WASHINGTON: The United States has cleared a $686 million military upgrade package for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter aircraft fleet after the proposal completed the required congressional notification process without objection, according to official documents.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved Pakistan’s request for the Foreign Military Sale (FMS), which includes hardware and software upgrades as well as sustainment and refurbishment services. Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-16 aircraft, has been designated as the principal contractor for the programme.
The sale was processed under authorities provided by the Arms Export Control Act and annual US appropriations laws. Under these provisions, the executive branch may proceed with arms sales once Congress is formally notified and does not raise objections within a mandatory review period. In this case, Congress was notified and did not move to block the transaction within the stipulated 30 days, allowing the sale to proceed in accordance with US law.
Published on a congressional website last week, the notification states that the upgrade package is intended to extend the operational life of Pakistan’s Block-52 and midlife-upgrade F-16 aircraft through 2040. The programme also aims to maintain interoperability between the Pakistan Air Force and US and partner forces.
Of the total value, $37 million has been allocated to major defence equipment, while the remaining $649 million will cover sustainment, modernisation and refurbishment services. The package includes 92 Link-16 tactical data-link systems and six inert Mk-82 500-pound bomb bodies for integration and testing purposes.
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Additional elements comprise avionics upgrades, secure communication and navigation systems, cryptographic devices, mission-planning tools, and various software and hardware modifications. Training systems, munitions testing and reprogramming equipment, along with associated spare parts, are also part of the proposed sale. Some sensitive components, including Mode-5 identification friend-or-foe systems and related equipment, are classified.
Pakistan first submitted its request for F-16 upgrades during 2021–22. Although the DSCA supported the proposal, it was not advanced at the time. A notification was issued in December 2024 but did not result in further action. A fresh notification was sent to Congress in December 2025, after which the statutory review period concluded without objection.
The sale was processed under existing authorities provided by the Arms Export Control Act and annual appropriations laws.https://t.co/IWJcoyUOwm
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 23, 2025
In its official statement, the DSCA said the sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening cooperation with Pakistan, particularly in counterterrorism efforts. It added that the upgrades would address flight-safety issues and enhance interoperability during joint operations, exercises and training.
The agency noted that the sale would not alter the regional military balance and would not require the deployment of additional US personnel to Pakistan.
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