List of active Pakistan Air Force aircraft

Below is a list of aircraft currently in active service with the Pakistan Air Force.

List

Aircraft Manufacturer Image Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total (acquired) Notes
Combat Aircraft
F-16 Fighting Falcon General Dynamics,
Lockheed Martin 		United States Jet Multirole 15 January 1983[1] 75[2] 85[3] F-16A MLU (31)[2]

F-16A ADF (9)[2]
F-16B MLU (23)[2]
F-16B ADF (4)[2]
F-16C Block 52 (12)[2]
F-16D Block 52 (6)[2]

JF-17 Thunder Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC),
Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) 		Pakistan,
China 		Jet Multirole 18 February 2010[4] 156[2] 161[2] JF-17A Block 1 (50)[2]

JF-17A Block 2 (62)[2]
JF-17B Block 2 (26)[5][2]
JF-17C Block 3[6] (23)[2]
Total 300+ aircraft ordered.

J-10 Vigorous Dragon CAC China Jet Multirole 11 March 2022[7] 20[2] 20[2][8] J-10CE. Total 36 aircraft ordered.[8][9]
Mirage III Dassault Aviation France Jet Multirole 1968[10] 49[2]
 135 Mirage IIIB (2)[2]

Mirage IIIOD (7)[2]
Mirage IIIEP (30)[2] Mirage IIIRP (10)[2]

Some upgraded by Project ROSE. All Mirage IIIs being replaced by JF-17s and J-10CEs.[11][12][13]

Mirage 5 Dassault Aviation France Jet Attack 1970 37[2]
 139 Mirage 5PA/5PA2 (25)[2]

Mirage 5PDA/5PDA2 (2)[2]
Mirage 5PA3 (10)[2]

Some upgraded by Project ROSE. All Mirage 5s being replaced by JF-17s and J-10CEs.[13][12]

F-7PG CAC China Jet Interceptor 2002 53 60[14] All F-7PGs being replaced by Block 3 JF-17Cs.[15]
Trainer Aircraft
K-8[16] Hongdu,
PAC 		China,
Pakistan 		Jet Intermediate Jet Trainer 1994 58 60 K-8 (12)

K-8P (48)[16]

Produced under license by PAC, designated as Karakorum-8 (K-8).[17]

T-37 Tweet Cessna United States Jet Basic Jet Trainer 1962 69 73 T-37B/C.[18] Older T-37s to be eventually replaced with K-8Ps.
MFI-17 Mushshak PAC Pakistan,
Sweden 		Turboprop Primary Trainer 1974 145 151 MFI-17 Mushshak (115)

Super Mushshak (30)

Some MFI-17 Mushshaks to be upgraded to Super Mushshak standard.[19]

Strategic Airlift Transporter/Aerial Refueling Aircraft
Il-78 Ilyushin Russia Jet Strategic Airlift Transporter/Aerial Refueler 2009[20] 4[2] 4 Il-78MP. Dual-role aerial refeulers and freighters. Ex-Ukrainian Air Force.[21][22][23][24]
Transport Aircraft
C-130 Hercules Lockheed Martin United States Turboprop Medium transport /Tactical airlift 1963 18[2] 25[25] C-130B (5)[2]

C-130E (9)[2]
C-130H (4)[2]

Seven purchased second-hand from Belgium.[26]

L-100 Hercules Lockheed Martin United States Turboprop Medium transport /Tactical airlift 1[2] 2[25] L-100-20 (1)[2]
Saab 2000 Saab Sweden Turboprop Medium utility 2008 6[2] 6
CN-235 CASA,
Indonesian Aerospace 		Spain,
Indonesia 		Turboprop Medium utility 4[2] 4 CN235M-220 (4)[2]
Y-12 Harbin Aircraft Industry Group China Turboprop Light transport 1993 3[2] 3 Y-12(II) (3)[2]
Super King Air Beechcraft United States Turboprop Light transport 2[2] 2 King Air 350i (2)[2]
208 Caravan Cessna United States Turboprop Light utility 2[2] 2 208B (2)[2]
Citation Excel Cessna United States Turboprop Light utility 2[2] 2 560XL (2)[2]
M600 Piper Aircraft United States Turboprop Light utility 2[2] 2
A319 Airbus France Jet Multirole (Peronnel transport, ISR, HADR, SIGINT/ELINT July 2022 1 1 A319-112[2]
Gulfstream IV Gulfstream Aerospace United States Jet Personnel transport December 2005 2[2] 2 Gulfstream IV-SP (2)[2]
Falcon 20 Dassault Aviation France Jet Personnel transport 1[2] 1 20E (1)[2]
Phenom 100 Embraer Brazil Jet Personnel transport 2009[27] 6[2] 6
Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft
Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C Saab Sweden Turboprop AEW&C 2011 9 10 Saab 2000 equipped with the Saab Erieye AEW&C system.[28][29][30]
Electronic Warfare Aircraft
ZDK-03 Shaanxi China Turboprop EW, ESM, ECM 2011 4 4 Based on Y-8F-600. Reassigned to EW, ESM, ECM role from AEW&C role in 2024.
Global 6000 Bombardier Canada Jet EW, ESM, ECM 2022 1 1 Purchased in 2022 in business jet configuration. Being converted into EW, ESM, ECM Stand-Off Jamming (HAVA-SOJ) platform by Turkey's Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Aselsan in 2025.[31][32][33][34][35]
Falcon DA-20 Dassault Aviation France Jet EW, ESM, ECM 1986 2 2 DA-20F.[2] Modified EW version of the Dassault Falcon 20 business jet.[36]
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles / Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Bayraktar Akıncı Baykar Turkey HALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2023 7 7 [37][38]
Shahpar-II Global Industrial Defence Solutions (GIDS) Pakistan MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2021 Unknown Unknown [39]
Anka Turkish Aerospace Industries,
NESCOM 		Turkey,
Pakistan 		MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2021 Unknown Unknown Contract signed between TAI and NESCOM in August 2021 for local production of Anka UCAVs with technology transfer to Pakistan.[40]
Wing Loong II Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group China MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2021 3 3 47 on order[41]
CH-4 Rainbow China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation China MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2021 12–24 12-24 CH-4A and CH-4B.[42][43]
Burraq NESCOM Pakistan MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2014 13 13 Used jointly with Pakistan Army.[44]
Bayraktar TB2 Baykar Turkey MALE UCAV, UAV Strike, Reconnaissance 2022 Unknown Unknown [45][46][47]
Shahpar GIDS Pakistan UAV Reconnaissance 2012 6 6 [48][49]
Jasoos II SATUMA Pakistan UAV Reconnaissance 2010 46 46 Bravo+.[50]
Falco Selex ES,
PAC 		Italy,
Pakistan 		UAV Reconnaissance 2007 26 26 Produced under license by PAC since 2008 with technology transfer to Pakistan.[51][52]
Helicopters
AW139 AgustaWestland Italy Helicopter SAR, Utility 2018 14 14 AW139M[53][54]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Why does Pakistan Air Force love the F-16?". 11 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2025, p. 289.
  3. ^ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistans-f-16s-to-get-a-450-million-makeover/articleshow/94081082.cms
  4. ^ "First Squadron of JF-17 Thunder inducted in PAF". pk.china-embassy.gov.cn.
  5. ^ "PAC Kamra rolls out final 14 JF-17B fighters for Pakistan Air Force". Janes.com.
  6. ^ "Pakistan Promotes the JF-17C Thunder to Bangladesh". quwa.org.
  7. ^ "Pakistan inducts China-made J-10C fighter jets into PAF". The Hindu. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b Liu Zhen (8 May 2025). "Pakistan claims Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets used against India's air force". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  9. ^ https://www.deccanherald.com/world/pakistan-to-get-16-more-j-10s-fighter-jets-from-china-total-fleet-to-reach-36-pentagon-report-3842775
  10. ^ Pakistan Air Force (8 March 2023). On this day 55 years ago, the first batch of Mirage aircraft was inducted into Pakistan Air Force. YouTube. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  11. ^ "On this day 55 years ago, the first batch of Mirage aircraft was inducted into Pakistan Air Force". YouTube. 8 March 2023.
  12. ^ a b "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Thrifty at 50: Pakistan keeps ageing Mirages flying". 29 April 2018.
  14. ^ "J-7 / F-7 Fighter Aircraft, China". www.airforce-technology.com. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  15. ^ "Pakistan Air Force to replace entire F-7P fleet with JF17 Fighter Jets". 25 January 2019.
  16. ^ a b https://pac.org.pk/k-8
  17. ^ "Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra – Karakoram-8 (K-8) Aircraft". Pac.org.pk. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  18. ^ Govindasamy, Siva (21 August 2008). "Pakistan to receive more T-37 trainers". Flight International. flightglobal.com. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  19. ^ air force | combat aircraft | super lynx | 2004 | 09–2371 | Flight Archive. Flightglobal.com (22 November 2004). Retrieved on 2012-07-01.
  20. ^ Pugliese, David (22 December 2009). "Pakistan's Air Force Receives First Mid-Air Refueling Tanker". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Ukrainian Firm Signs Contract to Repair Pakistani IL-78 Refueling Aircraft". 17 June 2021.
  22. ^ Parsons, Gary (21 December 2009). "Pakistan's Midas touch". Keypublishing. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  23. ^ Pakistan Receiving IL-78 Refueling aircraft. Defenseindustrydaily.com (8 December 2008). Retrieved on 2012-07-01.
  24. ^ PAF to Acquire Ilyushin Il-78 aircraft by 2010 | Aviation & Air Force News at DefenceTalk. Defencetalk.com (11 August 2009). Retrieved on 2012-07-01.
  25. ^ a b https://www.c-130.net/aircraft-database/C-130/mishaps-and-accidents/airforce/PAF/
  26. ^ "C-130 aircraft bought from Belgium inducted into PAF fleet". Dunya News. 11 June 2023.
  27. ^ Sarsfield, Kate (26 March 2009). "Pakistan air force receives first Phenom 100 very light jet". Flightglobal. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  28. ^ "Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C | Saab".
  29. ^ "PAKISTAN'S PUSH TO REPLACE LEGACY AIR PLATFORMS". 24 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  30. ^ "Pakistan Boosts Saab 2000 'Erieye' AEW&C Fleet, Nine Aircraft Currently". 29 January 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. ^ "Turkey's HAVA-SOJ Project: Advanced Airborne Electronic Warfare System - Sanal Savunma". Sanal Savunma. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  32. ^ "Turkiye and Pakistan Cooperate on EW Aircraft | TURDEF". turdef.com. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  33. ^ "Pakistan to Convert a Bombardier Jet into an Electronic Warfare Aircraft - Quwa". quwa.org. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  34. ^ "New Aircraft for Pakistan Air Force". 2 January 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  35. ^ "Aviation Photo #7022381: Bombardier Global 6000 (BD-700-1A10) - Pakistan - Air Force".
  36. ^ "World Air Forces 2024". Flightglobal Insight. 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  37. ^ Şafak, Yeni. "Pakistan's Acquisition of Turkish Drones and India's Options | Product News". International Centre for peace studies. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  38. ^ Riyaz ul Khaliq (25 December 2023). "Pakistan Air Force showcases new fleet of Turkish drones".
  39. ^ "Pakistan's Shahpar II UCAV breaks cover | Shephard".
  40. ^ https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30279/Pakistan_Will_Start_Producing_Components_.html
  41. ^ "China to supply 50 drones to Pakistan for defence purposes". 30 December 2020.
  42. ^ "Pakistan procures CASC Rainbow (CAI HONG) CH-4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)". 29 January 2021.
  43. ^ "Lifting The Veil - Pakistan's Chinese UCAVs". Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  44. ^ Bokhari, Farhan; Hardy, James (12 March 2015). "Pakistan successfully fires missile from indigenous UAV". Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  45. ^ "Post by @webnameseller". Tumblr.
  46. ^ "Pakistan integrating TB2 into air-defence network". Janes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  47. ^ "Pakistan Operationalises Bayraktar TB-2 MALE UCAV for PAF". 10 January 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  48. ^ "IDEX: Explosion of UAVs at Exhibit". Defense News. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  49. ^ "IDEX: Explosion of UAVs at Exhibit | Defense News | defensenews.com". defensenews.com. Retrieved 22 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  50. ^ Tactical Range UAV – Jasoos II (Bravo+) Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Satuma.com.pk. Retrieved on 2012-07-01.
  51. ^ "Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra – Aircraft Manufacturing Factory". Pac.org.pk. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  52. ^ "First Galileo Avionica Falco UAV set for delivery, launch customer remains undisclosed".
  53. ^ Air Forces Monthly, Issue 362, May 2018, page 28
  54. ^ "Pakistan air force updates". quwa.org. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.

Sources

  • The International Institute for Strategic Studies (2025). The Military Balance 2025. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-041-04967-8.
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