According to security and government sources, the deployment includes a full squadron of approximately 16 fighter aircraft, mostly JF-17 jets jointly developed by Pakistan and China. The aircraft were reportedly sent to Saudi Arabia in early April.
Sources further claimed that Pakistan also dispatched two squadrons of drones along with a Chinese-made HQ-9 air defence system. The equipment is said to be operated by Pakistani personnel, while Saudi Arabia is financing the deployment.
Officials described the force as a substantial and combat-capable deployment intended to support Saudi Arabia’s military in the event of further attacks on the kingdom.
Pakistan’s military and Foreign Office, as well as Saudi authorities, have not officially commented on the reported deployment.
The defence agreement between Islamabad and Riyadh was signed last year, though its full details remain confidential. Both countries have publicly stated that the pact commits them to assist each other in the event of external aggression.
According to one government source familiar with the agreement, the arrangement allows for the possible deployment of up to 80,000 Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia if required to help secure the kingdom’s borders alongside Saudi forces.
The latest deployment reportedly adds to thousands of Pakistani military personnel already stationed in Saudi Arabia under earlier defence and training agreements.
Officials said the deployed personnel are expected to mainly perform advisory and training duties during the ongoing regional crisis, although the presence of combat aircraft and advanced air defence systems indicates a far broader role than a symbolic mission.
Sources also claimed the agreement includes the possible deployment of Pakistani naval assets, though it remains unclear whether any warships have already reached Saudi Arabia.
The military cooperation comes at a sensitive time as Pakistan simultaneously plays a central diplomatic role in efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States following months of regional conflict.
Islamabad helped facilitate a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran earlier this year and hosted direct peace talks between the two sides. Additional rounds of negotiations were later postponed.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long maintained close strategic and defence ties. Riyadh has frequently supported Islamabad financially during economic crises, while Pakistan has provided military training, advisory support and security cooperation to the kingdom for decades.
