As part of its showcase for the special event commemorating the 14th of August, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) showcased what appeared to be a drone or loitering munition called the “Al-Murtajiz.”
US policies in 2016-2017 prompted Pakistani defence planners to largely shut American – and many European – vendors out of the Pakistani defence market.
The short-to-medium-range air defence layer is now an urgent, acknowledged gap for both the Army and the Air Force.
The high-profile debut of the JF-17C Block-3 at the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) served as a key signal of Pakistan’s continued commitment to its flagship fighter program.
The PAF has cultivated a sophisticated “system of systems” approach to warfare, where the value of an individual asset is measured by its contribution to the integrated whole.
In the race to develop a next-generation Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV), the focus is often on the stealthy airframe. But the platform’s true effectiveness – and its greatest vulnerability – lies in a component that is frequently overlooked: its tactical data-link.
On 06 June 2025, the Government of Pakistan had announced that it received a major arms offer from China consisting of the J-35 stealth fighter, HQ-19 theatre air defence system, and the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system.
The announcement…
On 06 June, the Government of Pakistan announced (on the platform X) that China proposed an arms package consisting of 40 Shenyang J-35 next-generation fighter aircraft (NGFA), the HQ-19 theatre air defence system, and the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control system…
Following the recent Indo-Pak conflict, which saw established paradigms tested and new threats emerge, one capability, in particular, underscored a critical vulnerability for Pakistan: India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile (SSCM).
As we detailed in our previous episode, Pakistan’s air defence system did…
The recent conflict with India initially unfolded along the lines Pakistan expected: Following the Balakot incident and Operation Swift Retort in 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had prepared for a large-scale Indian Air Force (IAF) strike at stand-off range.
Equipped…