A JF-17 fighter jet operated by the Myanmar Air Force was shot down Tuesday by anti-junta forces in Pale Township, located in the conflict-ridden Sagaing Region.
This is the latest blow to the military’s airpower as resistance groups continue to expand the use of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).
According to reports from the area, the jet was likely struck by a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile, possibly a Chinese-made FN-6 or a similar weapon.
The aircraft, a JF-17 Thunder, is part of a fleet of 11 units delivered to Myanmar by Pakistan between 2018 and 2021 under a contract signed in 2015. The twin-seat, multi-role combat jets were supplied as part of a broader defense cooperation agreement between the two governments.
This is not the first time a Myanmar Air Force combat aircraft has been brought down by ground-based resistance fire. In January 2024, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) successfully downed a Chinese FTC-2000G light fighter jet using similar equipment.
The Myanmar military has relied heavily on airstrikes to suppress opposition forces across the country, particularly in ethnic minority regions and areas under control of the National Unity Government (NUG) and associated militias. The loss of a fast jet like the JF-17 adds to growing pressure on the military’s ability to maintain tactical air support amid widening insurgent activity.
Myanmar’s armed resistance—composed of both longstanding ethnic armed organizations People’s Liberation Army (the armed wing of the Communist Party) and newer People’s Defense Force (PDF) units—has steadily escalated its tactics and access to weaponry since the February 2021 coup. The use of MANPADS now poses a direct threat to fixed-wing aircraft operating at low altitude in contested areas, making air missions increasingly hazardous for the junta’s forces.
The JF-17, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, is a key element of Myanmar’s modern fighter fleet. The jet is marketed as a cost-effective solution for nations seeking fourth-generation combat capabilities, offering multi-role performance including air-to-ground and air-to-air missions.
While no casualty figures have been confirmed, video circulating among local channels appears to show the wreckage of the aircraft burning in a rural field, with resistance fighters celebrating the shootdown. The Myanmar Air Force has not yet acknowledged the loss.
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