The United States has rejected claims that Pakistan will receive new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) under a recently revised defence agreement, clarifying that the update concerns only maintenance and spare parts rather than the transfer of new weapons.
Embassy Issues Clarification
In a statement issued on Friday, the US Embassy in India explained that the Department of War’s announcement on 30 September referred to “an amendment to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract for sustainment and spares for several countries, including Pakistan.”
The embassy underlined that “contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new AMRAAMs to Pakistan,” and added that the agreement “does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan’s current capabilities.”
Reports Misread Contract Details
The clarification followed reports in several media outlets, among them Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, which had interpreted the Department of War’s 30 September update as confirmation of a new missile deal with Islamabad.
The department’s official statement said that Raytheon Co., based in Tucson, Arizona, had received a $41 million modification to an ongoing AMRAAM production contract, raising the total value to more than $2.5 billion.
US Embassy in India issues a clarification on media reports of missile sales to Pakistan. It states, “The sustainment does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan’s current capabilities.” pic.twitter.com/zILlcs8QJD
— ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2025
That contract covers foreign military sales to multiple countries — including the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Australia, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Kuwait, Türkiye, and Pakistan — and is expected to run until May 2030.
While Pakistan’s name appeared among the list of beneficiaries, the embassy has now clarified that its inclusion relates solely to sustainment and support services, not to the supply of new missiles.
Previous AMRAAM Purchases
Pakistan acquired approximately 700 AMRAAMs in 2007 to equip its F-16 fighter jets, which, at the time, was the largest international order for the air-to-air missile system.
Speculation about a fresh missile delivery emerged weeks after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir held talks with US President Donald Trump in September.
