Tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan has increased once again. In recent times, Pakistan has carried out frequent air strikes inside the Afghan border, in which many innocent civilians have died. The Taliban government neither has an air force nor an air defense system, that is why Pakistan is attacking with its fighter planes whenever and wherever it wants. The question arises that how much air power does Pakistan have and which aircraft are the backbone of its military power? Let us know the full strength of Pakistan Air Force.

Chengdu J-10 is a modern single-engine multirole fighter aircraft developed by China. It has been named Vigorous Dragon. Its delta wing and canard design gives it greater speed and maneuverability. This aircraft can fly up to a maximum speed of Mach 1.8. That means it is almost twice as fast as the speed of sound. The J-10 is developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and is specifically designed for air supremacy and ground attacks. Pakistan has recently purchased these aircraft from China and currently 20 J-10 fighter jets are active in Pakistan Air Force (PAF). This jet has the ability to provide some balance to Pakistan compared to India’s Rafale aircraft.

JF-17 Thunder is the backbone of Pakistan Air Force

Talking about the power of Pakistani Air Force, the most important name is JF-17 Thunder. It is a fourth-generation light, single-engine multirole fighter jet, jointly developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and Pakistan’s Aeronautical Complex (PAC). The JF-17 is said to be an example of cheap, but deadly technology. This aircraft is equally capable of air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-ship missions. Pakistan has started assembling it in its domestic industry and so far 156 of its aircraft are in active service.

Block-III, the modern version of JF-17, has added AESA radar, electronic warfare system and modern missile capability, making it at par with any modern fighter aircraft.

F-16 Fighting Falcon, Pakistan’s American weapon

F-16 Fighting Falcon is one of the most reliable aircraft of Pakistan Air Force. It is a supersonic multirole fighter jet made by American company Lockheed Martin. It was originally designed as an air superiority fighter, renowned for its accuracy and speed in dogfights. The F-16 has a maximum speed of more than Mach 2 and is equipped with modern weapons such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. More than 4,600 F-16s have been built worldwide since 1976. Pakistan currently has 75 active F-16 aircraft, which are its first line force in any possible war or border conflict.

Mirage III The vintage glow of French technology

The Mirage III is one of the oldest, but very reliable, aircraft that Pakistan has. It was developed by the famous French company Dassault Aviation. It is a single-engine supersonic fighter jet, which was the main military force of Pakistan in the 1960s and 70s. At one time Pakistan had 145 Mirage III, but now their number has come down to 49. Although this aircraft is old, Pakistan is still modifying it to use it in surveillance and attack missions under the Mirage ROSE project.

Mirage 5 bomber dragon made for attack

The Mirage 5 is an improved version of the Mirage III, also built by Dassault Aviation. The aircraft was developed specifically for ground-attack missions and featured greater fuel capacity and improved radar systems. Pakistan has upgraded Mirage 5 aircraft several times and they are still used in its old missions. Currently 37 Mirage 5 jets are active in the Pakistani Air Force. These are mainly used for bombing and night attacks.

Chengdu J-7 Classic Warrior

Chengdu J-7 is a Chinese fighter aircraft, which is based on the MiG-21 model of the Soviet Union. It is light, fast and designed for short-range aerial combat. J-7 is equipped with infrared homing air-to-air missiles, which makes it lethal in limited ranges. Although it is technically old, Pakistan still uses it in limited missions. Currently Pakistani Air Force has 53 J-7 aircraft.

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Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have recently signed a strategic mutual defense agreement. Under this, if any one country is attacked, it will be considered an attack on both countries. This agreement is reached when tension has increased in the Gulf region. India has reacted to the agreement and said that it will study its regional and global influences deeply.

Speaking on this defense deal, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Asif has said that if there is a war between India and Pakistan, then Saudi Arabia will also be involved in this war. In such a situation, let us know which country’s Air Force is stronger. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia fighter jets stand in front of India’s Rafael and Sukhoi.

According to the Global Firepower Report 2025, India ranks fourth. India is the fourth largest military power in the world after America, Russia and China. Pakistan is ranked 12th and Saudi Arabia is 24th. It is clear that India is among the global top 5 military forces, while Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are far behind it.

India’s Air Force Capacity

India has a total of 514 fighter aircraft. It includes Sukhoi-30 MKI, Rafael, MiG-29, Mirage-20,000 and Tejas (LCA) as the major fighter jet. The number of special mission aircraft is 74. India recently showed the capacity of Rafale aircraft in Operation Sindoor. The pair of Rafael and Sukhoi-30 MKI proves to be heavy on the Airforce of both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan’s Air Force Capacity

Pakistan has a total of 328 fighter jets. The main aircraft are JF-17 Thunder (146), F-16 Fighting Falcon (75), Mirage III and Mirage 5 (87), as well as F-7PG and J-10 met from China. Pakistan is fine in number, but the lack of technology and modern equipment leads it back from India.

Saudi Arabia’s Air Force Capacity

Saudi Arabia has 283 fighter jets. The main fighter jet is Boeing F-15e Strike Eagle, Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon (72) and F-15C. Sudi Arabia’s Air Force is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and has strong defense relations with Western countries. However, in number, it lags behind both India and Pakistan.

Who is the most powerful?

India clearly holds the strongest Air Force compared to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan is ahead of Saudi Arabia in number, but is behind in technology. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is technically ahead of Pakistan due to modern jets, despite being behind. Although the two countries have fourth generation fighter jets, India has an advanced fighter jet Rafael of 4.5th generation, in front of which JF-17 of Pakistan does not stay anywhere.

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India Pakistan tension: Pakistan is preparing to increase its strength soon. He is going to get J-35A jet from China. It is China’s 5th generation stealth fighter jet. Pakistan is trying to increase strength from it. Its supply can start soon by China. According to reports, some pilots of Pakistan Air Force are also taking training in this aircraft. Important steps can be taken by China amidst India-Pakistan tension.

Pakistan can get PL-17 Air to Air Missile along with J-35A aircraft. It will be deployed on the aircraft itself. Along with the aircraft, the missile deal has also been signed. PL-17 has a range of about 400 km. India had caused deep damage to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Pakistan had to be badly insulted. After Operation Sindoor, Pakistan will get such a big weapon for the first time.

When will Pakistan get aircraft

Pakistan has signed a 40 fighter aircraft deal with China. China got an order for this in December 2024, but delivery has not been done yet. China can hand over fighter aircraft to Pakistan between August 2025 and January 2026. However, the official information about this has not been revealed yet.

What is quality in J-35A

J-35A is also known as Sheenang J-35A. It has been developed by Sheenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC). The stealth technique of this aircraft reduces radar cross-section. It has the ability to avoid radar. Talking about its speed, it flies at a speed of Mac 2.0.