Islamabad/Washington:
A top Chinese -made Pakistani fighter jet shot at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, told two US officials to Reuters, marking a large milestone for Peking’s advanced fighter jets.
A Indian Air Force spokesman said he had no comment when asked about the Reuters report. The performance of a leading Chinese fighter jet against a Western rival is closely monitored in Washington for insight into how Beijing can cope in any showdown over Taiwan or the wider Indo-Storthav. The world powers from the United States to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world’s most dangerous and most populous, nuclear flashpoint regions.
In France, Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and MBDA Consortium, which makes Meteor Air-to-Air missile, could not immediately comment on a holiday.
While Reuters on Wednesday reported that three Indian aircraft went down and referred to local government officials in India, this marks the first Western confirmation that Pakistan’s Chinese -made jets were used in the shooting.
Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters on Thursday that J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale aircraft, recently acquired by India. In total, Pakistan says the lowering five Indian aircraft in air-to-air match.
Close eye
The Rafale and the model of the J-10 used by Pakistan are both considered a generation 4.5 fighter jets, placing them in the front of fighter aircraft. Western analysts and defense industries said that the living use of some of the advanced weapons that could be implemented in future major conflicts of power would be examined in small details, but emphasized that it was too early to draw regular conclusions.
“Air Warfare Communities in China, the United States and a number of European countries will be extremely interested in trying to get as much land truth as they can on tactics, techniques, procedures, what kit was used, what worked and what did not do,” said Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
