SOURCE: AFI
In a significant development, a Pakistani delegation has been actively lobbying the United States administration to secure advanced American radar and air defense systems. This push comes in the wake of a series of devastating precision strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on May 8-10, 2025, which targeted 12 Pakistani air bases and nearly 30 military installations across the country, exposing vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s air defense capabilities. The strikes, part of India’s Operation Sindoor, have prompted Pakistan to urgently seek technological upgrades to counter India’s growing aerial dominance.
The IAF’s Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, demonstrated India’s advanced military capabilities. The operation saw precision strikes on key Pakistani Air Force (PAF) bases, including Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Rafiqui (Shorkot), Murid (Chakwal), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Sargodha, Jacobabad, Bholari, Skardu, Pasrur, and Sialkot.
These strikes inflicted significant damage, with satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies revealing large craters in runways, destroyed hangars, and crippled radar installations. According to Indian sources, nearly 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure was destroyed, including F-16 and JF-17 fighter jets, a Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft, and critical air defense systems. Over 50 Pakistani personnel, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf, were reported killed in the strike on Bholari Airbase alone.
The IAF’s ability to penetrate Pakistan’s air defenses, particularly those equipped with Chinese-supplied systems like the HQ-9/P and FD-2000, highlighted significant gaps in Pakistan’s multilayered air defense architecture. Indian forces reportedly jammed and bypassed these systems, completing their mission in just 23 minutes using loitering munitions, Harpy drones, and precision-guided weapons like SCALP and HAMMER. The operation exposed the limitations of Pakistan’s reliance on Chinese technology, prompting a reevaluation of its defense strategy.
In response to these setbacks, posts on X indicate that a Pakistani delegation is now in the United States, urgently requesting advanced radar and air defense systems to bolster its defenses against India’s sophisticated air capabilities. The delegation is reportedly seeking American systems like the Patriot missile defense system or upgrades to existing F-16 fleets to close the technological gap with the IAF, which operates advanced platforms like Rafale jets, indigenous Tejas fighters, and the Russian S-400 system.
Social media sentiment, as reflected in X posts, suggests Pakistan’s leadership is shaken by the IAF’s ability to strike deep within its territory with pinpoint accuracy. One post claimed a Pakistani delegate admitted, “We would have been reduced to rubble,” underscoring the perceived failure of Chinese air defense systems like the HQ-9/P. While these posts are inconclusive without official confirmation, they align with Pakistan’s historical efforts to secure U.S. military aid, particularly after facing sanctions in the 1990s that pushed it closer to China.
Pakistan’s appeal to the U.S. comes at a time of heightened tensions in South Asia. The IAF’s strikes not only targeted air bases but also terrorist camps linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, signaling India’s zero-tolerance policy toward cross-border terrorism. Pakistan’s retaliatory attempts, including drone and missile attacks on Indian military installations, were largely neutralized by India’s Integrated Counter UAS Grid and S-400 systems, further highlighting the disparity in capabilities.
The U.S., which initially adopted a hands-off approach during the May 2025 conflict, intervened to broker a ceasefire as the situation escalated. Washington’s concerns about a potential nuclear escalation likely motivated this shift. However, providing Pakistan with advanced systems like the Patriot or enhanced radar technology could complicate U.S.-India relations, given India’s strategic partnership with the U.S. and its reliance on American platforms like the Apache helicopter and C-130J transport aircraft.
Moreover, Pakistan’s growing dependence on Chinese systems, such as the HQ-9/P (range: up to 260 km) and FD-2000 (range: up to 125 km), has been a cornerstone of its air defense modernization since the 1980s. The failure of these systems to counter India’s strikes may push Pakistan to diversify its suppliers, but U.S. export controls and geopolitical considerations could limit the scope of any deal.
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