PL-15

China's premier long-range active-radar beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, developed for the J-20 and other modern PLAAF fighters, and the first Chinese AAM to see combat—contested but revealing—in the 2025 India-Pakistan air clashes.

Overview

The PL-15 (Pi Li-15) is a long-range active-radar-homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy (Luoyang) for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). It entered service around 2018 and arms the J-20, J-16, and J-10C fighters, providing a stand-off engagement capability that competes with the latest Western missiles. An export variant, the PL-15E, is in service with the Pakistan Air Force on its J-10C and JF-17 Block III aircraft. The domestic PL-15 is credited with a range exceeding 200 km, while the export version is capped at roughly 145–150 km. The missile gained notoriety in May 2025 when Pakistan fired PL-15Es during the Operation Sindoor air battles with India, marking the first combat use of a Chinese BVRAAM and yielding an intact airframe for Indian analysis.

🔒 The full PL-15 file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →