India-Pakistan clash to give insights on performance of Chinese jets, European arms

A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinised by militaries seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts.

A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two US officials said, marking a potential major milestone for Beijing’s advanced fighter jet.

The aerial clash is a rare opportunity for militaries to study the performance of pilots, fighter jets and air-to-air missiles in active combat, and use that knowledge to prepare their own air forces for battle.

Experts said the live use of advanced weapons would be analysed across the world, including in mainland China and the United States which are both preparing for a potential conflict over Taiwan or in the wider Indo-Pacific region.

One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets.

Social media posts focused on the performance of China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, a radar-guided air-to-air missile produced by European group MBDA. There has been no official confirmation these weapons were used.