Islamabad, October 7, 2025: The United States has approved the sale of advanced air-to-air missiles to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), signaling a revival in military cooperation between Islamabad and Washington.
According to official documents released by Washington, the deal will see Pakistan receive the AIM-120D-3 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) — the latest and most sophisticated variant in the series — by 2030.
The $2.5 billion contract, awarded to U.S. defense manufacturer Raytheon Company, covers the production of AMRAAMs for several allied nations, including Pakistan, Türkiye, and other U.S. partners, the U.S. Department of War (formerly Defense) confirmed.
The AIM-120D-3 missile is the newest generation of the AMRAAM family, designed for beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat. It is capable of neutralizing both enemy aircraft and incoming missiles with enhanced accuracy, data-link capabilities, and extended range.
Defense experts say the acquisition will significantly boost the strike capability and air defense strength of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. The new missiles will replace the AIM-120C-5 models currently in service, which were supplied with Pakistan’s F-16 Block 52 aircraft in 2010.
“The AIM-120D-3 will give the Pakistan Air Force a distinct edge in precision and range during BVR engagements,” defense analysts said, terming the development a major step in the PAF’s modernization drive.
Reports suggest that Pakistan had long sought next-generation AMRAAMs as part of its efforts to upgrade its air defense systems amid regional advancements. The breakthrough reportedly came after a series of high-level meetings in Washington in July, when PAF Chief Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held talks with senior U.S. military and political officials.
Additionally, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met U.S. President Donald Trump and top defense leaders in recent months — signaling renewed strategic and defense dialogue between the two countries.
Earlier today, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistan’s defense development strategy prioritizes effective, efficient platforms and the advancement of indigenous technologies.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan remains open to acquiring advanced defense technologies from both Eastern and Western sources, while continuing to strengthen its domestic defense production.
“Our military development strategy has always been to incorporate effective and efficient platforms and promote domestic Pakistani technology,” he said. “Pakistan is ready to acquire all kinds of technology — whether self-developed or sourced from the East or West.”
Defense observers view the missile deal as a symbol of revived U.S.-Pakistan defense engagement, which had slowed in recent years but now appears to be entering a phase of pragmatic cooperation.
