Project Azm’s lack of progress raises doubts about Pakistan’s ability to deliver indigenous fifth-generation warplanes.
Until the announcements from the United States and People’s Republic of China that they were both intensely producing rival sixth-generation warplanes, the fifth-generation warplane was the plane every aspiring great power desired.
Fifth-generation warplanes—such as the American F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, China’s Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon,” or Russia’s vaunted Su-57 “Felon”—are characterized by high speed, stealth, advanced sensors, and networked warfare capabilities. With the help of China and purported NATO member Turkey, Pakistan is developing a fifth-generation plane of its own to rival neighboring India.
A Look at Pakistan’s “Project Azm” Fighter
Known as Project Azm, Pakistan dreams of dominating the airspace over the Indian subcontinent. If successfully developed, the Project Azm fighter would allow for the Pakistani Air Force to evade Indian radar detection and to engage Indian targets at increasingly longer ranges than Pakistan’s other warplanes—including their Chinese-provided J-17 “Thunder” fourth-generation planes.
With a plane produced under Project Azm, Pakistan would possess superior situational awareness in dogfights with Indian warplanes.
In July 2017, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) first launched Project Azm alongside new munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Led by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and its Aviation Design Institute (AvDI), Project Azm aims to establish a robust aviation industrial base, fostering collaboration with universities, research institutes, and the private sector.
The project’s name is derived from the Urdu and Turkish words for “determination.” It came about after Pakistan’s defense community concluded in the mid-2010s that it had allowed its military capabilities to wither on the vine in comparison to neighboring Hindu India.
Given the role that China and Turkey are both playing in the development of Project Azm, one can anticipate that subsystems and design elements from both Chinese and Turkish fighter programs will be incorporated in Pakistan’s fifth-generation warplane proposal. For example, the plane will likely be powered by Chinese-produced WS-10 engines, which are optimized for offensive counter-air, maritime, and deep-strike missions. While Chinese jet engines were initially viewed with derision among the world’s aeronautical experts, over the last decade Chinese engineers have optimized their designs, and created competitive and affordable jet engines that are used today on top-tier Chinese warplanes like the J-20.
Turkey Is Fueling Pakistan’s Military Rise
Another notable foreign partnership in the upgrade of Pakistan’s air force comes with Turkey. Islamabad signed a landmark agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to join the TAI KAAN (formerly TF-X) program, a twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter designed to replace Turkey’s aging F-16 fleet. The KAAN, which made its first flight in February 2024, boasts advanced features like automatic target recognition, multi-target tracking, AI-assisted targeting, and electronic warfare capabilities.
Pakistan’s involvement includes co-development and joint production, with manufacturing facilities planned in both countries. The collaboration merges Project Azm’s goals to the KAAN framework, aiming to create a single platform meeting both nations’ requirements.
By aligning with its fellow Muslim state, Pakistan reduces development costs by sharing resources. This alliance leverages Turkey’s growing defense industry and provides access to advanced technologies, potentially including British Rolls-Royce engines as an alternative to U.S. options, which face export restrictions in response to political developments in Ankara. Pakistan plans on procuring the Turkish KAAN jets into their air force by 2030, making a serious upgrade from its current fleet.
Beyond the KAAN, Turkey and Pakistan are jointly developing drones and helicopters, enhancing interoperability.
Can Pakistan Really Afford a Top-Tier Air Force?
Of course, there is a major problem with Pakistan’s rearmament campaign: the country is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Currently, Pakistan’s economy is under overwhelming strain. The nation is regularly reliant on bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and burdened by a growing debt to China. Pakistan’s dysfunctional civil-military fusion government has presided over a failing economy for years, and its defense industrial base and technological expertise to develop a fifth-generation warplane—even with help from Turkey and China—is limited.
Project Azm’s lack of progress raises doubts about Pakistan’s ability to deliver indigenous fifth-generation warplanes. The KAAN program, while promising, faces hurdles like engine development and U.S. sanctions on Turkey, which will certainly delay whatever timelines Ankara and Islamabad are working from.
The likelihood is very low that Pakistan will be able to induct fifth-generation warplanes into its fleet by 2030, especially with the added strain of what is shaping up to be a major regional war with neighboring India—which, at least for the moment, is poised to crush the Pakistani military.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / EvrenKalinbacak.
