Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding with an undisclosed friendly country for the procurement of its JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft at the Dubai Airshow 2025, the military’s media wing announced on Thursday. The Inter-Services Public Relations described the agreement as an important milestone in Pakistan’s expanding defence and industrial partnerships across the international aviation market.
According to the official military statement, the heightened international interest in the JF-17 Thunder reflects growing global confidence in Pakistan’s domestic aviation manufacturing sector. The agreement was concluded during the ongoing aerospace exhibition, where the Pakistan Air Force deployed an official contingent to present its modern aviation equipment to foreign delegations.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, conducted several high-level meetings with military counterparts from partner nations on the sidelines of the event. Among these discussions, the air chief held detailed talks with the United Arab Emirates Undersecretary of Defence, Lieutenant General Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Al-Alawi, and the Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, Major General Rashid Mohammed Al-Shamsi.
The military said the discussions with senior Emirati officials concentrated on broadening bilateral cooperation in advanced training for aircrew and support staff. The commanders also explored avenues for collaboration in emerging aerospace technologies and examined ways to improve practical coordination mechanisms between the two air services.
The leadership of the United Arab Emirates military commended the Pakistan Air Force for its ongoing modernisation programmes and its expanding domestic production capacity. Pakistan’s representation at the Dubai Airshow 2025 included the advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III multirole fighter jet as well as the indigenous Super Mushshak primary flight trainer aircraft.
The ISPR indicated that the operational performance of the JF-17 Thunder Block-III has reinforced its standing as a capable and cost-effective multirole combat platform. The aircraft played an active operational role during Marka-e-Haq, the military response mounted by Pakistan against Indian forces earlier in May.
During that four-day conflict, Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder aircraft used hypersonic missiles to destroy an Indian S-400 air defence system positioned in Adampur. Pakistani forces also shot down several Indian combat aircraft and conducted targeted strikes against more than 20 Indian military installations situated across multiple regions.
The clashes followed cross-border missile strikes carried out by India inside Pakistani territory during the night of May 5 to May 6. While New Delhi had asserted that its initial strikes targeted militant sites following an incident in Pahalgam, Pakistani authorities stated that the unlawful attacks killed several civilians and security personnel, prompting reciprocal military retaliation.