After Operation Sindoor, Pakistan plans to buy AIM-120D missile, nemesis’ of fighter jets, from US, Trump likely to…, is this threat for India?

Pakistan Air Force Chief Sidhu aims to modernize the country’s aging F-16 fleet, and reports suggest he has discussed this matter with U.S. officials.

Washington/Islamabad: In a major development, Pakistan Air Force Chief, Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, visited the United States on July 2. Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu met Chief of the US Air Force as well as several senior American military officials during his visit. It is important to note that this was the first visit to the U.S. by a senior Pakistan Air Force official in the past 10 years.

According to reports, the purpose of these meetings with top officials at the Pentagon, US State Department, and US Congress in Washington, D.C., was to push for equipping Pakistan’s F-16 fleet with the advanced AIM-120D missiles. It is believed that Sidhu’s visit is not just an effort to rejuvenate Pakistan-U.S. defense ties, but also an attempt by Pakistan to acquire deadly missiles from the U.S. that could be used against India.

To recall, India carried out precision strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan during ‘Operation Sindoor’. In this context, Pakistan too wants a missile system capable of highly accurate targeting. A report by the Bulgarian Military website claims that during the conflict with India, several critical weaknesses in Pakistan’s defense capabilities were exposed, which it is now scrambling to address.

Key features AIM-120D Missile:

• The AIM-120D missile is America’s most advanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile
• The AIM-120D missile has a range of over 180 kilometers.
• The missiles are equipped with GPS, dual data-link, and jamming-resistant technology.
• The American AIM-120D missile can strike targets at much longer ranges
• The missile is capable of receiving real-time instructions during combat, allowing it to evade enemy radar effectively.

Currently, Pakistan possesses the AIM-120C-5 missiles, which were acquired in 2006 and have a range of around 100 km. These are no match for India’s Rafale-Meteor combination. In this context, Pakistan Air Force Chief Sidhu aims to modernize the country’s aging F-16 fleet, and reports suggest he has discussed this matter with US officials.

Will the US sell AIM-120D to terror state Pakistan?

The Shehbaz Sharif government is planning to equip its approximately 18 F-16 Block 52 jets with the AIM-120D missile, replacing the older AIM-120C-5 missiles acquired in 2006.During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan was unable to counter India’s lethal offensive, and its dependence on Chinese-made PL-15E missiles—launched from J-10CE fighter jets—proved to be ineffective. According to the Bulgarian Military website, India’s attack on Pakistan exposed the shortcomings of Chinese weapons. Now, the question arises: Will the US provide AIM-120D missiles to Pakistan?

Experts are of the opinion that the chances of the US selling the AIM-120D to Pakistan are low. But if it does happen, it could severely impact US-India relations. Still, it can’t be said with certainty that the US won’t proceed—America may act in its own geo-political interests.

Recent developments suggest a thaw in US-Pakistan relations. In January 2025, the Trump administration allocated USD 397 million for the maintenance of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. Additionally, visits to Washington by Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and later the Chief of Air Staff indicate America’s renewed interest in engaging with Pakistan.