Pakistan's Homegrown Link-17 Kill Chain Helped Shoot Down India's Rafale Fighter Jets

[Riaz Haq]

Using a homegrown datalink (Link-17) communication system, Pakistan has integrated its ground radars with a variety of fighter jets and airborne early warning aircraft (Swedish Erieye AWACS) to achieve high level of  situational awareness in the battlefield, according to experts familiar with the technology developed and deployed by the Pakistan Air Force. This integration allows quick execution of a "kill chain" to target and destroy enemy aircraft, according to experts. This capability was demonstrated recently in the India-Pakistan aerial battle of May 7-8 that resulted in the downing of several Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale.  

Pakistan PAF's Homegrown Link-17. Source: Secret Projects

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilots flying Chinese-made J10C fighter jets fired the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles and shot down at least two Indian Air Force's French-made Rafale jets in history's largest ever aerial battle, according to multiple media and intelligence reports. India had 72 warplanes on the attack and Pakistan responded with 42 of its own, according to the Pakistani military. 

Speaking on a recent podcast, Michael Dahm, a senior fellow at AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said the kill chain may have started with a Pakistani ground radar—“maybe a surface-to-air missile system, or some other type of radar system”—which “illuminated the Indian target.” Then, a Pakistani J-10C fighter “launched its missiles, probably at range, and finally, an airborne early warning and control aircraft used a midcourse datalink to update and guide the missile to the Indian fighter.”   “The Pakistani Air Force deployed …’ A’ launched by ‘B’ and guided by ‘C’” and hit the target, he added. 

PAF Kill Chain During Op Sindoor. Source: Blackbird

Link-17 enables secure and jam-resistant voice and data exchanges between connected assets. Combined with electronic warfare, it allows the Pakistani military to control the electromagnetic spectrum, giving access to the enemy communications and denying them access to their own.  It also enables networked participants to view in real-time each other’s sensor feeds, which could come from radars, sonars, electro-optical (EO) systems such as cameras, and others. Link-17 has given the PAF a network protocol that it can use with a wide range of aerial assets, especially domestically driven programs, such as the JF-17 Thunder. 

Military aviation analysts conclude from the results of the air battle that the Chinese technology is as good, if not better than, the western technology. However, it must be understood that the way the technology is actually deployed in the battlefield is as important in achieving good results as the technology itself. Also, the men count as much, if not more than, the machines.  The legendary US Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager called Pakistan Air Force pilots "the best in the world".  In another tweet in 2015, Yeager said "they (PAF pilots) kicked the Indians butt". 

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[Riaz Haq]

Baqir Sajjad
@baqirsajjad
PAF has formally credited its Cobras (15th Squadron) for downing 6 IAF jets in 5/7 showdown. J-10Cs assigned to squadron brought down Rafales with help of PL15s exposing Indian "game-changers" as myths. Cobras asserted Pakistan's skies, Pakistan's rules.

https://x.com/baqirsajjad/status/1930852548358844685

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Air force credits Cobras with ‘six IAF kills’

https://www.dawn.com/news/1915722/air-force-credits-cobras-with-six...

ISLAMABAD: Just past midnight on May 7, a low hum of tension filled the Combat Operations Centre at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Headquarters in Islamabad.

On radar screens, dozens of Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters began clustering to the north, maneuvering with unmistakable intent.

Within minutes, Pakistan’s skies were alive with scrambling fighter jets — including the most recently inducted J-10C aircraft, flown by one of its most storied units: No. 15 Squadron, the “Cobras.”

Nearly a month later, the PAF formally acknowledged what many had speculated — that it was the Kamra-based 15 Squadron that led the charge in shooting down six Indian Air Force (IAF) jets during what’s now considered one of the largest air-to-air engagement in South Asia in more than half a century.

Eighteen of the squadron’s 20 J-10C aircraft took part in the mission, executing a high-risk intercept against a large-scale Indian formation as part of Pakistan’s defensive response.

In a post released by the PAF’s media directorate, the Cobras were hailed for their legacy and professionalism: “From heroic air battles in the 1965 war, where Flt Lt Imtiaz Bhatti downed two Indian Vampires, to Cold War-era vigilance during the Soviet-Afghan War, the squadron has always remained combat-ready… Now equipped with J-10C 4.5+ generation fighters, the Cobras continue to embody precision, courage, and aerial dominance.”

The May 7 confrontation — triggered by India’s launch of Operation Sindoor following a deadly attack in Pahalgam — saw more than 120 aircraft take to the skies from both sides.

According to the Pakistani military’s official account, the six Indian aircraft downed included three Rafales, a MiG-29, a Mirage-2000, and a Su-30MKI — all hit by PL-15 BVR missiles fired from PAF J-10C fighters. Each launch was executed by pilots from the 15 Squadron, who are expected to be publicly named and decorated at a formal ceremony later this month.

A senior PAF official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed: “The pilots involved in the operation will be honoured soon. These are some of the finest aviators in our ranks — and their performance speaks for itself”.

The engagement, insiders say, was the result of a calculated bait-and-counter strategy. With credible intelligence of an impending Indian incursion, the PAF deployed four defensive counter-air formations and monitored over 60 Indian aircraft using its electromagnetic spectrum management systems.

“We fought the battle on our terms,” the official added. “Our kill chain was fully ac­­tive. When the command shifted, while aircraft were airborne, from ‘Deter’ to ‘As­­sure Kill, Deny Own Loss,’ the Cobras carried out their mission with precision and control.”

Among the targets prioritised were the Rafales — the pride of the IAF since their induction in 2019. “The Indians expected the Rafales to be game chan-gers,” the official said. “So we made them our first target.”

The Indian response was initially evasive. On May 11, IAF Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, downplayed the situation, merely stating that “losses are a part of combat” and insisting all pilots had returned safely.

But the facade cracked during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, when India’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, was compelled to admit the losses, attributing them to “tactical errors.”

The admission triggered a storm of criticism back home. In a bid to contain the fallout, Gen Chauhan resorted to baffling cricket metaphors to explain away the embarrassment.

[Riaz Haq]

China Offers Pakistan J-35A Stealth Fighters, KJ-500 AWACS, and HQ-19 Air Defense Systems

https://defensetalks.com/china-offers-pakistan-j-35a-stealth-fighte...

The Government of Pakistan has officially confirmed that it has received an offer from China for a major defense package aimed at enhancing the country’s airpower and strategic defense capabilities. The announcement was made through the government’s official X (formerly Twitter) account earlier today.

According to the statement, the proposed package includes:

• 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jets
• An undisclosed number of KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft
• An undisclosed number of HQ-19 long-range air and missile defense systems

The J-35A, developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, represents a major leap in low-observable multirole air combat capabilities. Featuring stealth design, internal weapon bays, and advanced avionics, it is expected to significantly strengthen Pakistan’s deterrence posture and regional air superiority ambitions.

The KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft will provide 360-degree battlefield surveillance, airspace monitoring, and enhanced command and control capabilities, key to supporting high-intensity aerial operations in contested environments.

The inclusion of the HQ-19 — a theater-level ballistic missile defense platform — signals Pakistan’s focus on developing a multi-layered air defense shield. Designed to intercept high-speed threats, including ballistic and cruise missiles, the HQ-19 would represent the most advanced surface-to-air missile system in Pakistan’s arsenal.

Officials noted that the offer is currently under review by relevant defense and procurement authorities, with discussions underway on cost, delivery timelines, and localized support.

The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by the Pakistan Air Force to modernize its combat fleet and integrated defense systems. It also builds upon recent operational success with the Chinese-supplied J-10CE fighters, which have proven effective in recent deployments.

This proposed defense package, if finalized, could reshape the regional balance of power and mark a significant milestone in the deepening strategic partnership between China and Pakistan.

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Thomas Keith
@iwasnevrhere_
Diplomacy was the soft shell; the core revealed Pakistan’s splice into China’s 5th‑generation lattice. Forty J‑35 stealth fighters lock Rawalpindi onto the same firmware branch Beijing uses to police the Taiwan Strait, turning every sortie over Kashmir into a live performance of Delhi’s irrelevance.

KJ‑500 radars and HQ‑19 interceptors stitch radar, tracking, and exo‑atmospheric kill space into one loop, downgrading India’s S‑400s to parade props while giving Pakistan clean anti‑satellite reach that Mumbai can only watch on STRATFOR infographics.

$3.7 billion in deferred Chinese debt isn’t charity, it’s a timer wired to strategic concessions, buying Islamabad oxygen while keeping Delhi guessing which concession point triggers first.

https://x.com/iwasnevrhere_/status/1931019017998786842