In what would undoubtedly constitute a significant leap in capabilities for the institution, it has emerged that Pakistan may have finalized the sale of new JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to the Libyan National Army (LNA), in an agreement that would require an investment of more than US$4 billion. The news was disclosed this week by four Pakistani officials to international media outlets, even though Libya remains subject to United Nations arms embargoes that would limit such a potential transaction. The officials nonetheless highlighted both the substantial value of the deal and the positioning of the platform with a new international customer.
Expanding on the details, the sources indicated that the agreement was allegedly concluded last week, specifically following a meeting attended by Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and the commander-in-chief of the LNA, Saddam Khalifa Haftar. Although all officials involved spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, they confirmed that the meeting took place in the city of Benghazi, located in the eastern part of the North African country, neighboring Egypt and Algeria, among others.
Reports published by Reuters further claim to have accessed a copy of the final agreement, which reportedly stipulates that the Libyan National Army would acquire a fleet of 16 JF-17 fighter jets of Sino-Pakistani design. In addition, and as a necessary preliminary step to facilitate the training of Libyan pilots, up to 12 Super Mushak basic training aircraft would also be provided.
However, as the agreement has not yet been officially confirmed, the four officials differed regarding the specific figures involved, as well as the total amount to be invested by Tripoli. While some confirmed the quantities mentioned above, others limited themselves to stating that the contract did indeed cover both platforms, without confirming whether the figures disclosed were accurate. From a financial perspective, some sources cited a value of US$4 billion, while others placed it closer to US$4.6 billion. For its part, the Libyan side stated through official channels that it had “managed to launch a new phase of strategic cooperation with Pakistan,” without providing further details.
Regardless, and returning to the issue mentioned at the outset, it remains unclear how Islamabad would manage to circumvent the arms embargo imposed on Libya since 2011, or obtain the necessary authorization from the United Nations to proceed legally. In this regard, it is important to recall that while such restrictions remain in force, their effective enforcement has not necessarily been consistent—something acknowledged in reports submitted to the UN itself. According to one of the officials, Pakistan delivering the aircraft would not pose a problem, while another noted that the Libyan government has made efforts to improve relations with Western countries in order to ease the burden of sanctions.
Pending further clarification, it is worth highlighting that Pakistan has also recently succeeded in consolidating the JF-17 as the future fighter aircraft of the Azerbaijani Air Force, which was seeking a replacement for its aging Soviet-era MiG-29 fighters. As reported in mid-November, the first units have already been delivered, a fact confirmed during celebrations marking the so-called Victory in the Patriotic War fought between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2020. In addition, Pakistan promoted the fighter to potential customers during this year’s Dubai Air Show, where Pakistani representatives stated that they had held several meetings with interested authorities, including Libyan delegations.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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