Somalia Reportedly Advances Talks To Acquire JF-17 Fighter Jets From Pakistan

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somalia is reportedly pursuing the acquisition of up to 24 JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets from Pakistan as part of an ambitious effort to rebuild its air force, although neither government has publicly confirmed the details of a final procurement agreement.

Defence reports published this year have put the potential package at around $900 million and said negotiations have focused on the JF-17 Block III, the latest version of the Pakistan-China jointly developed multirole combat aircraft.

The reported negotiations gained momentum following engagements between Somali and Pakistani defence officials, including a visit to Islamabad by a Somali Air Force delegation.

Some reports subsequently claimed in April that an agreement for 24 aircraft had been finalised. However, the Somali and Pakistani governments have not publicly released details of a contract confirming the reported number of aircraft, cost, delivery schedule or financing arrangements.

Pakistan has separately acknowledged growing international interest in the JF-17.

In January, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that discussions with different countries over the aircraft were taking place but said announcements would be made once individual agreements were finalised.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also said several countries were actively engaged in negotiations over Pakistani fighter aircraft, while Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj confirmed talks with multiple potential buyers.

Reports on the Somali negotiations say the proposed package would extend beyond the aircraft themselves and could include pilot and ground-crew training, maintenance, technical support and other systems needed to establish an operational combat aviation capability.

If completed on the scale reported, the acquisition would represent a major step in rebuilding the Somali Air Force, which has lacked a significant operational fighter fleet since the collapse of the central government in 1991.

The development would also mark a new phase in Somalia’s broader effort to rebuild its national security institutions as Somali forces assume greater responsibility for the country’s security.

The JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight multirole combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China. The Block III incorporates an active electronically scanned array, or AESA, radar, upgraded avionics and electronic warfare systems and can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

Pakistan has been seeking to expand exports of the aircraft. Reuters reported in January that Islamabad had held defence sales discussions with 13 countries, with six to eight negotiations at an advanced stage. The discussions involved JF-17 aircraft as well as trainers, drones and other weapons systems.

The reported Somali procurement would nevertheless represent a significant undertaking for a country rebuilding an air force after more than three decades without a modern fighter capability. Beyond purchasing aircraft, establishing such a force would require trained pilots and technicians, maintenance infrastructure, weapons systems and sustained logistical and financial support.

For Somalia, the reported negotiations therefore potentially signal more than the acquisition of new aircraft. They point to an effort to restore a national air-combat capability and strengthen the state’s ability to control and protect its airspace.