When Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian fighter jets, and these planes were shot down inside Indian airspace, the question arises in the minds of the public that how is this possible? To go so deep into the enemy and hit a target, that too without seeing it in front of your eyes? This is when it becomes necessary to understand the power of the PL-15 missile and the expertise of the Pakistani air defense system.
The PL-15 is a state-of-the-art Chinese missile that Pakistan has integrated into its fighter jets, such as the JF-17 Block III. The missile can shoot down enemy aircraft at very long ranges, some estimates say it can reach 200 kilometers or even more. But the real beauty lies in its advanced radar system and "inertial navigation" system, which keep the missile on target even during flight.
When Indian Su-30, Jaguar or Rafale aircraft approach Pakistani borders, whether they are based at Pathankot, Barnala or Bathinda air bases, the Pakistan Air Force's ground radar system detects their movements from afar. These radars include "radar pictographs" on the ground,
"AWACS" aircraft, and advanced ground sensors are included. All these radars are constantly monitoring the positions, altitudes, and speeds of enemy aircraft.
When enemy aircraft come within striking range, the Pakistani JF-17 aircraft, which is equipped with the PL-15, fires the missile from a safe distance. The PL-15 missile initially receives continuous information from the aircraft through a "data link" so that it does not lose the target.
As it approaches the target, its own "active radar" turns on, which automatically locates the enemy aircraft and pinpoints the exact location. This process is called "BVR" (Beyond Visual Range) targeting.
Now the question is, how does Pakistan know that these planes have actually been destroyed?
When a PL-15 missile hits an enemy aircraft, its impact is immediately apparent on ground-based radar pickets, signal intelligence (SIGINT), and Pakistan’s airborne warning system. For example, when an aircraft is destroyed, its signal disappears, its sound, speed, and location suddenly disappear.
Sometimes the enemy itself sends a "Distress Signal" on its own emergency channels, which is picked up by Pakistani intelligence systems. In addition, other evidence on the ground such as smoke, sudden disappearance from radar, or intelligence reports prove that the target has indeed been destroyed.
In this entire process, human eyes see nothing, but radar, missiles, and digital systems eliminate the enemy within a moment. This is modern warfare, where the constraint of distance has been eliminated and the enemy has become defenseless even within his own airbase.
#Pakistan Long Live Pakistan