prompted global reassessment of air combat doctrines, withemphasis shifting towards resilient EW and network-centric operations overindividual platform capabilities.
For the IAF, ranked as the world’s third-largest air force, the inabilityto leverage Rafale-Meteor combination against a smaller but tacticallyastute opponent represents a significant setback.
Military observers point out that PAF’s pre-conflict investments in EWtraining and integration yielded dividends, enabling seamless coordinationbetween J-10C, JF-17, and support assets.
In contrast, fragmented IAF responses highlighted integration challengeswith mixed fleets, exacerbating the impact of PAF jamming on Rafaleoperations.
The May engagements thus reaffirmed that in contested electromagneticenvironments, superior jamming can neutralise even the most advancedfighters and missiles.
This outcome bolsters PAF’s reputation for innovative tactics, drawinglessons from past conflicts to counter numerically superior foeseffectively.
Ultimately, the Operation Sindoor air battles demonstrated PAF’s mastery inelectronic warfare, turning potential Indian advantages into decisivePakistani triumphs.
Source:https://www.dawn.com/news/1909560
Tags: Pakistan Air Force, Indian Air Force, Rafale, J-10C, JF-17, OperationSindoor, Electronic Warfare, Meteor Missile
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