The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore recently convened a high-profile seminar examining the transformative impact of emerging technologies—namely Artificial Intelligence (AI), electronic and cyber warfare, and unmanned aerial systems—on the future of aerial combat. The event brought together leading academics, defence experts, and policy professionals to discuss how rapid technological innovation is reshaping both the operational landscape and strategic imperatives for Pakistan’s armed forces.
Opening the seminar, Air Commodore (Retd) Dr Naveed Khaliq Ansaree, Director of CASS Lahore, highlighted that the pace of advancement in technologies such as AI and cyber warfare is fundamentally altering the character of modern conflict. According to Dr Ansaree, these tools are not just enablers, but vital determinants of operational readiness and the strategic posture of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in a fast-evolving security landscape.
Prof Dr Yasser Ayaz, Chairman of the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), delivered the event’s keynote address, describing AI as the most significant revolution in military affairs since the introduction of gunpowder and nuclear arms. He pointed out that air forces, in particular, stand to benefit from AI’s ability to refine command-and-control processes, such as the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop, enabling quicker and smarter decision-making. Referencing the US military’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) system, he called for a unified, cross-domain approach to the adoption of AI, emphasizing that Pakistan must accelerate integration efforts to maintain its edge.
Offering insights into the evolving nature of cyber warfare, Group Captain Farhan Ahmed noted that conflict has shifted from traditional “platform-versus-platform” dynamics to a complex system-versus-system paradigm. Cyber capabilities, he argued, now serve as a critical force multiplier for network-centric operations. He reported that the PAF has already integrated approximately 25,000 assets under its cyber security framework. Detailing Operation Zarb-e-Karar, he revealed that PAF cyber teams targeted 100 adversarial organizations using 4,400 ICT elements, achieving an “ICT destruction score” of 67–0—operations that reportedly disrupted enemy energy, transport, and communications infrastructure.
Air Commodore (Retd) Raza Haider, Director of CASS Islamabad, placed these developments in a wider geopolitical context, observing that fifth-generation warfare will be defined by mastery of cutting-edge technologies. He warned that the world is entering an era of “tech-polar” competition, with nations like Pakistan, Türkiye, and Iran racing to achieve technological self-sufficiency, especially in drone and electronic warfare, to ensure strategic autonomy and minimize dependence on external powers.
Summing up the proceedings, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman, President of CASS Lahore, asserted that modern warfare has moved from overt destruction to subtle, often invisible, disruption. He identified three key priorities for the armed forces: pursuing technological sovereignty through domestic innovation, fostering cross-domain integration for synchronised responses, and maintaining agility to adapt in real time. Citing Operation Zarb-e-Karar, he underscored Pakistan’s commitment to shaping a resilient digital battlespace, noting that the operation—spearheaded by Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu—showcased the PAF’s ability to seamlessly integrate AI, cyber and electronic warfare, and unmanned systems. Through precision UAV strikes, strategic electronic interference with enemy radar, and cyber operations that degraded the Indian Air Force’s planning cycle, Pakistan demonstrated both operational proficiency and cognitive dominance.
The seminar concluded with an interactive session that underscored the necessity of tri-service collaboration, emphasising the need to synchronise efforts across the army, navy, and air force to fully leverage AI, cyber, and unmanned technologies in future multi-domain operations.
