NK MONITORING DESK
BRUSSELS: A senior French naval officer has said that Pakistan’s air defence was responsible for the loss of Indian Rafale jets during the May 2025 confrontation, attributing the setbacks to pilot performance rather than aircraft shortcomings.
Captain Jacques Launay, who heads the French Naval Air Base at Landivisiau, made the remarks while speaking at an international Indo-Pacific security forum. His comments add to earlier acknowledgments from the United States—including statements from President Donald Trump and members of Congress—regarding the incident.
Launay, a veteran with more than two decades of experience flying Rafale jets on missions across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, told participants that the Rafale platform itself was not at fault. Instead, he said the Indian pilots operating the aircraft were unable to fully utilize the jet’s capabilities during the conflict.
The Landivisiau air base houses France’s carrier-capable Rafale fleet, which includes aircraft equipped to deploy over 40 nuclear-capable missiles. Drawing on this background, Launay praised the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), saying its air defence units responded with “high efficiency” during the encounter.
According to him, the Rafales were not brought down because of any superiority of Chinese-made aircraft on Pakistan’s side, but due to Pakistan’s well-coordinated defensive strategy and operational planning. He described the engagement as a “highly complex” aerial battle involving more than 140 fighter jets, where Pakistan outperformed its adversary.
Responding to questions about the reported radar issues on the Indian Rafales during the clash, Launay stressed that the aircraft’s systems were not to blame. He insisted the Rafale remains capable of defeating Chinese jets in a direct fight, provided its systems are correctly employed.
Launay also disclosed that New Delhi is now exploring the purchase of the naval variant of the Rafale—aircraft capable of operating from aircraft carriers and also configured to carry nuclear missiles, a capability currently exclusive to France’s naval fleet.
Military analysts say the Pakistan-India aerial confrontation has drawn worldwide attention, offering deeper insight into modern air warfare, pilot performance, and the real-world behavior of advanced fighter jets and missile systems.
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/indian-tejas-fighter-jet-crashes-during-display-at-dubai-airshow/
