Pakistan’s dependence on US-supplied F-16 fighter jets shaken by maintenance crisis, phase-out likely

The F-16s, long seen as central to PAF’s air power, rely on Pratt & Whitney’s F100 engines – specifically the F100-PW-200 and the F100-PW-229

Pakistan may be forced to gradually retire its fleet of US-supplied F-16 fighter jets, which were at one point of time regarded as the pride of its Air Force.

With mounting problems plaguing its F-16 aircraft, the country may soon be soon be left with no choice but to ground the entire fleet.

According to a report by News18, Pakistan’s Air Force (PAF) is encountering a major operational strain due to constant engine reliability issues affecting its aging F-16 fleet.

The F-16s, long seen as central to PAF’s air power, rely on Pratt & Whitney’s F100 engines – specifically the F100-PW-200 and the F100-PW-229. In the past three years, a significant number of these engines have been deemed unserviceable, largely due to persistent technical problems, deterioration from extended use, and a critical spare parts shortage, the News18 report added.

Adding to the crisis is the United States’ stringent export restrictions on the sale and supply of OEM spare parts.

Delayed or suspended payments to the US Foreign Military Sales programme – driven by Pakistan’s recent financial troubles -- have stalled the delivery of essential engine components and maintenance kits. This poses a major blow to the nation’s air defence readiness.

Pakistan’s F-16 troubles are rooted not only in the aircrafts’ age and deterioration but also in the stringent conditions imposed by the US -- which closely monitors their use and heavily regulates the provision of replacement parts.

As per the latest US-Pakistan agreement, the F-16s are closely monitored by American authorities, allowed to fly only from approved bases and restricted in how they can be used, the News18 report said.

Earlier this year, Trump released $397 million to Pakistan to sustain the F-16 fighter jet fleet for counter-terrorism operations and ensure they are not used against India, according to a Reuters report.

The operational impact is significant with many F-16 airframes consistently out of service due to pending repairs or parts shortages, hampering both routine patrols and rapid crisis response.

To fill the gap, the PAF is increasingly relying on the JF-17 Thunder, a fighter jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Yet the aircraft -- powered by Russian RD-93 engines -- faces maintenance and parts shortages due to ongoing sanctions, and suffers from reported technical drawbacks, limiting its effectiveness as a full replacement, the News18 report added.

Pakistan claims to have used JF-17 in the recent conflict with India, which began after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack claimed 26 lives. Jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), the JF-17 is a single-engine multi-role combat aircraft.

Pakistan now finds itself in a strategically vulnerable position – caught between obsolete systems, limited spare parts access and a mix of financial and geopolitical challenges.