Air Superiority and Missile Technology in the recent India-Pakistan Conflict

The present military confrontation between India and Pakistan, ignited by a brutal terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam that left 28 dead, triggered a rapid escalation into one of the most technologically sophisticated conflicts South Asia has seen. India’s military response, codenamed Operation Sindoor, involved precision strikes deep into Pakistani territory using its latest multirole aircraft and standoff missile systems. Yet, what unfolded in the skies over Kashmir and beyond is not just a display of military might - it becomes a proving ground for modern aerial warfare doctrines and the effectiveness of Western versus Chinese defense technologies.

India’s deployment of Dassault Rafale fighters - its most advanced jets acquired from France - is seen as a central pillar of its retaliatory posture. Armed with Meteor air-to-air missiles and SCALP cruise missiles for ground strikes, the Rafale represents the culmination of Western design philosophy: multi-role flexibility, sensor fusion, network-centric warfare, and superior BVR (beyond-visual-range) capability. These systems gave India what many perceive to be an unassailable edge.

However, Pakistan countered with its increasingly capable J-10C fighters, supplied by China and integrated with the long-range PL-15E missile. The PL-15E, an export variant of the powerful PL-15, is believed to employ an AESA radar seeker and has a range that challenges even the Meteor. Reports from Islamabad claim that Pakistani pilots successfully downed multiple Indian aircraft, including at least two Rafales, during intense BVR skirmishes. While India neither confirmed nor denied these losses, satellite imagery and independent defense analysts have begun to lend credence to at least some of the claims.

If Pakistani assertions about Rafale losses are indeed verified, it would prompt serious re-evaluation of the presumed superiority of Western airframes and missiles, especially in contested environments involving peer or near-peer adversaries. Such a scenario would challenge long-held assumptions in global defense circles that Western platforms, with their expensive development pedigree and combat-tested systems, inherently outperform their Eastern counterparts. The J-10C, once dismissed as a second-tier aircraft, may now be viewed in a different light - particularly when coupled with Chinese radar and missile technology.

At the heart of this conflict was not just fighter-versus-fighter engagements, but also the battle between missile philosophies. India reportedly used SCALP cruise missiles in deep strike roles, while both countries employed drones and UAVs for reconnaissance and limited strikes. Subsonic cruise missiles like the SCALP and U.S.-made Tomahawk have often been dismissed as outdated in the age of hypersonics. Yet these systems remain highly survivable due to their stealth, low-altitude flight profiles, and pinpoint accuracy. Their battlefield resilience, especially against sophisticated air defenses, has prolonged their relevance well into the 21st century.

This raises a critical question: if subsonic, stealthy cruise missiles can achieve strategic goals with minimal risk and high accuracy, why should nations invest heavily in hypersonic systems? Western countries, particularly the United States and Europe, have historically prioritized precision and electronic survivability over brute speed. This conflict suggests that this may still be a valid approach - yet only to a point.

China’s rapid development of hypersonic missiles like the DF-17 and maneuverable reentry vehicles poses a growing threat. Hypersonic systems are extremely difficult to intercept due to their speed, altitude, and erratic flight paths. Although they are not immune - experiments with space-based sensors, laser interceptors, and high-speed hit-to-kill systems are underway - the current defense architecture is largely unprepared for mass hypersonic saturation. Western powers can no longer afford to treat hypersonics as an optional niche technology. The future will demand investment in both interception capabilities and offensive hypersonic assets.

To maintain technological dominance, Western nations must pursue a dual-track strategy: accelerate the maturation of hypersonic missile technology while continuing to refine subsonic systems. This means developing smarter, stealthier, and more adaptive platforms that leverage AI, electronic warfare, and networked battlespace integration. At the same time, improving early-warning systems, space-based tracking, and next-generation air defense layers will be essential to counter high-speed threats from China and its partners.

The India-Pakistan conflict, though regional in scale, serves as a global wake-up call. It reveals not only the evolving balance of power in Asia but also the fragility of long-held assumptions about air dominance. The apparent success of Chinese-origin platforms against Western-made systems like the Rafale may prompt a global reassessment of procurement strategies, threat modeling, and military alliances. In the end, the conflict reminds the world that the race for air superiority is far from over - and that supremacy in the skies will belong not to the fastest, nor the stealthiest, but to the side that adapts fastest to the ever-changing technology of war.