Here’s why Pakistan was unable to stop the missiles launched by India—a mix of technical, tactical, and strategic limitations.

1. Limitations of Air-Defense Against Air-to-Ground Missiles

• According to former Pakistan Air Force officials, while their air-defense architecture is capable of intercepting ground‑launched cruise and ballistic missiles, it lacks systems designed specifically for air-to-ground missile threats, especially fast-moving ones (Fukatsoft).
• These missiles, fired from aircraft, travel at hypersonic speeds (Mach 3–9)—reducing detection and response time drastically. Even global powers like the U.S., Russia, and China face challenges intercepting such fast weapons (Fukatsoft).

2. Electronic Warfare and Radar Disruption

• Analysis of Operation Sindoor indicates that India employed advanced electronic warfare tactics—including decoys and radar jamming—which effectively blinded Pakistan’s HQ-9 and LY-80 defense systems. This rendered them unable to detect or counter incoming missiles in time (OpIndia).

3. Structural and Geographical Constraints

• The shared, densely populated border—just a few meters wide in places—limits reaction time. Experts note that intercepting missiles before they enter Pakistani airspace in such proximity is practically impossible, regardless of system sophistication (Fukatsoft).
• It would require enormous financial investment to sufficiently blanket the 2,500 km-long eastern frontier with effective air-defense coverage—and even then, interceptions wouldn’t be guaranteed (Fukatsoft).

4. Holes in Defense Strategy and Equipment Reliability

• During Operation Sindoor—a series of surprise strikes—No Pakistani missile was intercepted; the air-defense grid remained unresponsive even as strikes hit intended targets (Business Today, OpIndia).
• The destruction of Pakistan’s AWACS platform further exposed surveillance gaps, undermining real-time detection and response (The Economic Times).
• Observers also highlight system vulnerabilities in Chinese-supplied air defense hardware, questioning their combat reliability under pressure (The Economic Times, Financial Times).

🧭 Bottom Line

Pakistan’s inability to stop the strikes reflects a combination of technical limitations, strategic design gaps, and tactical surprise, rather than isolated equipment failure.

Let me know if you’d like a deeper dive into radar systems, EW tactics, or defense upgrades underway.

Here’s what’s happening with the Z-10ME, Pakistan Army’s new Chinese-made attack helicopter—sometimes dubbed Pakistan’s answer to India’s Apache—and how it stacks up:

What’s New with Pakistan’s Z-10ME?

• Official induction: On August 2, 2025, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir presided over the induction of the Z-10ME into the Pakistan Army, marking a strategic step in modernizing its aviation assets (Dawn).
• Advanced features: The export-oriented Z-10ME is adapted for high-altitude, all-weather combat. It boasts powerful WZ-9G engines (~1,200 kW), infrared-suppressed exhaust, millimeter-wave radar, a 30 mm chain gun, six hardpoints, and compatibility with missiles (e.g., AKD-10, CM‑502KG), loitering munitions, drones, and even torpedo systems in some configurations (EURASIAN TIMES, Army Recognition, Peak Point, Suno News, thekhybermail.com, Indian Defence News, AInvest).
• Strategic shift: With deals like the T‑129 failing due to export restrictions and limited access to Western suppliers, the Z-10ME marks Pakistan’s pivot toward China, aligning with a broader procurement trend from Beijing that now accounts for about 82% of imported military hardware (Army Recognition, Defence Security Asia, AInvest).
• Regional impact: Analysts report that the Z-10ME could effectively plug the gap left by its aging AH‑1F Cobras and help balance India’s Apache advantage, especially in rugged border terrains along the LoC (Defence Security Asia, Indian Defence News, EURASIAN TIMES).

Z-10ME vs. Apache – How Do They Compare?

• While the Apache remains a more mature and combat-proven system, the Z-10ME offers a competitively affordable, modern, and terrain-optimized solution tailored to Pakistan’s strategic environment.

Final Thoughts

The induction of the Z‑10ME reflects a significant evolution in Pakistan’s aerial warfare posture. By shifting towards a domestically streamlined Chinese ecosystem—from tanks to air defense and now rotary-wing aviation—Pakistan is better positioned for integrated battlefield operations, especially in high-altitude, contested environments.

Though the Apache still holds technological and combat-proven advantages, the Z‑10ME narrows the gap in capability at lower cost, while aligning with Pakistan’s long-term strategic alliances.

Let me know if you’d like to explore how this addition might shape future engagements along the LoC or influence helicopter modernization strategies in the region.