By S.M. Inam
ISLAMABAD: SOMALIA is advancing high-level negotiations to acquire up to 24 JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan in what would mark the country’s most significant military procurement since the end of the Cold War and a decisive step towards rebuilding an air combat capability lost after the collapse of the state in 1991.
The discussions are centred on the advanced Block III variant of the multi-role jet and form part of a multi-phase package valued at about $900m, according to sources familiar with the talks. If finalised, the agreement would signal a major shift in the security architecture of the Horn of Africa and underline Mogadishu’s efforts to restore sovereign control over its airspace.
Neither Somali nor Pakistani officials have publicly commented on the negotiations, which extend beyond the aircraft themselves to include pilot training, weapons integration and long-term maintenance and logistics support.
During the Cold War, Somalia possessed one of the most capable air forces in sub-Saharan Africa, operating Soviet MiG-21s alongside Western Hawker Hunter jets. That capability was destroyed by decades of factional conflict following the 1991 overthrow of President Siad Barre, which left airbases in ruins and aircraft reduced to scrap.
The federal government now depends heavily on international partners, including the United States and Turkey, for drone operations, precision logistics and aerial surveillance in its long-running campaign against the al-Shabaab insurgency.
The aviation negotiations follow a watershed diplomatic development in December 2023, when the United Nations Security Council lifted a three-decade-old arms embargo on Somalia. The removal of those restrictions created a narrow window for Mogadishu to import advanced military equipment as it seeks to modernise its armed forces.
Somalia’s push to regain air power also comes as the African Union transitions from the ATMIS peacekeeping mission to the newly authorised AUSSOM stabilisation force, which is capped at 12,626 personnel and is intended to gradually transfer full territorial responsibility to Somali national forces. The shift has increased pressure on the government to demonstrate that it can secure its own territory and airspace.
The JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s AVIC Chengdu, is designed for emerging air forces as a lower-cost alternative to Western combat aircraft. With an estimated unit price of between $30m and $40m, it offers a significantly cheaper option than platforms such as the US-built F-16.
Powered by a turbofan engine, the aircraft can reach speeds of up to Mach 1.6 and has a combat radius of more than 1,350 kilometres, allowing rapid deployment across Somalia’s vast territory and along its coastline. The Block III version is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, enhanced sensors and improved precision-strike capability, enabling roles in air defence, maritime patrol and ground attack.
For Mogadishu, the acquisition would represent not only a military upgrade but a symbolic restoration of national capacity after more than three decades of dependence on foreign air power.
