[🇵🇰] Pakistan-China Military Cooperation

[Saif]

Date of Event: May 9, 2026

Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/world/china-confirms-it-helped-pakistans-air-force-during-2025-war-with-india

China confirms it helped Pakistan’s air force during 2025 war with India

bdnews24.com

Published :
May 08, 2026 23:57
Updated :
May 09, 2026 00:16

An Indian Army soldier looks out from an armoured vehicle on a highway leading to South Kashmir's Pahalgam, following a suspected militant attack, in Marhama village, in Kashmir, Apr 23, 2025. Photo : REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

China has acknowledged for the first time that it provided “on-site technical support” to Pakistan during its four-day war with India in May 2025, reports the South China Morning Post, citing a CCTV interview.

Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, revealed the information to China’s state broadcaster on Thursday.

According to the report, during the conflict that began on May 7 last year, a Chinese-made fighter shot down at least one of India’s French-made fighters.

Pakistan’s air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets developed by an AVIC subsidiary.

One of the jets reportedly shot down at least one French-made Rafale fighter jet during the war with India.

"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50°C,” Zhang was quoted as saying.

He described the situation as a “real ordeal” for them, both mentally and physically.

Zhang told CCTV that they were driven by the desire to improve on-site support and ensure their equipment could perform at its full combat potential.

“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he told the interviewer.

A deadly militant attack on tourists in Pahalgam of Indian-administered Kashmir led to the escalations.

The attack on Apr 22 killed 26 people. Pakistan denied any involvement in that.

New Delhi codenamed its retaliatory strikes as “Operation Sindoor”, prompting the Pakistan Army to repeatedly shell Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

In July, the deputy chief of India's army said China gave Islamabad "live inputs" on key Indian positions during the conflict that lasted barely 90 hours, marking their worst fighting in decades.​

 

[Bilal9]

Tughril-class frigate in Pakistan Navy

The Tughril-class frigate is basically an export-customized version of the PLAN’s Type 054A frigate — not a stripped-down “budget” ship, but not fully identical either.

In some respects, especially anti-ship strike and radar configuration, the Pakistani version may actually be more specialized than the standard PLAN 054A.

Core similarities​

Both ships share the same basic hull and combat philosophy:

- ~4,000+ ton multirole frigate​

​

- 32-cell VLS​

​

- medium-range area air defense​

​

- ASW escort role​

​

- helicopter hangar​

​

- stealth-oriented hull shaping​

​

- CODAD propulsion​

Both are fundamentally fleet escorts optimized for:

• 
  
• - convoy protection,
• 
  
• - anti-submarine warfare,
• 
  
• - medium-range air defense, and surface strike.

---

Major differences​

1. Anti-ship missiles: Pakistan may have the heavier punch​

Standard PLAN Type 054A:

• 
  
• - usually carries 8 × YJ-83 anti-ship missiles.

The Pakistani Tughril-class appears configured for:

• 
  
• - CM-302 / CM-401-family high-speed anti-ship missiles,
• 
  
• - potentially supersonic or quasi-hypersonic strike capability.

That is a significant difference.
The YJ-83 is capable but relatively conventional subsonic sea-skimming missile doctrine.
The CM-302-family weapons are much faster and intended to complicate interception.
So in pure anti-ship strike terms:

• 
  
• Tughril may actually be more dangerous than a vanilla PLAN 054A.

---

2. Radar and sensor suite​

The Pakistani ships reportedly use:

• - SR2410C AESA radar, plus,
• 
  
• - Type 517/SUR17B long-range VHF radar.

The standard PLAN Type 054A uses:

• Type 382 radar (Russian Fregat-derived style system).

This is one of the biggest visible differences externally.
Pakistan’s configuration appears tailored toward:

• - longer-range air surveillance,
• 
  
• - possibly better low-observable target detection,
• 
  
• - regional maritime surveillance needs.
• 
  
• Some analysts even noted similarities to radar arrangements seen on newer Chinese destroyers.

---

3. Air defense: broadly similar​

Both retain:

• - 32-cell VLS architecture,
• 
  
• - HQ-16 / LY-80N medium-range SAM family,
• 
  
• - area air defense capability.

This is a huge jump for Pakistan Navy because older Pakistani frigates had much weaker air-defense envelopes.
The Tughrils effectively gave Pakistan:

• - modern fleet-area SAM coverage,
• 
  
• - integrated VLS doctrine,
• 
  
• - layered escort capability.

This was arguably the most strategically important upgrade.

---

4. Automation and combat systems​

Open-source reporting suggests:

• 
  
• - the export version Type 054A/P (PNS Tughril) has some differences in automation and combat management systems,
• 
  
• - likely customized for Pakistani operational doctrine and export restrictions.

Many analysts consider the 054A/P one of China’s most capable naval exports to date.

---

5. ASW capability​

Both PLAN Type 054A and Tughril classes are strong ASW frigates.

Shared features generally include:

• hull sonar,
• 
  
• towed sonar,
• 
  
• ASW torpedoes,
• 
  
• ASW helicopter operations,
• 
  
• rocket launchers,
• 
  
• ASW missiles through VLS.

This is one reason the Type 054 family is so valued:
they are balanced escorts, not just missile trucks.

---

Compared to newer Type 054B​

The newer Type 054B frigate is likely a more substantial leap (larger, dislaces more and is almost as capable as newer Chinese destroyer.

Expected/observed differences include:

• - larger displacement (~5,000–6,000t),
• 
  
• - improved stealth,
• 
  
• - newer integrated mast,
• 
  
• - more advanced sensors,
• 
  
• - possible universal VLS evolution,
• 
  
• - larger more capable aviation facilities,
• 
  
• - improved carrier-group escort capability (only 054B).

The 054B looks less like a “traditional frigate” and more like a compact high-end escort optimized for:

• 
  
• - PLAN blue-water operations,
• 
  
• - carrier groups,
• 
  
• - long-endurance deployments.

Pakistan’s Tughril-class is still fundamentally a 054A derivative, not a 054B-level platform.

---

Overall assessment​

Very roughly:

Ship	Relative capability
Older Talwar / F-22P types	Lower
PLAN Type 054A	Baseline modern escort
Pakistan Tughril (054A/P)	Similar or slightly enhanced in some strike/sensor areas
Indian Shivalik / P17A	Heavier strike emphasis
PLAN Type 054B	More advanced next-gen escort

The key takeaway is:

The Tughril-class is not a “cheap export clone.”

It is a fairly high-end customized export frigate that significantly modernized Pakistan Navy fleet-air-defense and ASW capability.

 

[Saif]

Tughril-class frigate in Pakistan Navy
View attachment 27194

The Tughril-class frigate is basically an export-customized version of the PLAN’s Type 054A frigate — not a stripped-down “budget” ship, but not fully identical either.

In some respects, especially anti-ship strike and radar configuration, the Pakistani version may actually be more specialized than the standard PLAN 054A.

Core similarities​

Both ships share the same basic hull and combat philosophy:

- ~4,000+ ton multirole frigate​

​

- 32-cell VLS​

​

- medium-range area air defense​

​

- ASW escort role​

​

- helicopter hangar​

​

- stealth-oriented hull shaping​

​

- CODAD propulsion​

Both are fundamentally fleet escorts optimized for:

• 
  
• - convoy protection,
• 
  
• - anti-submarine warfare,
• 
  
• - medium-range air defense, and surface strike.

---

Major differences​

1. Anti-ship missiles: Pakistan may have the heavier punch​

Standard PLAN Type 054A:

• 
  
• - usually carries 8 × YJ-83 anti-ship missiles.

The Pakistani Tughril-class appears configured for:

• 
  
• - CM-302 / CM-401-family high-speed anti-ship missiles,
• 
  
• - potentially supersonic or quasi-hypersonic strike capability.

That is a significant difference.
The YJ-83 is capable but relatively conventional subsonic sea-skimming missile doctrine.
The CM-302-family weapons are much faster and intended to complicate interception.
So in pure anti-ship strike terms:

• 
  
• Tughril may actually be more dangerous than a vanilla PLAN 054A.

---

2. Radar and sensor suite​

The Pakistani ships reportedly use:

• - SR2410C AESA radar, plus,
• 
  
• - Type 517/SUR17B long-range VHF radar.

The standard PLAN Type 054A uses:

• Type 382 radar (Russian Fregat-derived style system).

This is one of the biggest visible differences externally.
Pakistan’s configuration appears tailored toward:

• - longer-range air surveillance,
• 
  
• - possibly better low-observable target detection,
• 
  
• - regional maritime surveillance needs.
• 
  
• Some analysts even noted similarities to radar arrangements seen on newer Chinese destroyers.

---

3. Air defense: broadly similar​

Both retain:

• - 32-cell VLS architecture,
• 
  
• - HQ-16 / LY-80N medium-range SAM family,
• 
  
• - area air defense capability.

This is a huge jump for Pakistan Navy because older Pakistani frigates had much weaker air-defense envelopes.
The Tughrils effectively gave Pakistan:

• - modern fleet-area SAM coverage,
• 
  
• - integrated VLS doctrine,
• 
  
• - layered escort capability.

This was arguably the most strategically important upgrade.

---

4. Automation and combat systems​

Open-source reporting suggests:

• 
  
• - the export version Type 054A/P (PNS Tughril) has some differences in automation and combat management systems,
• 
  
• - likely customized for Pakistani operational doctrine and export restrictions.

Many analysts consider the 054A/P one of China’s most capable naval exports to date.

---

5. ASW capability​

Both PLAN Type 054A and Tughril classes are strong ASW frigates.

Shared features generally include:

• hull sonar,
• 
  
• towed sonar,
• 
  
• ASW torpedoes,
• 
  
• ASW helicopter operations,
• 
  
• rocket launchers,
• 
  
• ASW missiles through VLS.

This is one reason the Type 054 family is so valued:
they are balanced escorts, not just missile trucks.

---

Compared to newer Type 054B​

The newer Type 054B frigate is likely a more substantial leap (larger, dislaces more and is almost as capable as newer Chinese destroyer.

Expected/observed differences include:

• - larger displacement (~5,000–6,000t),
• 
  
• - improved stealth,
• 
  
• - newer integrated mast,
• 
  
• - more advanced sensors,
• 
  
• - possible universal VLS evolution,
• 
  
• - larger more capable aviation facilities,
• 
  
• - improved carrier-group escort capability (only 054B).

The 054B looks less like a “traditional frigate” and more like a compact high-end escort optimized for:

• 
  
• - PLAN blue-water operations,
• 
  
• - carrier groups,
• 
  
• - long-endurance deployments.

Pakistan’s Tughril-class is still fundamentally a 054A derivative, not a 054B-level platform.

---

Overall assessment​

Very roughly:

Ship	Relative capability
Older Talwar / F-22P types	Lower
PLAN Type 054A	Baseline modern escort
Pakistan Tughril (054A/P)	Similar or slightly enhanced in some strike/sensor areas
Indian Shivalik / P17A	Heavier strike emphasis
PLAN Type 054B	More advanced next-gen escort

The key takeaway is:

The Tughril-class is not a “cheap export clone.”

It is a fairly high-end customized export frigate that significantly modernized Pakistan Navy fleet-air-defense and ASW capability.

Pakistan navy is moving ahead with their frigate and submarine programs. But Bangladesh navy's indigenous frigate building program has been postponed due to budgetary constraint. Also, Bangladesh navy's plan to procure 6 brand new submarines is stuck due to lack of government funding.