The debate over new F-16s for the Pakistan Air Force is back. But is it the right conversation to be having?

In this episode of Defence Uncut, we argue that the future of Pakistan's air dominance doesn't lie in more imported fighters, but in a bold and strategic pivot to a sovereign Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program.

We explore how the realities of modern aerial warfare, coupled with Pakistan's existing industrial strengths, make UCAVs a more accessible, scalable, and economically viable path to securing the nation's airspace. We also lay out a roadmap for how to organize the domestic defence industry - from NESCOM to NASTP to the private sector - to make this ambitious vision a reality.

Tune in to understand why the next generation of the PAF might be piloted by AI.

The ambition was immense: a homegrown 5th-generation fighter for the Pakistan Air Force. But the flagship program, Project AZM, has effectively failed, leaving critical questions about the future of Pakistan’s aerospace industry. Why was a project with so much national prestige doomed from the start?

This episode of Defence Uncut provides a brutally honest post-mortem on Project AZM, revealing how a fundamental misunderstanding of industrial capacity and a failure to join international partners like Turkey on the KAAN fighter led to a historic missed opportunity. We analyze how this impacts the celebrated JF-17 fleet and why the new Project PFX may not be the answer.

We argue that the true, realistic path forward for Pakistan's defence industry is not to chase the manned fighter dream. Instead, it must pivot to mastering Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs)—a domain where Pakistan has a genuine foundation and can build a scalable, powerful, and deterrent force for the 21st century.

After the trauma of the 1971 war, Pakistan's leadership came to a stark conclusion: international alliances were useless. To guarantee their survival, they would have to build the ultimate deterrent themselves.

The solution was a secret two-pronged strategy: one well-known uranium program to create a deterrent on paper, and a second, more advanced plutonium program to secure absolute capability. This is the story of how Pakistan built its bomb, debunking the myths of foreign reliance and revealing a doctrine of calculated self-sufficiency.

We uncover the full history—from the first reactors to today's miniaturized warheads.

The Pakistan Navy is undergoing a quiet revolution, transforming from a neglected force into a formidable power.

From new Chinese frigates and advanced AIP submarines to secretive indigenous programs for hypersonic missiles and next-generation warships, the "silent service" is making major moves.

In this episode of Defence Uncut, we pull back the curtain on the Pakistan Navy's ambitious modernization.

Plus, we unpack Pakistan's new $9 billion defence budget and analyze Turkey's landmark $10 billion MoU with Indonesia for the 5th-gen KAAN fighter. Is the deal solid?

🔥 For the full, in-depth analysis and exclusive reports that fuel this discussion, you NEED to visit Quwa.org. Don't miss out on the intelligence shaping global defence. ➡️ Read More & Get Exclusive Reports: https://quwa.org

On 06 June 2025, the Government of Pakistan had announced that it received a major arms offer from China consisting of the J-35 stealth fighter, HQ-19 theatre air defence system, and the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system.

The announcement was posted on the social media platform X, but was deleted on 11 June, indicating that it may have been an unintended revelation.

In any case, the announcement, for the most part, was not surprising.

Pakistan expressed its interest and plans to induct the J-35 as far back as 2024, and an accompanying KJ-500 AEW&C acquisition could make sense.

It would allow the PAF to leverage concepts like Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) out of the box rather than delay its adoption by solely waiting for an original integration solution.

Arguably, the most surprising piece of the announcement was the inclusion of the HQ-19 – i.e., China’s theater air defence system.

Following the recent Indo-Pak conflict, which saw established paradigms tested and new threats emerge, one capability, in particular, underscored a critical vulnerability for Pakistan: India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile (SSCM).

As we detailed in our previous episode, Pakistan’s air defence system did not stop the BrahMos SSCM at limited scale, even though India likely expelled some of its oldest missile stocks with an older-generation seeker and electronics stack.

If India were to use its newer missiles at large-scale the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) ability to mount any form of air power would, in all likelihood, be rapidly deprecated.

In this second episode of Defence Uncut, we delve deeper into the specific threat posed by the BrahMos. This missile system, a joint Indo-Russian venture that increasingly reflects India's expanding indigenous defence R&D and production base, is not a static threat.

It is an evolving capability with significant implications for regional security dynamics and Pakistan's defensive strategy.

In the inaugural episode of Defence Uncut by Quwa, Bilal Khan, Arslan Khan, and Aseem ul-Islam take a high level look at the recent conflict between Pakistan and India from May 7 to May 10 2025.

During those first crucial hours of May 7th, it appeared that the PAF had successfully built upon its strong showing in 2019. However, over the next 72 hours, India regrouped and brought a fight that the PAF – and the Pakistani military at large – was not prepared to fight.

For additional insights and context, see our article on Quwa:

https://quwa.org/pakistan-defence-news/2025-india-pakistan-conflict-high-level-notes/