A seize from a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) illustrative video of the Indus Shield air workouts circulating on social media gives a peek into the way it plans to counter India’s Russian-origin S-400 surface-to-air (SAM) methods.

PAF’s Chinese-origin JF-17 Thunder and CM-400 anti-ship missiles determine prominently within the computer-generated promotional materials.

The seize exhibits JF-17s working in tandem with the newly acquired J-10s and PAF’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW) plane in a Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD) operation in opposition to the S-400.

The S-400’s large 300 to 400-kilometer vary has the potential to maintain the PAF grounded or working primarily in its airspace in a basic enhanced air-denial zone. 

Such a situation tremendously advantages the Indian Air Force (IAF) and India’s floor forces, considerably relieving them of the stress from Pakistani air operations.

Pakistan has lengthy been attaining technological development to match India’s typical superiority. Fielding superior Chinese weapons just like the J-10C and the CM-400 could be a step on this path. 

The PAF’s Indus Shield train is a 14-nation drill together with China, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Turkiye, UAE and Uzbekistan.

“The exercise stands out as one of the mega aerial warfare exercises of the region and is marked as a significant milestone in the realization of PAF’s commitment to enhance its aerial capabilities alongside bolstering international cooperation,” the PAF said in a publish on X (previously Twitter). 

S-400 Changed PAF’s Calculations 

In a separate promotional video, Saudi Arabian F-15s, Turkiye’s F-16s, PAF’s F-16 Block 52 variants, a JF-17 Block 3, a Pakistani J-10C, and different medium-lift transport plane might be seen.

That video additionally confirmed Pakistan’s Akinci twin-engine armed drones in motion. While it was not clear if the video of the drones was from one other separate sortie or the identical train, they’ll undoubtedly be employed in a battle with India. 

But the promotional video confirmed pre-existing footage of an S-400 in motion, calling it a ‘Multi-Domain Threat Environment.’

PAF views the Indian Air Defense system as a menace and to have considerably sophisticated its strategic calculus, the place neutralizing it turns into a main operational purpose, if not the one one.

To freely interact the IAF with out the specter of the S-400, the PAF should dedicate assets, expertise, and techniques to destroy the Air Defense system. 

What The Video Grab Suggests

X (previously Twitter) deal with Air Operations Syndicate shared a frozen seize of a computer-generated illustrative video claimed to be from Indus Shield’s publicity supplies. 

“Pakistan Air Force Official, Indus Shield PR, reveals an interesting tactical scenario of Exercise showing JF-17 targeting an enemy High Tech SAM using the supersonic CM-400 missiles. PAF seems to be employing anti-S-400 tactics in the ongoing exercise,” it mentioned. 

The image exhibits digital representations of Pakistani and Indian air and floor forces arrayed in opposition to one another, with the Indian facet coloured pink. ‘Domes’ symbolize the protecting cowl of air protection methods, and the dimensions of the ‘dome’ on the Indian facet is extra in depth, proving that the PAF acknowledges the huge air-denial functionality of the S-400. 

A quartet of JF-17s are proven firing what are claimed to be two CM-400 anti-radiation missiles. J-10Cs and F-16s, the frontline multi-role air-superiority fighters, are in the meantime flying Combat Air Patrols (CAP) and offering integral protection to the JF-17s. 

Like the Tejas Mk1A, the JF-17s — even the latter superior Block III — are much less doubtless for use as a frontline multi-role fighter. It would as an alternative be employed as a rearguard and level protection/air protection jet, guarding important navy services and bases.

It can even undertake a ‘missile truck’ position, firing past visible vary (BVR) missiles at targets designated by the extra superior F-16s and J-10s. 

The JF-17 isn’t an older-generation fighter like Ukraine’s Russian-origin Su-24 Fencer or MiG-29 however remains to be a comparatively much less superior jet within the PAF hierarchy.

It has thus been envisaged to undertake SEAD/DEAD roles just like the MiG-29 that now fires the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) or long-range standoff floor assault just like the Su-24, firing the Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles. 

Pakistani Tactics & Intentions

While the total video of which the seize is part couldn’t be discovered, two subsequent follow-on actions could be assumed to be carried out by the Pakistan navy as soon as the S-400 is destroyed. 

1. Pakistan’s plane will undertake bolder battlefield interdictions and air-to-ground strikes on Indian land targets as soon as the protecting cowl supplied by the S-400 is lifted. Its floor forces, too, could have extra freedom from Indian plane since IAF jets must deal with the Pakistani fighters within the air that now function with out the worry of S-400. 
2. If the struggle has escalated and each side see an opportunity for retribution beneath a excessive nuclear threshold, the liberty from S-400s may even inspire extra formidable PAF and Pakistan Army plans to enterprise deep into Indian territory. A number of political and diplomatic variables would determine the place these incursions could be and whether or not the purpose is to completely management the land or use it as leverage for future negotiations or ceasefire talks. 

Nevertheless, the CM-400 does pose a big menace to the S-400. But the PAF, too, would wish a excessive stage of coaching, unparalleled refined techniques, and disciplined coordination between the decoys launched to bait the S-400 into ‘lighting up’ and the launch plane receiving the command to fireplace the CM-400 — probably upon receiving focusing on location through information hyperlinks. 

Moreover, as soon as the JF17-CM400 pair turns into operational, which IAF headquarters and intelligence will likely be carefully monitoring, it too will likely be significantly constrained in utilizing the S-400s on a regular basis. This will stop their radar gathering frequencies and places from being picked up by Pakistani digital intelligence (ELINT) methods. 

Forcing the IAF to fastidiously and cautiously use the S-400 could be a big tactical achievement for the PAF. 

Why The CM-400?

This leaves the query of why the PAF would use the Chinese supersonic CM-400, basically billed as an “aircraft carrier killer,” in opposition to the S-400. 

It can be utilized to expend the S-400’s battery of missiles to detect the rocket coming into Indian air area and use the time to realize a fast tactical victory over Indian fighters or floor targets. 

The S-400 makes use of a mixture of the 40-kilometer-range 9M96E, 120-kilometer-range 9M96E2, 250-kilometer-range 48N6, and 400-kilometer-range 40N6E missiles. It, due to this fact, additionally relies upon upon which of those missiles India has acquired and whether or not it ahead deploys the S-400 or retains it within the rear to guard very important installations.