The Trump administration has formally notified the US Congress of a USD 686 million plan to modernise Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet, setting off a mandatory 30-day review period that is expected to draw congressional scrutiny and quiet but firm attention from India. The proposed upgrade package, detailed in a December 8 letter from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), represents one of the most substantial US defence commitments to Pakistan in recent years.
According to the notification, the modernisation effort will equip Pakistan’s Block-52 and Mid-Life Upgrade F-16s with a wide array of new technologies. The package includes 92 Link-16 tactical data link systems—a secure, jam-resistant battlefield communication network used by US and allied militaries—along with enhanced avionics, updated mission-planning tools, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, cryptographic gear, simulators, training modules, and extensive spare-parts and logistical support. The sale also includes six Mk-82 inert 500-pound bombs meant for integration and testing.
While only USD 37 million of the total cost accounts for Major Defence Equipment (MDE), the remaining USD 649 million covers software upgrades, engineering support, contractor assistance, and the long-term sustainment infrastructure required to keep the fleet operational through 2040. Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas, has been designated as the principal contractor for the programme.
The administration’s justification emphasised that the overhaul is necessary to maintain Pakistan’s ability to operate safely, enhance mission readiness, and ensure interoperability with US and partner forces—particularly in counterterrorism contexts where Pakistan continues to be a strategic, if complicated, ally. The US also stressed that it does not plan to deploy additional American personnel to Pakistan as part of the upgrade. We underscored that the sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” a formulation clearly aimed at easing longstanding concerns in New Delhi.
Despite these assurances, the notification comes at a politically sensitive moment. Arms transfers to Pakistan have routinely drawn bipartisan scepticism in Congress, with lawmakers questioning Islamabad’s reliability as a security partner. The review period will therefore be closely monitored, even though similar sales in recent years have generally progressed without major resistance.
For India, which continues to monitor Pakistan’s F-16 fleet due to its role in past air engagements, the upgrade package is significant. The proposed enhancements would not only extend the fleet’s operational life by at least 15 years but also substantially improve its network-centric warfare capabilities through systems like Link-16. As a result, defence and diplomatic observers expect India to evaluate the sale’s implications carefully as the US Congress weighs its decision over the coming month.
