I feel like we've said our perspectives on the topic of equipment sales.
As for this, integration of these various things that came from different countries usually cannot be done smoothly. Yes you're right in that the results of that air engagement points to PAF having simply applied what it has FAR better than India with what India has. The thing is, the J-10 and JF-17 are not stealth aircraft, nothing even close to being stealth aircraft. They are not particularly designed to be electronically stealthy either. So what gives.
IAF Rafales are armed with MICA and Meteor. The Rafales India field have France's best AESA which itself is derived from second generation US AESA technology. J-10CE has China's third gen AESA but it is certainly the weakest and one of the oldest fighter AESA that PLAAF operates out of the radars on the J-16, J-20, and now J-15T and J-35. How could the Rafales not get many shots off the rail and at least be shot down in a manner which would suggest they knew about PAF attacks.
Based on the available shot down videos, photos and locations pieced together by video leaks and official statements on both sides, it appears IAF was caught by surprise. How is this even remotely possible without PAF simply having exploited something. It's not some Turkish equipment, what would that be? Koral? lol Koral does close to nothing. It's no different to vehicle mounted broadband jammers used around the world since before I was born. Turkish fanboys talk about Koral like it's a superweapon with unlimited range. It's not simply Link 16 or 17. That's just comms and CEC related. It's not the missiles, those missiles may hide their attacks well but certainly a PL-15E isn't going to hide a J-10CE from the radar of 70 odd Indian aircrafts. India would have used some AEWC aircraft. They have a few and would not be forgoing having them airborne during one of India's largest aerial engagements with Pakistan since 1965. It's also not the F-16s which were possibly not used, at least not to any significant degree.
EU equipment in PAF is more or less limited to the Saab Erieye. That's an AEWC aircraft. It does nothing to blind enemies or hide the active emissions or radar signatures of PAF fighters. So how?
Either it's some secret piece of equipment used by J-10CE or some tactical secret like exploiting terrain, but IAF was flying high and have eyes over those valleys. It's easy to say PAF used Link 17, good missiles, good fighters, flown well etc but that isn't the answer to such a one sided victory against India a nation approx 7x Pakistan in wealth, resources and military size.
If it is some EW gear on the J-10. It would certainly be China's second maybe even third tier and generations behind what China currently uses with PLAAF.
Let me help clear up the confusion, just like I did earlier regarding the nature of Pakistan’s weapon acquisitions.
The success you're referring to whether in the 6-0 claim or the broader effectiveness demonstrated in that air engagement wasn’t about a single piece of equipment, and definitely not about some secret silver bullet. It was the result of a well-coordinated integration of multiple platforms and capabilities across domains: AWACS, fighters, long-range missiles, drones, air defense, ECM/ESM units, and MLRS. These were sourced not only from China, but also from the US, EU, Türkiye, and domestic programs all working under a robust and interoperable C2 structure.
You rightly point out the challenge of integrating multi-origin systems. But that's precisely what makes PAF’s performance so noteworthy, it wasn’t just about having equipment, but about how it was integrated into a battle-ready ecosystem. That level of networked capability isn’t trivial and that’s where IAF appears to have been caught off guard.
Specifically, PAF’s Blinders Squadron (ECM/ESM), operating DA-20 aircraft, played a key role in blinding and disrupting IAF’s situational awareness much like it did during Operation Swift Retort in 2019. While details about this squadron remain limited in the public domain, it’s known that the fleet has grown from 3–4 to 6–8 aircraft, with reports of modernization in recent years. In addition, PAF has acquired Bombardier Global 6000s for SOJ, with at least one currently being under conversion phase in Türkiye and a total of four planned. These are dedicated EW assets, not speculative rumors.
And just to clarify, when I earlier referred to Turkish systems, I meant UCAVs, not the Koral system. There’s no credible indication that Koral was deployed in this engagement.
Now regarding the J-10CE: No one is claiming it's a stealth aircraft. But stealth isn't the only way to achieve tactical surprise. The J-10CE brought exactly what PAF needed a modern multirole fighter to counter the Rafale, with AESA radar, PL-15 BVRAAMs, and strong EW capability. PAF didn’t need a stealth platform like the J-20, and comparing the two ignores doctrinal realities. It’s about matching threats, not mimicking suppliers.
On paper, Rafales should have had the edge Meteor, MICA, Thales RBE2 AESA, all extremely capable. But in actual execution, they weren’t able to respond effectively. That suggests not just platform superiority, but operational superiority: better planning, better use of terrain, smarter EMCON, more effective jamming, and possibly disruption of IAF’s own AEW assets. The outcome points to tactical execution and electronic warfare integration that India underestimated.
And finally, saying “China wouldn’t export top-tier EW gear” doesn’t necessarily hold because it’s not about absolute tech level, but how that tech is employed and networked. Pakistan used what it had to full effect not to replicate PLAAF capabilities, but to meet its own strategic objectives with precision. That’s the point.
