第二部分英文原文
In the Ops room
The PAF Commander instructed a pilot to fire at their selected adversary, visible on the Comprehensive Complete Air Picture (CCAP) screen. The author was shown a recording of a PL-15E leaving the J-10’s missile rail and tracking towards the red target. Once the target was hit, the signal would blink intermittently, until it disappeared. All the information on the targets was available to the PAF.
As one retired officer stated: “They were sitting ducks – they didn’t stand a chance when our J-10Cs unleashed those PL-15s. Our Multi Domain Ops ensured the IAF pilots couldn’t perform in the air battle.”
The radar range of both the J-10C’s KLJ-10 and the Rafale’s RBE2 is believed to be around 200km (125 miles). According to the PAF, not one Meteor was fired at the PAF fighters. The PL-15Es hit their targets at between 160 and 190km (100 and 120 miles) out (close to the maximum kinetic range of the export version of PL-15), and with the Meteor’s range only being about 150km, you can understand why. The PL-15E had an edge of about 40–50km and the IAF fighters were downed over Indian territory. The PL-15 is certainly faster than the Meteor so that would be another factor. The PAF effectively trapped the IAF pilots in their ‘kill chain’.
Three of the IAF’s satellites were by now under PAF control, using its indigenously developed systems. The downlinks were subsequently severed and the GPS signals were neutralised. At the same time, the PAF’s cyber warriors launched a sweeping offensive, crippling 96% of India’s social networks, penetrating critical systems, and even disrupting the country’s railways, airlines, banks and energy grids to sow chaos. Bold messages flashed across Indian CCTV screens, while websites were defaced and key digital nodes were struck, triggering electricity blackouts across vast regions of India. This was the first time any Air Force in the world had synced its cyber operations with its kinetic operations.
PAF Cyber Ops had shifted into offensive mode. Back in 2019 during Operation Swift Retort, there was no cyber footprint, but by 2021 work had commenced on creating the new command, which opened in May 2023 and started functioning in October 2024. PAF has created a cyber range, where cyber warfare skills are built up by pitching blue and red teams against each other. Elements of the PAF Cyber Force played an active role in achieving the right effects during Op Bunyanun-Marsoos, when cyber was integrated with kinetic ops. PAF kept it all relevant by participating in operations and exercises like Indus Shield 24.
