Pakistan Air Force (PAF) • Pakistan Faza'ia Air Force

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE (PAF)

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE (PAF) • Pakistan Faza'ia
Air Force 70,000 personnel. Modernization Strategy: Prioritizing indigenous production via the JF-17 program, increasing high-end Chinese platforms (J-10C), and expanding ISR/AEW&C capabilities.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
Tactical Air Command

• AIRCRAFT 452 combat capable. Total approx. 850+ Aircraft.

Fighter & Fighter Ground Attack with 452 Ftr/FGA ac:

• 126 Chengdu/PAC JF-17 Thunder (Block I/II/III) (32 additional on order).
• 90 Dassault Mirage 5 (5EF/F/PA).
• 72 Chengdu F-7/PG Airguard.
• 69 Dassault Mirage III (IIIEP/OF/RP).
• 44 Lockheed Martin F-16A/C Fighting Falcon.
• 20 Chengdu J-10C Firebird (5 additional on order).
• (Note: J-10C fleet was successfully utilized in a cross-border clash in May 2025).

Special Mission (AEW&C / EW) with 13 ac:

• 7 Saab 2000 Erieye (Airborne Early Warning).
• 4 Shaanxi ZDK-03 (Y-8) (Airborne Early Warning).
• 2 Dassault Falcon 20F (Electronic Warfare/ELINT).

Tanker with 4 ac:

• 4 Ilyushin Il-78 Midas.

Transport with 43 ac:

• 23 Lockheed Martin C-130B/E/H/L-100 Hercules.
• 6 Saab 2000.
• 3 CASA CN235.
• 2 Harbin Y-12.
• 1 Airbus A319.
• (Note: VIP transport assets include Gulfstream IV-SP, Global 6000, and Phenom 100).

Training with 332 Trg ac:

• 119 PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak.
• 37 AVIC K-8 Karakorum.
• 31 Lockheed Martin F-16B/D (OCU role).
• 27 Cessna T-37 Tweet.
• 25 Chengdu/PAC JF-17B Thunder (Twin-seat trainer).
• 21 Chengdu FT-7.
• 18 Dassault Mirage IIIBE/D/DP.
• 9 Shenyang FT-6.
• 8 Aerospatiale SA316 Alouette III.
• 2 Dassault Mirage 5DPA2.

• HELICOPTERs with 33 hel:

• 12 AgustaWestland AW139.
• 10 Aerospatiale SA316 Alouette III.
• 6 Mil Mi-171.
• 4 Bell 205.
• 1 Bell 412.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (CISR)

• Akinci (Heavy CISR - 1 active).
• Wing Loong I/II.
• CH-3 (Burraq) / CH-4.
• Bayraktar TB2 (3+ active).
• Falco (ISR - Medium).

Air Defence

• SAM (Long-range): HQ-9/P (reporting suggests some systems active).
• SAM (Medium-range): 6 HQ-2 (CH-SA-1).
• SAM (Short-range): 144 Crotale; ε40 SPADA 2000.
• SAM (Point-defence): Anza-II; FN-6; 9K310 Igla-1.

Armament

• Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM): AIM-9L/P Sidewinder, AIM-120C AMRAAM, PL-5, PL-10, PL-12, PL-15.
• Air-to-Surface Missiles (ASM): AGM-65 Maverick, Raptor II.
• Anti-Ship Missiles (AShM): AM39 Exocet, C-802.
• Land-Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM): Ra'ad (Nuclear capable).
• Bombs: Paveway II (Laser-guided); FT-6 REK (INS/SAT-guided).

Note: By 2026, the PAF has significantly reduced its reliance on Western platforms for front-line roles, with the JF-17 and J-10C forming the new backbone of its tactical fleet. Pakistan is also in talks to join the Turkish Kaan fifth-generation fighter program to further diversify its future procurement. Aviation wings are also maintained by the Pakistan Army (primarily attack helicopters like AH-1F and T129) and the Pakistan Navy (MPA assets including P-3C and ATR 72).