Operation Sindoor: What Is PL-15? All About the Chinese Missile Used and Missed by Pakistan

Senior leaders from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force jointly briefed the media on the main conclusions and operational highlights of Operation Sindoor, which repelled a recent military attack by Pakistan.

According to Air Marshal Bharti, Pakistan employed sophisticated weapons, like the Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile, which was unsuccessful in hitting its objective. Bharti provided evidence of the missile's destruction in the debris found by Indian troops.

China has made many changes to its military technology recently, and the PL-15 missile is one such innovation in aerial warfare. This long-range air-to-air missile, which was created to provide the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) with a tactical advantage in the sky, has drawn attention from all over the world due to its remarkable range and capabilities.

What is the PL-15?

The Pi Li-15, also known as Thunderbolt-15, is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) that was created by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) in China. It is generally accepted that it was created as a counter to the European Meteor missile and even the U.S. AIM-120D AMRAAM when it went into service in 2016–2017.

The PL-15 may fight enemy aircraft long before they directly threaten, changing the tactical aspects of contemporary aerial combat. Its estimated range is between 200 and 300 kilometers; however, some sources suggest it is considerably higher.

Advanced Counseling and Seeker Technology 
The PL-15's AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar seeker, which offers precision in identifying and latching onto targets in congested or jammed settings, is what makes it decent. The missile can be guided in real-time against elusive targets and retain accuracy even against stealth fighters when combined with inertial navigation and a mid-course data link.

Specifications in Technical Terms

• Length: about four meters
• Speed: Higher than Mach 4
• Range: 200–300 km, about
• High-explosive fragmentation of the warhead
• Solid-fuel rocket motor for propulsion (a ramjet version is apparently being developed)
• AESA radar, inertial navigation, and data-link mid-course updates are used for guidance.

Who Is Able to Terminate the PL-15?

The Chengdu J-20, a fifth-generation stealth fighter sometimes likened to the U.S. F-22 Raptor, incorporates the PL-15 and is one of China's best fighter aircraft. The J-10C, J-11B, and J-16 are other platforms that can deploy the PL-15. China has a powerful air domination potential when it combines this missile with the stealthy and sensor-rich J-20, particularly in disputed regions like the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India.

A Worldwide Challenge

Competing nations have been compelled to reconsider their own air combat tactics in light of the PL-15's debut. According to experts, the missile is made to disrupt the enemy's operational structure by targeting high-value assets like surveillance planes, refueling tankers, and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems) in addition to eliminating enemy fighters.

The development of the missile also underscores China's larger goal of competing on an equal footing with the US in the fields of strategic defense systems and military aviation.