A French naval commander has confirmed that Indian Rafale fighter jets were shot down during the May 2025 air combat with Pakistan, attributing the outcome to Pakistan’s superior handling of the battle rather than the technological capabilities of Chinese J-10C fighters.
Captain Jacques Launay, commander of the Naval Air Base at Landivisiau, told delegates at an Indo-Pacific conference that the Pakistan Air Force was “much better prepared” during the engagement, which involved over 140 fighter jets on both sides on the night of May 6-7, 2025.
“It was very easy to hit an aircraft because a large number of targets were available to both sides. Pakistan handled that complicated situation better than its adversary,” he said.
Addressing Rafale radar performance, Captain Launay said the failures were operational, not technical. “There was nothing wrong with the war machine, but the machine was not used properly,” he noted, adding that Rafales remain capable of competing with Chinese J-10C fighters.
The revelation came during a briefing at his base to 55 delegates from 32 countries, organized by France’s Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defence (IHEDN).
When Indian delegates questioned the claims, Captain Launay continued his analysis without interruption.
Captain Launay also disclosed that India plans to acquire nuclear-capable naval Rafales for aircraft carrier operations, with pilots expected to train at his Landivisiau base, which houses over 40 Rafales armed with nuclear missiles.
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