Flawless Kill Chain: Pakistan’s Networked Strike Took Down Indian Fighter, Says U.S. Analyst
Michael Dahm, a U.S. analyst, praised Pakistan’s growing air warfare capability during an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine. He noted that Pakistan’s ability to build a seamless kill chain has become central to its air combat doctrine. This is a major change in the strategic landscape of South Asia, as Pakistan gains an advantage in air superiority.
Dahm highlighted how Pakistan smartly integrates Chinese radars, fighters, and AEW&C aircraft into a single combat network. He said, “Pakistan links ground radars, jets, and warning aircraft to strike targets with precision and coordination.” Importantly, Dahm referred to a detailed May 12 report by China Space News that supported his analysis.
That report explained how the PAF successfully launched and directed a strike using a fully networked command structure. Consequently, Pakistan’s use of Chinese systems has transformed its air force into a sophisticated, digitally connected warfighting force.
This operational leap underscores Pakistan’s shift toward faster decisions, coordinated responses, and reliable long-range targeting. Pakistan’s modern kill chain stands out as a core strength in today’s high-tech air warfare environment.
Cycle of Detection
Dahm said that the kill chain’s success is more about how well each part works together—from the sensor to the shooter—than comparing systems. In contemporary high-speed conflict scenarios, where milliseconds can dictate mission outcomes, the kill chain—an integrated cycle of detection, identification, tracking, targeting, engagement, and battle damage assessment—has emerged as the core of 21st-century military operations.
Every step of the kill chain is supported by a wide range of ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) tools, satellite communications, fast data networks, and increasingly automated fire-control systems that use artificial intelligence.
Dahm posits that the sequence in the Pakistan-India confrontation likely commenced with a ground radar or air defense system identifying an Indian Air Force aircraft intruding into disputed airspace. The radar signal was subsequently relayed to a forward-operating J-10C, Pakistan’s latest 4.5-generation multirole fighter obtained from China, which swiftly launched a long-range beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile at the target.
During the missile’s midcourse phase, it was said that guidance was handled by an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform—probably the KJ-500—using secure data connections to adjust the missile’s path for the best chance of hitting the target.
Dahm stated, “It was a long-range, beyond visual range shot, likely employing the export variant PL-15E,” referencing one of China’s most potent air-to-air missile systems, currently used by both China and Pakistan.
Longest Documented Air-to-Air Kill
Pakistani defense sources indicate that a J-10C purportedly downed an Indian Air Force Rafale from a distance of 182 kilometers using a PL-15 missile, which some defense analysts have described as the longest documented air-to-air kill in military aviation history.
Although independent confirmation of the kill distance is still unattainable, the PL-15 missile—engineered by the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA)—has surfaced as a strategic counterpart to Western equivalents such as the AIM-120D AMRAAM and the European Meteor.
The PL-15, equipped with a dual-pulse motor and an active radar seeker, can engage maneuverable aerial targets at distances exceeding 200 kilometers, making it one of the premier long-range BVR munitions.
Pakistan’s kill chain reflects the U.S. military’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) doctrine, an advanced warfare framework aimed at integrating land, air, sea, space, and cyber capabilities into a cohesive decision-making network.
Dahm stated, “Upon acquiring further insights into the specific engagement details, it may elucidate the extent to which Pakistan has accomplished systems integration, particularly in contrast to India’s disjointed methodology.”
He also observed that Pakistan had probably transformed certain Chinese-supplied AEW&C aircraft into specialized electronic warfare (EW) platforms, although it is unclear if electromagnetic manipulation was involved in the recent engagement.
Chinese Technology
Dahm warned against oversimplified narratives that juxtapose Chinese hardware with Western systems, asserting, “What implications does this episode have for Chinese technology in comparison to Western technology?” It is unlikely to have a significant impact.
“However, it probably shows more about systems, training, and tactics—all those hard-to-measure factors,” he said, arguing that how well the organization works together and its battle plans often matter more than just the technical details.
Dahm emphasized the structural disadvantages encountered by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which, despite its numerical superiority, operates a fleet comprised of heterogeneous technologies acquired from France, Russia, Israel, and indigenous programs—each possessing distinct data architectures, communication protocols, and electronic warfare systems. Is India’s platform diversity a strategic advantage or a tactical disadvantage?
The IAF’s primary arsenal comprises French Rafales, Russian Su-30MKIs and MiG-29s, Anglo-French Jaguars, Indian-manufactured Tejas fighters, and Mirage 2000s, all equipped with incompatible avionics and fire-control systems.
This fragmentation blocks real-time data sharing, sensor fusion, and coordinated targeting across India’s air platforms. Different jets, like Su-30MKIs and Rafales, use incompatible datalinks, which need extra modules to communicate. As a result, delays and risks increase during fast-paced combat operations that demand instant coordination.
Connected Warfare Environments
Moreover, India uses various missile types—AIM-132, ASRAAM, R-77, Meteor, and Astra—across its air fleet. This variety complicates logistics, storage, maintenance, and command processes during time-sensitive missions. Previously considered strategic diversity, this mix now creates serious challenges in fast, connected warfare environments.
Modern air combat demands speed, automation, and seamless communication, which India’s current setup struggles to support. Furthermore, India lacks a unified, digitized combat cloud to connect its platforms in real time. Without this network, its air force can’t match the coordination seen in Pakistan’s or China’s operations.
Clearly, India’s outdated architecture weakens its response time and operational cohesion in today’s high-speed battlespace.
Pakistan’s Optimised Aerial Capability: A Model for Integrated Combat Operations
In contrast, Pakistan has adopted a focused and cohesive strategy by aligning its doctrine with Chinese and U.S. platforms. As a result, it faces minimal compatibility issues during air operations and system integration.
The JF-17 Thunder and J-10C both use Chinese AESA radars, EW systems, and secure data links. These systems connect seamlessly with KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft and ground-based radars for constant data sharing.
As a result, Pakistan can spot targets and direct fighters to engage them using a single integrated network. This unified system boosts reaction speed, keeps pilots safer, and presents commanders a clearer picture of the battle.
Additionally, it improves survivability and enhances situational awareness during high-stakes missions. China’s PL-15 missile fits perfectly into this network, supporting real-time guidance and post-launch kill confirmation. The integration reduces risks of jamming, spoofing, or losing data between platforms. Notably, Pakistan’s kill chain worked efficiently during the recent air battle under investigation.
In that encounter, ground radars, AWACS, and long-range missiles worked in precise coordination. Clearly, Pakistan’s networked strike model shows a deliberate focus on long-range, synchronized, and effective air combat.
Conclusion
China acts as both supplier and systems architect, delivering Pakistan complete packages including hardware, software, training, and doctrine. However, India’s defense procurement often begins with acquiring platforms before planning integration, leading to delays and operational issues.
This fragmented approach leads to higher costs, slower deployments, and limited interoperability across different systems. In contrast, Pakistan builds its air combat strategy around a fully integrated, kill chain-focused framework. This grants Pakistan a decisive edge in future South Asian conflicts shaped by speed, automation, and digital warfare.
References
- Air & Space Forces Magazine – airandspaceforces.com
- Mitchell Institute – mitchellaerospacepower.org
- China Space News – spacechina.com
- Defense News Today – defensenewstoday.info
- GlobalSecurity – globalsecurity.org
- The Diplomat – thediplomat.com
- Jane’s Defence – janes.com
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