(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Fragments of advanced Indian missile systems used during Operation Sindoor—namely the supersonic BrahMos, MBDA-developed SCALP-EG, and Israeli-made Harop drones—are now reportedly being scrutinised by foreign weapons experts in what analysts are calling an unprecedented surge in battlefield technical exploitation.
Defence sources in the region suggest that these missile remnants, recovered from Pakistani territory following Indian airstrikes, have become prime material for technical intelligence (TECHINT) gathering by adversarial states, especially China.
“Fragments from BrahMos, SCALP-EG and Israeli Harop kamikaze drones represent a technical intelligence treasure trove, as they offer clues into the operational performance and system design of these advanced weapons,” said a U.S.-based defence and geopolitical analyst.
“Weapons experts from several nations, most notably China—which remains Pakistan’s primary defence partner—are particularly eager to extract information from these remnants, especially since Beijing manufactures systems that compete directly with the BrahMos and SCALP-EG,” the analyst added.
The interest reflects growing international concern over the strategic and tactical use of next-generation cruise missiles in regional conflicts, and how their vulnerabilities could be reverse-engineered to inform countermeasure development.
The Indo-Russian BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile capable of flying at speeds up to Mach 3 and striking targets on land and sea with pinpoint accuracy from multiple platforms including fighters, warships, and mobile ground launchers.
SCALP-EG, also known as Storm Shadow in British service, is a stealthy, terrain-following, subsonic cruise missile developed by European defence giant MBDA for deep-penetration missions against hardened targets.
Reports indicate that following India’s launch of BrahMos missiles against key Pakistani military installations on May 10, at least one missile was intercepted and destroyed by Pakistan’s air defence systems over Jacobabad, preventing a strike on PAF’s strategically important Shahbaz Air Base.
The missile’s wreckage, scattered across several locations, included identifiable components such as a seeker believed to be of Russian origin—highlighting the hybrid nature of India’s current BrahMos configuration ahead of planned indigenisation.
Images circulating on social media show infrastructure damage to Shahbaz Air Base, but confirm that no aircraft or critical PAF systems were destroyed in the attempted strike.
The same day, Pakistani officials also linked missile fragments discovered near the Bhawalpur mosque—targeted around May 6 or 7—to a BrahMos missile attack, which reportedly caused civilian casualties and sparked widespread condemnation.
Strategically located in Sindh province near Pakistan’s border with India and Afghanistan, Shahbaz Air Base hosts the Pakistan Air Force’s fleet of F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters acquired from the United States and plays a vital role in Pakistan’s air defence posture and nuclear deterrence matrix.
In a separate incident, Pakistan’s air defences also reportedly neutralised an incoming SCALP-EG missile aimed at PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha—one of the most critical strategic airfields in the Pakistani military’s order of battle.
PAF Base Mushaf, situated in Punjab province, serves as the headquarters of the Air Force Central Command and hosts elite combat training units as well as strategic air assets, including squadrons of JF-17 Thunder fighters jointly developed with China.
Among the units stationed there are the No. 16 “Black Panthers” and No. 26 “Black Spiders,” which represent the operational backbone of Pakistan’s multi-role air combat capability in the north-central sector.
According to regional observers, the BrahMos and SCALP-EG strikes are believed to have been launched from Indian Air Force Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighters, with SCALP-EG’s precision-strike capability underscoring India’s growing deep-strike doctrine.
The incidents also raise critical questions about the effectiveness and readiness of Pakistan’s Chinese-origin air defence systems, some of which may include HQ-9/P variants and LY-80 systems—designed to intercept medium- and long-range threats.
Western analysts now believe that the interception of these missiles by Pakistani defences has created an unexpected opportunity for both allies and adversaries to study the debris, especially with components remaining largely intact due to mid-air intercepts rather than terminal detonation.
Understanding SCALP-EG: Deep Strike Weapon with Strategic Implications
SCALP-EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général) is a low-observable, long-range cruise missile designed for high-precision strikes on strategic assets deep inside hostile territory.
Developed by MBDA, the missile is known for its ability to evade detection via low-altitude, terrain-hugging flight and is equipped with a multi-mode navigation system integrating GPS, INS, terrain reference, and infrared imaging (IIR) guidance.
The SCALP-EG carries a BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge) warhead—a two-stage tandem warhead that first penetrates hardened targets and then detonates internally, maximising structural and personnel damage.
It is designed to neutralise high-value, hardened assets such as bunkers, command centres, air defence facilities, and ballistic missile launch sites—making it a first-night weapon of choice in any high-intensity air campaign.
The missile’s programmable flight path allows it to execute complex waypoint manoeuvres, enabling approaches from unexpected vectors while avoiding radar and SAM networks—key attributes for survivability in contested airspace.
BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile: India’s Strategic Strike Spearhead
The BrahMos cruise missile, jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is the fastest operational cruise missile in the world, flying at sustained speeds of Mach 2.8–3.0.
Initially restricted to a 290 km range due to MTCR limitations, newer variants such as BrahMos-ER have reportedly extended that range beyond 450 km, with tests underway for a 1,000 km variant.
Guided by a combination of INS, satellite navigation, and active radar homing during the terminal phase, BrahMos offers unparalleled precision against both static and mobile targets across land and sea.
Its ability to be launched from Su-30MKI fighter jets, Indian Navy warships, and ground-based launchers makes it a versatile and survivable strike option in India’s evolving tri-service doctrine.
BrahMos represents a key component of India’s “shock and awe” capability—delivering kinetic effects on high-value targets while reducing exposure of manned platforms to enemy air defences.
Strategic Implications: Battlefield Debris and the Future of Missile Counterintelligence
The recovery of missile debris in live combat zones presents a rare intelligence windfall, providing rival nations with insights into the material composition, software architecture, and terminal guidance systems of highly advanced weapons.
China, in particular, is expected to analyse the BrahMos and SCALP-EG fragments closely as it continues to expand its own cruise missile portfolio and refine countermeasures to such systems—especially in anticipation of future South Asian or Indo-Pacific conflicts.
For Pakistan, the successful interception of these missiles signals a maturing integrated air defence network—likely composed of both Chinese and indigenous platforms—capable of blunting deep-strike attempts even from India’s most advanced missile carriers.
As regional missile races accelerate and deep-strike doctrines evolve, the technical intelligence gathered from debris on Pakistani soil may well influence the trajectory of future arms developments from Beijing to Ankara to Tel Aviv.
In an era of rising missile saturation threats and AI-guided strike systems, every intercepted fragment may hold the key to winning—or surviving—the next war.
— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA