Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to get boost from $686 million US defence package
The $686 million defence package
approved this week by US President Donald Trump’s administration is expected to
significantly modernise Pakistan’s ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets, enabling
them to operate securely and efficiently alongside contemporary air forces,
defence analysts and officials say.
Central to the upgrade is an
extension of the aircraft’s service life by at least 15 years. The package
strengthens secure communications, enables real-time tactical data sharing,
enhances mission planning and testing capabilities, and ensures sustained
maintenance through a comprehensive supply of parts, training, and technical
support.
A substantial portion of the deal is
dedicated to spare parts, maintenance, engineering assistance, and logistics
services, including replacement and repair components, technical documentation,
and on-site support. Training programmes for pilots and maintenance crews—along
with simulators and updated technical manuals—are also included to maintain
operational proficiency as systems evolve.
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to provide $686m technology upgrade for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets
Analysts say the upgrades will make Pakistan’s F-16s fully networked, interoperable, and operationally viable well into 2040.
The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) has
described the package as “a continuation of a long-standing relationship,”
noting the perceived need to sustain Pakistan’s F-16 fleet for regional
stability, despite India’s concerns over their potential use.
ICG analyst Praveen Donthi told Al
Jazeera that continued support for Pakistan’s F-16s remains a core element
of US-Pakistan relations, reflecting policy continuity from the Biden
administration to the current Trump administration. He added that the inclusion
of advanced technologies and new avionics is intended to keep the aircraft
combat-ready through 2040—a move New Delhi views as enhancing Pakistan’s
offensive capabilities.
According to defence intelligence
firm Janes, the addition of Link-16
data-link technology to Pakistan Air Force F-16s would allow the aircraft to
access networked information from command centres and ground units,
significantly improving situational awareness and combat effectiveness.
Washington-based South Asia analyst
Michael Kugelman has noted that while the optics of the deal could suggest
leverage in broader US-India trade and defence negotiations, the package “has a
logic of its own,” rooted in decades-long US support for Pakistan’s American-made
aircraft.
Figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI) place the deal in a wider strategic context. A report released earlier
this year showed that more than 80 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports between
2020 and 2024 came from China, underlining Islamabad’s growing reliance on
Beijing for major defence platforms. Chinese-built J-10 fighter jets featured
prominently in the May conflict, reflecting Pakistan’s efforts to diversify its
air power and reduce dependence on the United States.
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to provide advanced AMRAAM missiles to Pakistan
In a letter to Congress dated December 8, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by allowing Pakistan to retain interoperability with US and partner forces, particularly in counterterrorism operations and future contingencies.
The DSCA said the upgrades would
modernise and refurbish Pakistan’s Block-52 and Mid-Life Upgrade F-16 fleet,
enabling closer integration and interoperability with the US Air Force in
combat operations, exercises, and training. The refurbishment, it added, would
extend the aircraft’s service life through 2040 while addressing critical
flight-safety issues.
The agency also said Pakistan has
demonstrated its ability to absorb the technology and services involved, and
stressed that the proposed sale would not alter the basic military balance in
the region.
Source: Dawn