Pakistan-India Air Clash Puts J-10 vs Rafale in Global Spotlight

Global militaries dissect aerial tactics, missiles used in rare high-tech dogfight
| May 09, 2025

#Pakistan Air Force's #Chinese -made J-10 fighter jets and India’s French-built Rafale aircraft have drawn #global military attention after a rare, high-stakes air clash that reportedly saw at least two Indian jets shot down on Wednesday.

According to U.S. defense sources who spoke with NewsDesk International, the Pakistani Air Force employed advanced J-10C jets — supplied by China — equipped with PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles. The Indian side allegedly responded with Rafales, potentially armed with Meteor missiles, made by #Europe ’s MBDA consortium.

This marks the first known active combat between these advanced platforms, offering a unique opportunity for real-time assessment of modern air warfare capabilities. Militaries across NATO, China, and the Indo-Pacific are closely studying the incident, especially amid rising tensions over Taiwan and the #South China Sea.

“Everyone from Washington to Beijing is watching how these jets and missiles performed in real-world conditions,” said a senior U.S. official, speaking under anonymity. “This could redefine air combat assumptions for the next decade.”

Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, called it a rare encounter where East meets West in aerial combat.

“This dogfight, if confirmed with the hardware involved, may become a reference point for air warfare analysts globally — from tactics and missile ranges to pilot responses under fire,” Barrie stated.

While official confirmations are scarce, social media and open-source intelligence have speculated on missile performance, particularly comparing China’s PL-15 with Europe’s Meteor — both considered top-tier radar-guided systems.

With no official comments yet from Dassault Aviation or MBDA, analysts continue to debate the implications of this unprecedented encounter between the J-10 and Rafale — potentially setting a new benchmark in air combat analysis.