J-35 Over J-10C? How Bangladesh’s Choice Could Redefine Its Air Power

[UKBengali]

So I just checked up on BAF and it's shocking to know they have not procured a single jet fighter since year 2000, a country with more than 100 million people and 400 billion GDP only operates a few mig-29...that is just wrong.

Technically untrue.

BD did buy 16 F-7BGI from China in 2011 which went into service in 2013. It was supposed to be a "stop gap" but no further purchases at all since then.

GDP is at 450 billion US dollars and so of course it could afford a lot more than 8 Mig-29s and 40 F-7s.

 

[iblini]

Technically untrue.

BD did buy 16 F-7BGI from China in 2011 which went into service in 2013. It was supposed to be a "stop gap" but no further purchases at all since then.

GDP is at 450 billion US dollars and so of course it could afford a lot more than 8 Mig-29s and 40 F-7s.

Handing over the safety of 180 million people to a "friendly nation" is pure crime.

 

[UKBengali]

Handing over the safety of 180 million people to a "friendly nation" is pure crime.

It was not just the previous AL government(2009-2024) that was weak on air defence but also the previous BNP government of 20 years ago.

BD saw what happened if you are weak with Myanmar back in 2017 and to this day there are 1 million Rohingya refugees still in BD.

It is extremely fortunate for BD that it is now spoilt for choice, as in it will have access to both J-10C and the J-35A in as little as 3-4 years from now.

I do not favour 1-2 squadrons of J-10CE as "stop-gap" before a purchase of J-35As as the cost in infrastructure setup, maintenance and training for such a small number of planes would mean it would not save any money in the end.

Better BD places an order for 1 squadron(16 planes) of J-35A by 2027-2028 and also has option for 2 more squadrons later on as finance allows and Chinese production capability allow. Even the export version with WS-21 engine will be far superior to anything India can get before 2040.

After J-35As have arrived, then it will be clearer as to the exact status of Turkish KAAN and if Turkey has sorted out a reliable engine supply and the aircaft meets minimum standards, then BAF can start procuring KAAN over the later half of the 2030s in similar numbers to J-35A.

Time for BAF to start planning for a new airforce based around 5th generation fighters from China and potentially Turkey. Yes it will be expensive but even going back to historical 1.3-1.4% GDP spend on defence BD can afford it. It is not an impoverised and tiny country.

 

[Michael Corleone]

Handing over the safety of 180 million people to a "friendly nation" is pure crime.

I came to bd in 2022 and since then what I’ve noticed is the previous government basically sold the country. The country exists only in name. They’ve turned Bangladesh into such a state that if India could get they would charge Bangladesh for the oxygen that comes from India.

What’s funny is after her downfall many people who were abducted or suppressed said the same thing, that the country would have been sold if she could stay in power for another full term. We would have probably been annexed.

I’m hoping pilkhana massacre is exposed. India is directly involved and investigation report hinting India did something would be a huge scandal. At that point any military action with Bangladesh will be thwarted by major powers

 

[Michael Corleone]

It was not just the previous AL government(2009-2024) that was weak on air defence but also the previous BNP government of 20 years ago.

BD saw what happened if you are weak with Myanmar back in 2017 and to this day there are 1 million Rohingya refugees still in BD.

It is extremely fortunate for BD that it is now spoilt for choice, as in it will have access to both J-10C and the J-35A in as little as 3-4 years from now.

I do not favour 1-2 squadrons of J-10CE as "stop-gap" before a purchase of J-35As as the cost in infrastructure setup, maintenance and training for such a small number of planes would mean it would save any money in the end.

Better BD places an order for 1 squadron(16 planes) of J-35A by 2027-2028 and also has option for 2 more squadrons later on as finance allows and Chinese production capability allow. Even the export version with WS-21 engine will be far superior to anything India can get before 2040.

After J-35As have arrived, then it will be clearer as to the exact status of Turkish KAAN and if Turkey has sorted out a reliable engine supply and the aircaft meets minimum standards, then BAF can start procuring KAAN over the later half of the 2030s in similar numbers to J-35A.

Time for BAF to start planning for a new airforce based around 5th generation fighters from China and potentially Turkey. Yes it will be expensive but even going back to historical 1.3-1.4% GDP spend on defence BD can afford it. It is not an impoverised and tiny country.

Agree. Budget needs to be atleast 2% in defence given we face existential crisis at the moment. Two squadron j35 with Partial technology transfer agreement for spares manufacturing will be awesome the cost for everything accounted should be less than 10 billion… a Chinese defence pact would certainly help

 

[Ali_Baba]

So I just checked up on BAF and it's shocking to know they have not procured a single jet fighter since year 2000, a country with more than 100 million people and 400 billion GDP only operates a few mig-29...that is just wrong.

You can also argue that by spending more on its economy than defence, it has been able to make up the 2x economic advantage Pakistan had over 40+ years, to now overtake Pakistan with an economy of 450billion USD versus Pakistans 340 billion USD, and that with lower debt levels and with a smaller population size of 173 million compared to Pakistans 240million people. Bangladesh has done well, it is damn impressive.

 

[Ali_Baba]

J-35 Over J-10C? How Bangladesh’s Choice Could Redefine Its Air Power​

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My view is that Bangladesh should go for the J-35 and bypass the J10CE, Mig29/Su-35s/JF17 conversations entirely since BAF will be a small airforce anyway ( 100 jet units) and it will still have an advantage of 4.5 gen aircraft.

To get the "full" value of a Stealth fighter, you of course need a very sophisticated IADS, network links/radars and command control centres to provide targetting information to a stealth fighter etc. If you dont have this, then yes a 5th gen stealth will operate more as a 4.75 gen plane as the moment you have to switch on your radar to search for targets, you lose the advantage some of the advantage stealth. However, even with that reduction, you still have the natural advantage of stealth for CAP missions and strike missionsa t a level above 4.5 gen aircraft.

Bangladesh can work on the IADS/Radars/EW/Sensor network upgrades in parallel, they dont need to be there from day one. Bangladesh can work with Pakistan and Turkey on that side of things of course. You just accept that you are not operating a 5th gen plane at its "full" capabilities, but the military value that J-35 will bring to the table by value of its stealth, will be more than a J10CE ..

It depends on the cost of a J10CE versus a J-35 of course, but it also needs a pragmattic decision for sure.

 

[ronaldo]

The J35 would provide better deterrence against the hegemonic Indian aggression than other platforms. Make no mistake, India is the biggest and the only threat to Bangladesh sovereignty and it is looking for the right opportunity to annex Chittagong.

The cost difference between J-10 and J-35 is not significant. Therefore, it makes sense to look to acquire 50 J-35s with an option to purchase 50 more post 2030s and operate just one platform instead of spreading it's limited resources into supporting logistics for four different platforms j7, migs, j10s and j35s. The cost savings from operating just the J-35 over the long run far outweighs the initial investment cost which might look daunting.

It needs around 100 fighter jets to not only secure the sky over the mainland but also secure its blue economy and the Bay of Bengal. India already threatened naval blockade and I believe the J35 combined with subs far outperforms other platforms to break any naval blockades.

If you look at the developed nations, most focus on the quality of the F-35's. Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, S Korea, USA, UK all operate over 4 squadrons of F35s instead of spreading its resources across disparate platforms.

 

[SiliconBit (silicon0000)]

For the Bangladesh Air Force, current situation is akin to a fresh start. Therefore, As High-Low mix, A combined force of advanced Chinese J-35 fighters and drones would be beneficial. The J-35s should be utilized for high-end missions, while investing in local drone production and acquiring a significant large number of drones would be suitable for lower-level tasks.

 

[UKBengali]

My view is that Bangladesh should go for the J-35 and bypass the J10CE, Mig29/Su-35s/JF17 conversations entirely since BAF will be a small airforce anyway ( 100 jet units) and it will still have an advantage of 4.5 gen aircraft.

To get the "full" value of a Stealth fighter, you of course need a very sophisticated IADS, network links/radars and command control centres to provide targetting information to a stealth fighter etc. If you dont have this, then yes a 5th gen stealth will operate more as a 4.75 gen plane as the moment you have to switch on your radar to search for targets, you lose the advantage some of the advantage stealth. However, even with that reduction, you still have the natural advantage of stealth for CAP missions and strike missionsa t a level above 4.5 gen aircraft.

Bangladesh can work on the IADS/Radars/EW/Sensor network upgrades in parallel, they dont need to be there from day one. Bangladesh can work with Pakistan and Turkey on that side of things of course. You just accept that you are not operating a 5th gen plane at its "full" capabilities, but the military value that J-35 will bring to the table by value of its stealth, will be more than a J10CE ..

Great to see so many posters are seeing the folly of buying 4+ generation fighters that won't anyway land in BD till maybe 2030 at the earliest bearing in mind that no contracts are likely to be signed before 2027/2028.

Having a "4.75" generation fighter that can over 10-15 years be turned into a 5th generation fighter when all the other systems(AWACs, ground based radar network, satellites etc) are put in as funds and capability allows is a good starting capability far superior to any 4.5 generation fighter like Typhoon/Rafale etc.

The only question to ask is should BAF "split" the purchase between say 40-50 J-35s and a similar number of KAANs if a viable option exists?

It would be more expensive than settling on a single fighter type for sure.

I think so as BD would not want to be totally reliant on China and also to support the development of indigenous Muslim defence industries. If BD needs to delay purchase of KAANs by some more years to allow finances to catch up then it is likely to do so.

 

[Strider]

India only has one army command directed at Bangladesh… that’s about 250-300k troops, about 300 tanks, similar level of artillery. India will never be stupid enough to attack bd from the northern and eastern front diverting their divisions from Chinese border or Pakistan/ Kashmir border.

This vs 250k combined armed forces strength of bd with another 250k BGB which is classified as paramilitary but gets army training. Plus a million plus ANSAR which is the actual paramilitary branch… similar levels of tanks, more anti tank concentration and good numbers of artillery too

The only way India has any chance against bd is airstrikes and naval blockade and even then blockade won’t go unchallenged like 1971

On land Bangladesh cannot be invaded. 1971 was possible because home ground allied with India and even after entering during the end days of conflict with much of the country liberated they still somehow managed to lose 1500 troops in a week

Land warfare won't be much of a challenge. Thanks to the terrain. My concern are ballistic missiles. They are currently the number one threat. We don't appear to have any countermeasures against these at the moment.

The second threat are strike aircraft.

If we do not have a minimum countermeasure against ballistic missiles, and bring it as an integral part of the nation's defense, it will be difficult.

I came to bd in 2022 and since then what I’ve noticed is the previous government basically sold the country. The country exists only in name. They’ve turned Bangladesh into such a state that if India could get they would charge Bangladesh for the oxygen that comes from India.

There was speculation India would militarily intervene during the 36 July period. But this did not happen. It would seem weird for a foreign army fighting unarmed students, and it certainly won't help their global reputation. But fact is often stranger than fiction.

What’s funny is after her downfall many people who were abducted or suppressed said the same thing, that the country would have been sold if she could stay in power for another full term. We would have probably been annexed.

Remember the enforced disappearances? Some of those guys ended up in Indian prison. I wonder what secrets they hold.

I’m hoping pilkhana massacre is exposed. India is directly involved and investigation report hinting India did something would be a huge scandal. At that point any military action with Bangladesh will be thwarted by major powers

I am telling you, nothing is going to happen in India if the facts come do come to light. Instead, they'll justify it, gaslight us, and expect everyone to like it.

 

[That_Guy]

Why would China sell 5th Gen tech to Bangladesh?

Why wouldn't it? It would give huge leverage to China, and expand its sphere of influence greatly.

 

[Michael Corleone]

Land warfare won't be much of a challenge. Thanks to the terrain. My concern are ballistic missiles. They are currently the number one threat. We don't appear to have any countermeasures against these at the moment.

Any claimed protection against ballistic missiles have so far been fluff. Even the American defense companies sold vaporware to their governments and the proof is in Israel who claim to have the most advanced of these anti ballistic techs. You can stop em while they’re in space but not in terminal phase.

The second threat are strike aircraft.

If we do not have a minimum countermeasure against ballistic missiles, and bring it as an integral part of the nation's defense, it will be difficult.

Air defense is indeed a weak part of our national defense.

There was speculation India would militarily intervene during the 36 July period. But this did not happen. It would seem weird for a foreign army fighting unarmed students, and it certainly won't help their global reputation. But fact is often stranger than fiction.

The speculation arised from the time of pilkhana indeed back then Gen. Moeen got called from India that Indian paratroopers will invade should he enter pilkhana disregarding Hasina. It was intended to be a three pronged attacked and for sure they had preparation prior to this event. This time no such preparation was present but I think they’ll keep this in mind in the future.

Remember the enforced disappearances? Some of those guys ended up in Indian prison. I wonder what secrets they hold.

Yes. Many are still in Indian prison as we speak.

I am telling you, nothing is going to happen in India if the facts come do come to light. Instead, they'll justify it, gaslight us, and expect everyone to like it.

It doesn’t matter if Indian people show uproar or not. They most certainly would brag about it given their slimy nature but atleast to the world it would stand as a justification for us to take hostile actions towards India like we currently are doing. Hostile actions doesn’t solely rely upon military action but in terms of influence, trade etc

 

[UKBengali]

The speculation arised from the time of pilkhana indeed back then Gen. Moeen got called from India that Indian paratroopers will invade should he enter pilkhana disregarding Hasina. It was intended to be a three pronged attacked and for sure they had preparation prior to this event. This time no such preparation was present but I think they’ll keep this in mind in the future.

A paratrooper invasion deep into BD will end in disaster with all Indian paratroopers either killed or captured.

 

[Strider]

Any claimed protection against ballistic missiles have so far been fluff. Even the American defense companies sold vaporware to their governments and the proof is in Israel who claim to have the most advanced of these anti ballistic techs. You can stop em while they’re in space but not in terminal phase.

If we can at least take them out in space, then so be it. I think there are systems proposed to be capable against missiles entering terminal stage. And at least one system purported to be under works capable of taking out hypersonic missiles which typically fly at low altitudes.

"Aegis SBT is the only active defense available today to counter hypersonic missile threats," he added.

General Says Countering Hypersonic Weapons Is Imperative

Missile threats to the U.S. homeland and allies and partners abroad will only continue to grow, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

www.defense.gov

We should explore this area. It would be unwise to discount this threat. This will also be a good opportunity to formulate our space strategy.

The speculation arised from the time of pilkhana indeed back then Gen. Moeen got called from India that Indian paratroopers will invade should he enter pilkhana disregarding Hasina. It was intended to be a three pronged attacked and for sure they had preparation prior to this event. This time no such preparation was present but I think they’ll keep this in mind in the future.

Sounds bizarre. But may be factual given the sensitive global climate at the time.

Yes. Many are still in Indian prison as we speak.

Legally, they cannot simply keep our citizens in detention with no charges indefinitely. And no trial. Our government need sort this one out.

t doesn’t matter if Indian people show uproar or not. They most certainly would brag about it given their slimy nature but atleast to the world it would stand as a justification for us to take hostile actions towards India like we currently are doing. Hostile actions doesn’t solely rely upon military action but in terms of influence, trade etc

I think the world is starting to get to know them better gradually. It will interesting how this evolves. One thing is for sure is that their credibility is seriously in question by global powers. We must take every advantage here.

A paratrooper invasion deep into BD will end in disaster with all Indian paratroopers either killed or captured.

May be. Given the post-9/11 era, and given that the Indians convinced the Americans the threat of terrorists driven by Islamist ideology existed in Bangladesh, this course of action by the Indians was plausible. Gen. Moeen was a traitor. It was because of him that our armed forces were severely weakened.

We have to always be prepared for any situation.