US Remains Silent on Pakistan F-16 Losses During 2025 Operation Sindoor Conflict
The United States has declined to verify reports about the loss of F-16 fighter jets by the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor, a brief conflict between India and Pakistan that occurred from May 7 to May 10, 2025.
Responding to these claims, the US State Department indicated to NDTV, "We refer you to the Government of Pakistan to discuss its F-16s."
Sources within the defense sector reveal that the US closely monitors Pakistan’s F-16 fleet through Technical Support Teams (TSTs), which consist of American contractors stationed in Pakistan at all times. These teams ensure compliance with end-use agreements, overseeing the deployment and upkeep of the US-manufactured jets.
India Claims F-16 Losses in Combat and Ground Strikes
Indian defense authorities assert that Pakistan suffered the loss of several F-16s during the hostilities, either through Indian Air Force strikes on the ground or during aerial combat.
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh identified Shahbaz Jacobabad Airfield, where Pakistan houses its F-16s, as a key target during the conflict.
"One half of the hangar is gone, and I’m sure there were some aircraft inside that got damaged," he stated.
The Indian Air Force also targeted the following locations:
| 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.
Pakistan Rejects Claims
Pakistan has firmly rejected these Indian assertions. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has called for an independent inspection of aircraft inventories as a means to verify the claims.
"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 stated.
US Maintains Silence on Specific Losses
The US stance mirrors its position from 2019 when officials refuted claims of missing Pakistani F-16s after the Balakot air strikes. At that time, Foreign Policy magazine cited two senior US defense officials confirming that all of Pakistan’s F-16s were accounted for.
Following a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by NDTV, the US Department of Defence reiterated that FOIA does not obligate agencies to create new documents or respond to hypothetical queries.
