PAF J-35AE - News, Updates and Discussions

[BlueMarlin]

The issue wasn’t the Rafale DLs but India’s haste to employ them for political purposes.
More importantly , the Indians excel in MVPs or half products for funding but have failed to actually implement their IACCS at scale.

Technically in 2019 the IAF had DLs that would allow MKi to provide situational awareness to both each other and Mig-21 but they launched without it connecting to the net because their ground crew never got the procedures down.

This time they put M2ks and MKis on DL but it was decided that Rafale’s could work with GCI and their own picture well enough because RBE2 and Meteor gave them the edge.

More importantly, they had 1 A-50 and 1 Netra in the air then suddenly they get hit by targeted jamming and Mr Netra’s reach doesn’t work anymore - which is why you didn’t see them the entire conflict while the good ol Phalcon was left to rotate between two available airframes.

They went all in on Yes men and the result is easy to see. But they adapted well and started listening to their smart people - meanwhile, you are going more in on Yes men culture in aims to surpass them so one hopes some of these Yes men are smart.

all modern fighter jet have dl's but they dont work in a true multi domain environments. the may 2025 scenario being the most publically known example of this. the indians cant create this with foreign aircraft without the oem's input which is what they arent getting.



most of the current inventory of fighters have the basic capability of inter communication and to a ground station. but they are all differnat and not the same.

either link 16 or the russain equivalent.

an example being a ground based radar or awac sending guidance input to a typhoon which is relayed to a meteor missile. newer missiles will also send radar input to typhoons and ground stations/awacs.

indian rafales dont have two way communication in the f3r variant.


as for indian awacs, they do have a the ability to talk to their fighter jets via link 16 and have the capability to have their own data link which is a fantasy.

the a50 are old birds and will be a prime target and would hold as much as a priority as the rafale in a ware time scenario. i dont think awacs were used or the netra close enough to be of much relevance.

a painful lesson was learnt by the indians and next time they will be more prepared and more importantly keep further away from the border as they underestimated the pl15.


can say more bu this isnt the thread.


but being relevant so this isnt a off the rails post the j-35 will have the same link 17 as the j10's and will have the capability to provide real time two way communication between drones, loyal wingmans(only chinese ones, they dont trust the turks), and other elements within the ecosystem.

 

[Yasser76]

The employment patterns switched was the odd part - technically the Netra does have “better” systems onboard but post that first night it was either withdrawn further south to prep for something or kept away with the shock from PL-15 range.

Yeah, could be after the shock of the first losses and realisation of the PL-15 true range they simply decided to safeguard assets? Would be a sensible move

 

[Oscar]

all modern fighter jet have dl's but they dont work in a true multi domain environments. the may 2025 scenario being the most publically known example of this. the indians cant create this with foreign aircraft without the oem's input which is what they arent getting.



most of the current inventory of fighters have the basic capability of inter communication and to a ground station. but they are all differnat and not the same.

either link 16 or the russain equivalent.

an example being a ground based radar or awac sending guidance input to a typhoon which is relayed to a meteor missile. newer missiles will also send radar input to typhoons and ground stations/awacs.

indian rafales dont have two way communication in the f3r variant.


as for indian awacs, they do have a the ability to talk to their fighter jets via link 16 and have the capability to have their own data link which is a fantasy.

the a50 are old birds and will be a prime target and would hold as much as a priority as the rafale in a ware time scenario. i dont think awacs were used or the netra close enough to be of much relevance.

a painful lesson was learnt by the indians and next time they will be more prepared and more importantly keep further away from the border as they underestimated the pl15.


can say more bu this isnt the thread.


but being relevant so this isnt a off the rails post the j-35 will have the same link 17 as the j10's and will have the capability to provide real time two way communication between drones, loyal wingmans(only chinese ones, they dont trust the turks), and other elements within the ecosystem.

Its the other way around - PAF’s net needs updates to match J-35 capabilities

 

[BlueMarlin]

Its the other way around - PAF’s net needs updates to match J-35 capabilities

thats true,

im just curious too see how Pakistan will bring the Turkish kit into the fold without them being too snoopy.

ever wondered why pakistan didnt chose the kaan over the j-35?

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Ok - since the main day is over in Pakistan, we can safely assume no J-35AE appearance for the PAF on 14 August 2028.

( booo!!! booo!!! booo!!! ).

Commiserations to the those who predicted today was the day (including myself!)

The first two JF-17 Thunders were delivered to Pakistan on 02 March 2007; however, their delivery was not publicly revealed until 12 March 2007 if I remember it correctly.

I think it was brother Haris Khan from PakDef.info being the first one to reveal it back then.

Just saying.

 

[Oscar]

The first two JF-17 Thunders were delivered to Pakistan on 02 March 2007; however, their delivery was not publicly revealed until 12 March 2007 if I remember it correctly.

I think it was brother Haris Khan from PakDef.info being the first one to reveal it back then.

Just saying.

There are people who saw the JF-17 in country well prior to that date.

However, in todays environment its very difficult to hide such assets especially with the infrastructure requirements that go along witj a LO aircraft.

Keep another aspect in mind -
The PAF evaluated the J-10A back in 2004-5 because of their existing presence at CAC.

I narrated the following 50 times before plainly to highlight why sources should be corroborated and fantastic claims dismissed or double checked:

In 2008 Air Chief AM Tanvir put an official statement into the official PAF “history/book” written by Alan Warnes with an image included that the PAF wanted to procure the J-10A as a bomb truck.
Then too no announcements on official signed contract, no other news - nothing - although given that CATIC /AViC was still maturing in processes.

We(old PDF) discussed it to death back then too and some usual self aggrandizing members claimed it was already in Pakistan or that they have seen pictures of PAF painted jets.

Come 2011 and I sat with my much
Much more authoritative source(who is now taking early retirement due to some “paperwork”) and asked the question - the answer was “PAF is broke” - that was it.

No conspiracy, no technical aspect
Just plain broke and struggling to pay even interest payments.

AND, that he himself had some discussions with J-10 team(considering this gentleman was at CAC for several years advising on JF-17 and then led the program) on customizations(improvements) the PAF would like to see on J-10 which he said CAC was going to work on anyway.

Come 2017 with the arrival of J-10B we had another moment that the PAF might procure it but now the issue came down funds distribution between it and the block improvements for JF-17. That does not mean the J-10 procurement was dead or that PAF wasn’t able to get the latest information or otherwise - just priorities

Then, suddenly in a matter of months after initial rumors with PL-15 and JF-17 we also had J-10 deal signed and ready to go.


The takeaway for this context is that PAF has evaluated the J-35
It does have personnel on simulator checkrides at the least with perhaps a few undergoing deeper technical studies on J-35
But that does not mean an order has been signed or that AM Sidhu’s announcement means something is concrete.

Now one can speculate based on this and that whether it relates to aspects of J-35 which don’t meet the PAF needs or that PAF is not ready in terms of processes and infrastructure or that PAF has no money.

When it comes, it will arrive and based on relationships it will arrive to give the PAF the edge it needs at priority pace if the PAF has/will determine it - your good friends the Chinese wont let you down.

But today, its not here