Rawalpindi, February 11, 2026: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) successfully executed Exercise Golden Eagle in the Southern Air Command’s area of responsibility, aimed at testing combat readiness and operational agility through the coordinated deployment of its full combat capabilities.
The exercise was conducted on a Two-Force construct, emphasizing AI-enabled, net-centric operations while integrating indigenous niche, disruptive, and smart technologies in line with evolving regional security dynamics.
Operating within a robust Integrated Air Defence System, friendly forces shaped the battlespace by fusing kinetic operations with cyber, space, and Electro-Magnetic Spectrum operations. The kinetic phase featured First-Shoot, First-Kill swing-role combat aircraft equipped with long-range beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles, extended-range stand-off weapons, and precision strike capabilities, supported by Airborne Early Warning & Control platforms and Air-to-Air Refuellers.
A key highlight of the exercise was Manned–Unmanned Teaming, with deep-reach killer drones and loitering munitions operating in a highly contested, congested, and degraded environment, demonstrating PAF’s capability to conduct high-tempo operations in modern warfare. The exercise was executed under unified command and control from the Next-Generation All-Domain Command & Control Centre at Air Headquarters, Islamabad.
The successful conduct of Exercise Golden Eagle reaffirms the Pakistan Air Force’s commitment to maintaining a high state of operational preparedness, leveraging indigenous innovation, and effectively countering emerging and future security challenges.
