What is the F-16—a US-origin fighter jet infamously used by Pakistan to attack India?

A US-origin F-16 supersonic fighter jet, one of the mainstays of the Pakistani Air Force, was shot down on Thursday by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, according to sources cited in an NDTV report. This comes amid Pakistan's foiled attempt to target Jammu with drones and missiles.

But here's what is important to know about the reliable two-seater jet that has a storied past, with inputs from the official website of the United States' Air Force:

  1. 1) The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement that led to the formation of a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
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  3. 2) Measuring a modest 32 feet 8 inches by 49 feet 5 inches, the two-seater multi-role fighter jet has a thrust of 27,000 pounds.
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  5. 3) Roughly 75 out of Pakistan's total air fleet of 400+ fighter planes are F-16s supplied from the US, which the latter monitors to make sure that Pakistan only uses these jets to combat terrorism, and not to upset geopolitical equilibrium and End-User agreements by attacking countries like India. Any misuse of the contract can lead to a suspension of spares, maintenance contracts, or even sanctions.
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  7. 4) It was as recently as February 2025 that US President Donald Trump authorised a whopping $397 million to Pakistan for maintaining its F-16 fighter jet fleet, to be used strictly for counter-terrorism operations only.
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  9. 5) Capable of gaining speeds of around 2,414km/h, this versatile jet can typically carry a total payload of two 2,000-pound bombs, in addition to two AIM-9, two AIM-120 and two 2400-pound external fuel tanks.
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  11. 6) Per unit, these jets cost between $14.6 million to $18.8 million (at a fiscal 98 constant dollars), as of September 2021.
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  13. 7) One of the F-16's most notable roles over the course of history was its deployment to the Persian Gulf by the US Air Force in 1991, in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown with it, than with any other aircraft model. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missiles sites and a variety of other targets.
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  15. 8) Since the devastating 9/11 attacks of 2001 in the US that shocked the world, the F-16 has been an integral part of American military fleets.

Defence