A recent photo of a JF-17 Block-III prototype (3001) equipped with the PL-10 high-off-boresight (HOBS) air-to-air missile (AAM) shows that weapons integration is underway.
Having appointed its next Chief of Air Staff – Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu – the PAF will be looking ahead to several key programs in the 2020s.
The reveal of the Shahpar-2 and specifications of PAC’s larger UAV show that Pakistan is intent on developing a domestic drone industry.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) recently revealed a wide range of updates on its projects, including its next-generation fighter aircraft (NGFA) program under Project AZM
Note: This article is a partial re-write of an older Quwa Premium piece – “Pakistan’s Mirages: Specialists Enduring Out of Necessity.” However, the latter half of this article delves into how the PAF used the Mirage III/5 during Swift Retort as well…
In 2019, the PAF Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mujahid Anwar Khan, revealed that the PAF was acquiring 26 JF-17Bs to serve as conversion aircraft to the JF-17 platform.[1] The PAF is reportedly moving towards raising a dedicated…
On 30 December 2020, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) rolled out 14 twin-seat JF-17B fighters for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). PAC also showed glimpses of its drone and export projects.
The PAF repeatedly signalled an interest for an off-the-shelf fighter to complement its current fleet until a next-generation fighter becomes available.
Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 has drawn attention for its effectiveness against armoured vehicles and air defence systems in Syria and Libya. Should Pakistan adopt a similar drone-use strategy as Turkey?
Turkey’s reliance on Western suppliers for critical inputs (such as engines and electronics) may help drive the development of the TFX, but at the cost of limiting exportability.