Pakistan Air Force conducts advanced AI-integrated war games

2026-02-10 - 22:25

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has wrapped up a major military exercise designed to test and validate its capabilities in next-generation warfare. Dubbed "Golden Eagle," the drill was held in the Southern Air Command's area and focused on AI-enabled, network-centric operations integrated with domestically developed technologies, according to the military's media wing. Focus on next-generation warfare concepts The exercise was structured around a "Two-Force construct," simulating combat in line with evolving regional security dynamics. It emphasized synchronized operations within an Integrated Air Defense System, merging kinetic actions with cyber, space, and electromagnetic spectrum warfare. This approach reflects a global shift towards multi-domain operations, where air superiority depends on controlling both physical and digital battlegrounds. Advanced assets and manned-unmanned teaming The kinetic phase of the exercise featured advanced swing-role combat aircraft equipped with long-range, beyond-visual-range missiles, standoff weapons, and precision-strike capabilities. These platforms were supported by airborne early warning and control systems and air-to-air refuelers. A key component was "manned-unmanned teaming," where deep-reach strike drones and loitering munitions operated in a simulated "highly contested, congested and degraded environment." Strategic message and regional context The PAF stated the exercise reaffirms its commitment to maintaining a high state of operational readiness by leveraging indigenous innovation to counter future security challenges. For regional observers, including neighboring nations, such drills underscore Pakistan's ongoing military modernization and its focus on self-reliance in defense technology. The exercise sends a clear signal of the PAF's evolving doctrine, which prioritizes smart technology and network integration to offset potential numerical disadvantages in any future conflict.