Article – Rushes to Build New PL-16 Missile as DRDO Decoded Chinese Missile

The headline “Rushes to Build New PL-16 Missile as DRDO Decoded Chinese Missile” appears to be a conflation or misinterpretation of two related but distinct developments in the missile programs of China and India, specifically involving the Chinese PL-15 missile and India’s Astra Mark-2 program.

The core of the news revolves around a major intelligence gain for India and the subsequent response from China.

Here are the full details, clarified:

1. India’s Technological Windfall: The PL-15 Decoding

  • The Incident: During a recent military engagement (referred to in reports as “Operation Sindoor” in May 2025), Pakistani fighter jets, reportedly a Chinese-made J-10C or JF-17, fired several Chinese PL-15E Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAMs).
  • The Recovery: Crucially, some of these missiles failed to detonate and landed relatively intact inside Indian territory (e.g., in Punjab). The PL-15E is the export variant of China’s advanced PL-15 missile.
  • DRDO’s Action: India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recovered the unexploded missile(s) and began a detailed technical analysis, which is considered a massive intelligence coup.
  • The Decoding: DRDO scientists reportedly decoded several advanced features, particularly:
    • A miniature Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker, which is critical for guidance and resistance to electronic jamming (ECCM).
    • An advanced propulsion system (likely a dual-pulse solid rocket motor) that allows the missile to maintain speeds exceeding Mach 5.

2. India’s Response: Upgrading the Astra Mark-2

  • The Rush to Build: The “rush to build” in the context of the Indian program is the decision to immediately integrate the decoded technology into India’s indigenous BVRAAM program.
  • The Missile: The DRDO has decided to incorporate the key technologies, especially the AESA radar and propulsion lessons, into its development of the Astra Mark-2 air-to-air missile.
  • The Goal: The upgrade aims to significantly enhance the Astra Mark-2’s capabilities, including:
    • Increased Range: Extending the range beyond the original plan of 160 km to potentially over 200 km.
    • Improved Guidance: Boosting its all-weather and anti-jamming capabilities, directly countering the technology of its adversary.

3. China’s Response: The PL-16 Development (The Origin of the Headline)

  • The Real PL-16: The PL-16 is a new, stealth-optimized Chinese air-to-air missile. It is a derivative of the PL-15, but it is smaller, features a compressed airframe, and likely has foldable fins to be carried internally in the weapon bays of stealth fighters like the J-20 and the future J-35.
  • The Scramble/Rush: Media reports suggest that China was “unsettled” by the technical exposure of the PL-15 and is hastening the development and production of the stealthier PL-16 to maintain a qualitative advantage. The move is seen as China’s effort to switch to a more advanced, classified system now that the PL-15’s technology has been compromised.

In summary, the full story is that India’s DRDO is incorporating the advanced features it decoded from the captured Chinese PL-15 into its Astra Mark-2 missile, while China is reportedly accelerating the rollout of its newer, stealth-focused PL-16 missile to replace the compromised PL-15 technology.

Chandan Singh

this is Chandan Singh from India. research technical analyst in financial market and helping investor or traders to generate knowleage with profit from financial market with having 17 years of experience!