Reports surfaced that Islamabad may have used its F-16 fighter jets during the raid on Thursday, May 8, after india effectively repulsed Pakistan's strikes throughout Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Unverified reports even suggested that a pilot had been apprehended after at least one Pakistani plane was brought down. This has raised concerns over whether pakistan is even permitted to employ its F-16 force against India.
What controls Pakistan's use of F-16s?
The united states, which supplies Pakistan's fleet with F-16s, has imposed stringent restrictions on the aircraft's use. The united states Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program was used to sell these fighter jets. An End-Use Monitoring (EUM) agreement is attached to each such transaction, which means pakistan cannot use or alter the jets without permission.
As part of initiatives like Golden Sentry and Blue Lantern, US teams are also stationed in pakistan to make sure that American technology is not abused. These crews keep a 24-hour eye on the jet and weapon deployments.
What are the official rules?
Unless specifically authorized by Washington, pakistan is prohibited from utilizing F-16s or US-made weapons, such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, in conventional warfare under these accords.
The planes are not to be employed in direct state-to-state combat, but exclusively for counterterrorism missions, usually in Pakistan's western tribal areas.
There is a strong understanding that F-16s are not intended to be used against india in warlike scenarios, even though US documents do not directly name India.
What happened in 2019?
Questions have been made about this before. US officials accused pakistan of violating its F-16 agreement during the 2019 Balakot airstrikes. A U.S. letter of censure written in august 2019 to PAF Chief ACM Mujahid Khan warned Islamabad that it risked "jeopardizing [our] shared security" by relocating F-16s to unapproved locations, according to media sources in december 2019 (citing stolen documents). The rare public censure in that letter demonstrated how seriously Washington takes any abuse of these jets.
What happens if pakistan breaks the rules?
The united states may halt assistance or cancel agreements if pakistan abuses the F-16s once more. Such a move would impact Pakistan's fleet's operational preparedness because the jets need regular maintenance and parts from American vendors.
Additionally, there has been increasing congressional pressure in Washington for more stringent supervision. As a result, pakistan finds it more difficult to defend the use of F-16s in a situation similar to the ongoing war with India.
What's the US position now?
Although the US government has stated its expectations, it has not officially prohibited pakistan from employing F-16s against India. Even in 2022, the US defended its continued F-16 support for pakistan by referring to it as a "counterterrorism partner" rather than a combatant in traditional conflicts. Fighting insurgents is still the major priority.
What is the number of F-16s in Pakistan?
The majority of Pakistan's air Force's 75–80 F-16s are operational as of 2025, however, the united states continues to strictly monitor their use.
What controls Pakistan's use of F-16s?
The united states, which supplies Pakistan's fleet with F-16s, has imposed stringent restrictions on the aircraft's use. The united states Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program was used to sell these fighter jets. An End-Use Monitoring (EUM) agreement is attached to each such transaction, which means pakistan cannot use or alter the jets without permission.
As part of initiatives like Golden Sentry and Blue Lantern, US teams are also stationed in pakistan to make sure that American technology is not abused. These crews keep a 24-hour eye on the jet and weapon deployments.
What are the official rules?
Unless specifically authorized by Washington, pakistan is prohibited from utilizing F-16s or US-made weapons, such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, in conventional warfare under these accords.
The planes are not to be employed in direct state-to-state combat, but exclusively for counterterrorism missions, usually in Pakistan's western tribal areas.
There is a strong understanding that F-16s are not intended to be used against india in warlike scenarios, even though US documents do not directly name India.
What happened in 2019?
Questions have been made about this before. US officials accused pakistan of violating its F-16 agreement during the 2019 Balakot airstrikes. A U.S. letter of censure written in august 2019 to PAF Chief ACM Mujahid Khan warned Islamabad that it risked "jeopardizing [our] shared security" by relocating F-16s to unapproved locations, according to media sources in december 2019 (citing stolen documents). The rare public censure in that letter demonstrated how seriously Washington takes any abuse of these jets.
What happens if pakistan breaks the rules?
The united states may halt assistance or cancel agreements if pakistan abuses the F-16s once more. Such a move would impact Pakistan's fleet's operational preparedness because the jets need regular maintenance and parts from American vendors.
Additionally, there has been increasing congressional pressure in Washington for more stringent supervision. As a result, pakistan finds it more difficult to defend the use of F-16s in a situation similar to the ongoing war with India.
What's the US position now?
Although the US government has stated its expectations, it has not officially prohibited pakistan from employing F-16s against India. Even in 2022, the US defended its continued F-16 support for pakistan by referring to it as a "counterterrorism partner" rather than a combatant in traditional conflicts. Fighting insurgents is still the major priority.
What is the number of F-16s in Pakistan?
The majority of Pakistan's air Force's 75–80 F-16s are operational as of 2025, however, the united states continues to strictly monitor their use.
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