In the midst of Pakistan’s recent tensions with India, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) revealed a number of key details about its capabilities.
Details on new ground-based air defence systems (GBAD), new-generation munitions for the JF-17 Block-III, and the evolving composition and growing role of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet underscore a multi-pronged strategy.
The PAF’s strategy appears focused on developing a more layered air defence network, enhancing the combat effectiveness of its fighter fleet, and leveraging unmanned systems for increasingly complex roles, such as long-range strikes.
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It marks a continued shift away from a primary reliance on fighter aircraft for air defence towards a much more balanced approach where GBAD credibly contributes to territorial airspace denial, not solely point defence or the low-altitude protection of high-value assets.
It is worth noting that Pakistan’s NESCOM is also developing a comparable SAM called ‘LoMADS’ (short for Low-to-Medium-Range Air Defence System).
The LoMADS is to have a stated range of 100 km, and, in the future, the PAF may acquire it to further densify its coverage in the sub-100 km-range.
JF-17 Block-III Gains PL-15E and PL-10E
The PAF released a photo of a JF-17C Block-III armed with four PL-15E long-range air-to-air missiles (LRAAM) and two PL-10E within-visual-range air-to-air missile (WVR AAM)
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