(By Khalid Masood) Can an unstoppable air force turn a global airshow into a stage for world-class dominance? On 19 July 2025, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) ignited a global sensation at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in Fairford, UK, with its JF-17 Thunder Block-III clinching the “Spirit of the Meet Trophy” for its…
(By Khalid Masood) On a rain-swept 17th July morning at RAF Fairford, the thunderous roar of a delta-canard fighter shattered the English gloom. As the JF-17 Thunder, bearing serial number 22-111, streaked across the Cotswolds with afterburners ablaze, it wasn’t merely performing aerial acrobatics—it was declaring something far greater: Pakistan had arrived—not just as a…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction Pakistan’s pursuit of military modernization is a cornerstone of its strategy to ensure maritime security, CPEC security, and regional deterrence, particularly in the context of asymmetric warfare and tensions with India. Central to this effort is the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAAC), which relies on attack helicopters for anti-tank warfare,…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction The Red Sea Crisis, escalating since October 2023, has spotlighted the Houthi movement’s drone swarm tactics as a transformative force in asymmetric warfare. By deploying Houthi drone attacks against commercial and naval vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for $1 trillion in annual global supply chains, the…
(By Khalid Masood) In a bold move to deepen defence ties, Russia has proposed supplying India with its fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57E stealth fighter and the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in a Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) configuration, announced in early July 2025. This offer, presented by Russia’s state-owned Rostec and Sukhoi, aligns with…
(By Khalid Masood) In the rugged terrain of Kashmir on 11 May 2025, a Bayraktar TB2 drone, cruising at 18,000 feet, pinpointed four Indian Bofors howitzers targeting Pakistani positions. Within minutes, laser-guided MAM-L munitions delivered surgical strikes, neutralising the threat. Simultaneously, a Wing Loong II, orbiting at 30,000 feet, streamed real-time imagery to the Air…
(By Khalid Masood) In an era where regional conflicts can rapidly escalate into global crises, the 2025 Iran-Israel conflict stands out as a stark reminder of modern warfare’s evolving nature. The brief but intense clash—marked by missile barrages, drone strikes, and covert operations—has fundamentally reshaped strategic thinking within military and diplomatic circles. Triggered by escalating…
(By Khalid Masood) In June 2025, at the NATO summit in The Hague, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the procurement of 12 x F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, capable of carrying B61-12 nuclear bombs, marking a significant strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture. This move, supporting 20,000 UK jobs, underscores the F-35A’s role in…
(By Khalid Masood) In June 2025, Chinese scientists unveiled a groundbreaking 6G-powered electronic warfare system, a technological leap that has sent shockwaves through global defence circles. Capable of jamming the radars of advanced stealth fighters like the US F-35 and generating over 3,600 false targets, this system, developed by Professor Deng Lei’s team at Huazhong…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction Modern warfare is no longer fought solely on the battlefield with tanks, guns, and boots on the ground. Today, war is also waged in cyberspace, through autonomous drones, deepfake propaganda, and intelligent systems that make decisions faster than any human general could. At the heart of this transformation is Artificial Intelligence…
