Islamabad: Pride hath a fall. Three Indian French Rafale downed costing India $ 864 million and with few PL-15E missiles cost Pakistan only $ 5 million.
PL-15E costs between $1-2 million internationally and were recently handed over to Pakistan for JF-17 Thunder by China for the war situation. These were well used then.
However, Pakistan acquired the PL-15E under a $1.525 billion agreement signed in June 2021 that included 240 missiles, 20 J-10CE fighters, and 10 WS-10B engines.
Even Israeli drones were only for $ 10 million per unit which India is using against Pakistan and a dozen of them were downed by Pakistan only today (Thursday, May 08, 2025) or the last night.
It was like “David vs. Goliath“ – Overcoming a much larger opponent with strategy rather than resources. and also like “Beating the enemy at their own game“ – Winning by using strategy rather than resources.
The PL-15E missile has an estimated price range of $ 1 to $ 2 million USD per missile. This makes it a more cheaper choice compared to similar other advanced air-to-air missiles like the Meteor, or even certain types of long-range hypersonic weapons missile systems.
The PL-15E is also more cost-effective when compared to the price of advanced fighter jets like the Rafale.
Pakistan’s First Combat Use of Chinese PL-15E Air-to-Air Missiles Confirmed After Debris Found in India
On May 7, 2025, reports emerged confirming that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has deployed the Chinese-manufactured PL-15E long-range air-to-air missile in active combat for the first time.
The confirmation came after Indian authorities discovered remnants of a PL-15 missile in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, following what Indian sources described as one of the most significant aerial losses since the 1971 conflict.
Indian outlets such as Jagbani Punjab Kesari published images of the missile fragments, although the full circumstances surrounding the missile’s deployment are still under review.
This event marks a notable milestone in Pakistan’s aerial warfare capabilities.
The missile identified was the PL-15E, the export variant of China’s highly capable PL-15, designed for beyond-visual-range air combat.
Its use coincides with rapidly rising hostilities between India and Pakistan, with this engagement likely to reshape air combat strategies in the region.
Back on April 26, 2025, the Pakistan Air Force publicly showcased its JF-17 Block III aircraft armed with both PL-10 and PL-15E missiles, signaling the formal operational readiness of these advanced munitions.
Pakistan currently operates between 45 to 50 JF-17 Block III fighters, in addition to around 20 J-10CE multirole aircraft—providing the country with an estimated 65 to 70 platforms capable of launching the PL-15E.
Earlier generations of the JF-17, namely Block I and Block II, use KLJ-7 mechanical radars and are incompatible with the PL-15E due to radar limitations.
No official information has indicated that these older models have received upgrades to support active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems, limiting the operational footprint of the missile to newer aircraft.
Furthermore, export policies from China may have restricted the supply of PL-15E missiles since the original $1.525 billion procurement deal signed in June 2021, which included 240 missiles, 20 J-10CE fighters, and 10 WS-10B engines.
Read More: India Suffers $ 1 Bln Loss in Fighter Plane Crashes Only
The J-10CE, equipped with a larger radome and a high-powered AESA radar system, offers superior detection and engagement capabilities compared to the JF-17 Block III.
While the latter does feature the KLJ-7A AESA radar, its smaller aperture—estimated at 360 mm due to the limited diameter of the aircraft’s nose—results in a comparatively shorter detection range.
As a result, although the PL-15E has a stated maximum range of 145 kilometers, its actual combat effectiveness when launched from a JF-17 Block III may be restricted to approximately 100–120 kilometers, particularly in the absence of targeting data provided by airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems.
Platform endurance further affects deployment viability. The JF-17 has an internal fuel capacity of about 2,330 kg without external tanks and can typically remain airborne for 2.5 to 3 hours under a standard loadout.
These limits constrain the aircraft’s ability to sustain long-duration patrols or maintain effective combat posture in high-threat areas while carrying long-range missiles.
Operating in the challenging topography of the Kashmir region—where air-to-air engagements are likely to occur at higher altitudes and over extended distances—further compounds these limitations.
Additionally, constraints in data link capacity and real-time targeting could impact the missile’s full potential without the support of advanced battlefield sensors or command-and-control networks.
Despite these operational boundaries, the PL-15E remains a formidable weapon.
It is a fire-and-forget missile guided by active radar homing in its terminal phase and is engineered with advanced features to resist electronic warfare.
Also Read: Pakistan’s Rafale Strike Boosts Chengdu Aircraft Shares by 18%, Rattles Dassault Aviation
Its combat debut not only signals a technological step forward for the Pakistan Air Force but also highlights China’s deepening military support role in the region.
The use of such a high-end air-to-air missile in live conflict underscores a significant shift in South Asia’s air combat dynamics, drawing attention from defense analysts and policy circles around the world.
