Description

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Context

A fully intact Chinese-made PL-15 long-range air-to-air missile was recently recovered in Hoshiarpur, Punjab amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

About PL-15 Missile

Feature	Description
Full Name	PL-15 (Thunderbolt-15)
Type	Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM)
Origin	People's Republic of China
Developer	607 Institute
Manufacturer	China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
Purpose	To engage and destroy enemy aircraft at long distances beyond visual range

Features

Attribute	Details
Propulsion	Dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor
Speed	Over Mach 5 (hypersonic speeds)
Range (Domestic version)	200–300 km
Range (Export version - PL-15E)	Officially 145 km (operational: ~100–120 km)
Warhead	20–25 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead
Guidance System	Inertial navigation Beidou satellite updates Two-way datalink for mid-course correction Terminal seeker with Active Electronically Scanned Array radar
Combat Environment Adaptability	High resistance to electronic countermeasures and jamming

Strategic Implications

Enhances Chinese air superiority capabilities, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.

Considered comparable to or more advanced than U.S. AIM-120D AMRAAM and Russian R-77.

Concerns for India

If found in Pakistan or its proxies, it poses a serious regional security threat.

Signals increasing China-Pakistan defence collaboration.

India may need to bolster indigenous air-to-air missile programs e.g., Astra Mk II and surveillance on sensitive borders.

India’s Air-to-Air Missile Programs

Missile	Country	Type	Range
Astra Mk-I	India	BVRAAM	~110 km
Astra Mk-II	India	BVRAAM (under development)	~160–200 km
Meteor	Europe (used by IAF on Rafale)	BVRAAM	150–200 km
AIM-120D AMRAAM	USA	BVRAAM	~160–180 km
PL-15	China	BVRAAM	200–300 km (domestic)

Sources:

INDIATVNEWS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the PL-15 missile recently in the news:

The PL-15 is a short-range air-to-surface missile developed by China for ground attack purposes.
It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar seeker for terminal guidance.
The export variant of PL-15 has a longer range than the domestic version.
It features a dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor and is capable of reaching speeds over Mach 5.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 and 4 only
C. 1, 2 and 4 only
D. 2, 3 and 4 only

Answer: B.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The PL-15 is an air-to-air not air-to-surface missile. It is used for engaging enemy aircraft at beyond visual ranges not for ground attacks.

Statement 2 is correct: The PL-15 uses an active electronically scanned array radar seeker making it highly accurate and resistant to jamming.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The export version (PL-15E) has a shorter range of 145 km or less than the domestic version (200–300 km).

Statement 4 is correct: It uses a dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor and achieves speeds over Mach 5.