Pakistan Deploys JF-17 Squadron to Protect Afghan Border Amid Complaints of U.S. Airspace Violations

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has deployed a new squadron of its indigenous JF-17 Thunder light fighters near the country's Afghan border. The fighters are stationed at Pakistan’s Samungli Base near Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. The JF-17 was co developed with China as a fourth generation platform able to deploy some of the world's most sophisticated Chinese made munitions, and is today produced in large numbers with the country seeking to induct several hundred into service for its Air Force to replace older French and U.S. built fighters.

The deployment of new JF-17 fighters has come amid growing Pakistani complaints regarding U.S. violations of the country's airspace and unauthorised military strikes on its territory. Considering the fighters' armament of sophisticated air to air missiles, such as the PL-12, which could well prove lethal against U.S. attack drones which frequently enter the country's territory, the deployment could well be seen as a potent signal to the United States that Pakistan is more than ever willing and able to defend its airspace, amid growing tensions between the two.

New JF-17 fighters are to form the Number 28 Multirole Squadron. The Air Force's Chief of Staff said regarding the deployment: "We totally understand the kind of conspiracies the enemies of Pakistan continue to hatch, but our resolve is very firm and response very clear." He went on to note that the JF-17 squadron's role would be to "providing day and night aerial defence of the country, especially along the western borders of Pakistan." The squadron will be capable of reconnaissance, ground attack and, perhaps most importantly given their assigned role, aerial interception. In December 2017 Pakistan's military leadership "ordered PAF to shoot down drones, including those of the U.S., if they enter our airspace, violating the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Deployment of a heavily armed fighter squadron to the border will allow the Air Force to carry out this task and could well stem the tide of incursions made by U.S. reconnaissance and attack drones. The announcement of the deployment coincided with warnings from Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif regarding the ill intentions of the United States and its Western allies towards his country.