The United States has refused to confirm whether the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) lost any F-16 fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, the 88-hour conflict between India and Pakistan from May 7 to May 10, 2025.
In a statement to NDTV, the US State Department said, “We refer you to the Government of Pakistan to discuss its F-16s.”
According to defence sources, the US maintains constant oversight of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet through Technical Support Teams (TSTs), American contractors stationed in Pakistan around the clock. These teams operate under strict end-use agreements between Islamabad and Washington, monitoring how the US-built jets are deployed and maintained.
India Claims F-16 Losses in Combat and Ground Strikes
Indian defence officials now believe Pakistan lost several F-16s during the conflict, either destroyed on the ground by Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes or shot down in aerial engagements.
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh revealed that Shahbaz Jacobabad Airfield — home to Pakistan’s F-16 hangars — was among the primary targets.
“One half of the hangar is gone, and I’m sure there were some aircraft inside that got damaged,” he said.
The IAF also targeted:
- Sukkur UAV hangar
- Bholari AEW&C hangar
- Jacobabad F-16 hangar
The Air Chief further claimed that IAF forces achieved six confirmed aerial kills — five fighter jets and one larger aircraft believed to be either an ELINT or AEW&C platform.
The Air Chief further claimed that IAF forces achieved six confirmed aerial kills — five fighter jets and one larger aircraft believed to be either an ELINT or AEW&C platform.
Pakistan Rejects Claims
Islamabad has strongly denied the Indian claims, with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif challenging New Delhi to allow an independent verification of aircraft inventories.
“If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraft inventories… though we suspect this would expose the reality India seeks to obscure,” he said.
US Maintains Silence on Specific Losses
This latest US refusal echoes its earlier stance in 2019, when officials denied any missing PAF F-16s after the Balakot air strikes. At that time, Foreign Policy magazine quoted two senior US defence officials saying that none of Pakistan’s F-16s were unaccounted for.
In response to NDTV’s recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the US Department of Defence reiterated that FOIA does not compel agencies to create new documents or answer speculative questions.
