The Kashmir conflict 2025.

[CaribouTruth]

What exactly is this "PL-16" that everyone is talking about? My understanding is that it is just a miniatured PL-15 with a new rocket booster so that it could be six-packed into the J-20's weapons bay. Is there something unique about it?

There's no consensus if the '6 pack' PL-15 is actually called PL-16 anymore. Last time we saw the folding fin PL-15 it was labeled PL-15E if i recall correctly. Just a baffling naming system.
Then there's noises about a new operational bvrAAM which is being tentatively called PL-16 instead.

 

[LCR34]

I wonder if they put GaN radar in PL-16 seeker. That would be the ultimate flex.

GaN will be too mainstream. GaO would be ultimate flex.

 

[siegecrossbow]

What exactly is this "PL-16" that everyone is talking about? My understanding is that it is just a miniatured PL-15 with a new rocket booster so that it could be six-packed into the J-20's weapons bay. Is there something unique about it?

It comes in a smaller package but has similar if not superior performance envelope to PL-15. According to credible rumors there are no control fins in the front.

 

[Neurosmith]

There's no consensus if the '6 pack' PL-15 is actually called PL-16 anymore. Last time we saw the folding fin PL-15 it was labeled PL-15E if i recall correctly. Just a baffling naming system.
Then there's noises about a new operational bvrAAM which is being tentatively called PL-16 instead.

Interesting, so the actual "PL-16" - the new BVRAAM - may not be related to the PL-15?

And whatever happened to the PL-21 "Sino-Meteor"?

 

[CaribouTruth]

Interesting, so the actual "PL-16" - the new BVRAAM - may not be related to the PL-15?

We obviously don't know about the internals but i believe that a different aerodynamic configuration is enough of a change to call it unrelated.
No updates on the sino-meteor, whatever its tentative naming/number may be.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Key details from yesterday's Pakistani military briefing on the air combat timeline:

00:10 HRS – PAF detected IAF fighter jets mobilizing near the LoC across northern and central sectors.
00:12 HRS – Within 2 minutes, PAF initiated pre-planned contingency measures.
00:23 HRS – Pakistani jets executing Defensive Counter-Air (DCA) missions were scrambled.
00:30 HRS – IAF completed offensive formation across 4 axes near LoC. Initial force: 60 jets (incl. 14 Rafales), later reinforced to 72 aircraft.

00:37 HRS – PAF DCA fighters engaged IAF incursions. Pakistan deployed 42 advanced jets to defend airspace, with civilian flights evacuated from projected engagement zones.

Rules of Engagement Shift: After IAF launched air-to-ground weapons, PAF Chief ordered escalation from deterrence to lethal engagement. "Since India boasted endlessly about Rafale's superiority, we prioritized targeting them—hence their disproportionate losses," the briefing stated.

Unprecedented Scale: The hour-long dogfight involved mass Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) exchanges with unprecedented missile volleys.

---

PAF disclosed 6 confirmed IAF kills (Fig.2):

1. Mig-29: 38km at 243° from Srinagar (~15km to LoC)
2. Su-30MKI: 35km at 192° from Srinagar (~46km to LoC)
3. Rafale: 77km at 144° from Srinagar (100km to LoC)
4. Drone: 30km at 342° from Jammu (~35km to LoC)
5. Rafale: 24km at 114° from Jammu (~13km to LoC)
6. Rafale: 46km at 288° from Bhatinda (~42.6km to border)

---

Intercepted Rafale squadron comms (audio played):
Lead: "Godzilla 4, read you loud. Where’s Godzilla 3?"
Godzilla 4: "Godzilla 4 nominal. Checking Godzilla 3’s status—"
Godzilla 4 (later): *"GODZILLA 4 REPORTING... (Rafale) JUST EXPLODED MID-AIR! REPEAT, EXPLODED!"*

I read that PAF also ascertains kills via dual data linking with the weapon. PL-15 and AMRAAM communicates with the launch aircraft if the target has been destroyed.

Interesting, so the actual "PL-16" - the new BVRAAM - may not be related to the PL-15?

And whatever happened to the PL-21 "Sino-Meteor"?

Seems that was the alternative to PL-17. Don’t see the point really.

 

[Neurosmith]

Video purportedly showing a PAF JF-17 taking off with CM-400AKG missiles during an earlier sortie. Take this with the usual salt, but if Pakistan's claims are at least somewhat factual, it is possible that the CM-400AKG might've been used to target S-400s.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1921109555087372780

 

[Jiang ZeminFanboy]

I feel bad for the mods. People are repeating non credible rumours, that were already posted and discussed 10 pages back. Its not the user fault either, we cant expect people to read page by page when a thread moves this fast.

Then I suggest people who do not follow the thread actively to stop posting and read the thread. If you don't follow the thread don't post and just read instead of posting the same stuff again.

 

[ansy1968]

Video purportedly showing a PAF JF-17 taking off with CM-400AKG missiles during an earlier sortie. Take this with the usual salt, but if Pakistan's claims are at least somewhat factual, it is possible that the CM-400AKG might've been used to target S-400s.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1921109555087372780

That's the kicker, I just don't understand Pakistani fixation with Turkey, China is next door, a friend and their savior. But this mission success is attribute to their drones which is a nonfactor in this conflict.

 

[siegecrossbow]

That's the kicker, I just don't understand Pakistani fixation with Turkey, China is next door, a friend and their savior. But this mission success is attribute to their drones which is a nonfactor in this conflict.

Turkey is majority Islam. And drones are not a non factor. So far they’ve been very useful identifying and taking out IADS.