Modernising the Bangladesh Air Force: time to turn away from China and Russia

[UKBengali]

If we go for a single engine fighter, it would be J10C. (Equipped with PL-15E) It was shown in BAF MHD-2024 poster. JF-17 isn't gonna do very well against our adversaries.

BAF has shown zero interest in single engine fighters over last 2 decades - apart from the F-7BGI as "stop-gap" but that was adding to the F-7 fleet anyways.

BAF doctrine is solely for twin-engine jets now.

 

[Circadian Rhythm]

BAF has shown zero interest in single engine fighters over last 2 decades - apart from the F-7BGI as "stop-gap" but that was adding to the F-7 fleet anyways.

BAF doctrine is solely for twin-engine jets now.

You should check with your Finance Ministry, how much are they willing to spend , given the Repayment obligations

Your economy is at a delicate stage

Any mismanagement and it will become like Pakistan

 

[UKBengali]

You should check with your Finance Ministry, how much are they willing to spend

Your economy is at a delicate stage

Any mismanagement and it will become like Pakistan

Do you even read any previous posts before replying?

I have said since the start of this thread that BD is not ordering any fighters for many years as it has no money now. 2027-2028 is a good ballpark date when BD may finally buy new fighters.

This thread is solely about what type of fighter that BD will purchase when it finally has some money and not the here and now!

 

[bengalcdn]

BD should go for TA-50 from Korea or the Hurjet from Turkey. Those are cheaper, can be used as a trainer as well as combat, and provide good value for money. Hurjet is more preferable as can be bought with TB2s and Ankas for negotiating greater discounts. Ideally my choice for BD airforce should be

8 Mig-29s (upgrade to SMT standard)
54 TA-50s or Hurjets (Mix of combat and trainers)
60 TB2s Bayraktars ( Assuming we get the price Maldives paid $5 million a piece)

 

[altafahmed]

What's the point of trolling someone else when your own country is in gutter?

I didn't got your point, but I wasn't trolling, my suggestion would be to stay away from America... simple

 

[Strider]

There are also military-technical reasons for the BAF to look to the west in its attempts to modernise. The war in Ukraine has become a graveyard of the Russian military-industrial complex. The sheer amount of Russian hardware lost against a much smaller army is shocking. Chinese systems are predominantly based off on Russian systems and are not battle-tested, as China has not seen an active combat situation since 1979.

That is because of poor tactics. It is not good enough to have cutting edge equipment. But yes, Russian equipment are generally a bit dated relative to Western ones with perhaps the exception of missile and submarine technology. Worth noting that the Russians were very effective in EW (electronic warfare) against American weapons used by the Ukrainians. That is real skill there.

Western equipment are very expensive. If we are to procure a squadron of F-16s for example, it'll take 3-5 years of training. First priority would be to get our reserves up and our currency strengthened. And these can effectively happen only once the parliament is formed.

We need to replace our aging F-7s and have sufficient resources to keep our airspace and maritime in control. Regarding sourcing countries, I believe China and Turkey would be sustainable in the long run with a goal of having a truly indigenous military complex ranging from a combat knife to a nuclear submarine.

 

[Afif]

That is because of poor tactics. It is not good enough to have cutting edge equipment. But yes, Russian equipment are generally a bit dated relative to Western ones with perhaps the exception of missile and submarine technology.

US, UK and France has technological overmatch when it comes SSNs and SSBNs, as well as missiles.

 

[AjayGhatak]

Err, no-one is saying BAF will buy anything now.

2027-2028 is a more realistic date and China is rapidly developing the J-35 for PLAAN and J-31 for export.

At this time BD should buy some MRSAM to provide some decent air defence capability and that is within BD budget constraints.

Look, given the political mess you have, for all you know bangladesh's finances will be way worse off in that time period.

Bangladesh currently is having massive power cuts and rolling failures in gas and coal fired power plants. Russian nuclear plant progress is delayed at the very least and bangladesh has to pay interest on the loans. Then there is Indian power bill due. Not to mention, it seems the current government is busy reviewing and possibly renegotiating almost all of these deal. Plus Bangladesh will need more forex just to keep itself fed and imports going.

I believe at some point of time in coming months or may be year or so China will jump in and will provide much needed liquidity and will snatch a large number of infra projects, at its terms. It will be playout of Sri Lanka once more. Bangladesh will get infra but not the means to payback the infra and other loans and will have to concede some advantages to China and may be some land or Island for ports. And BD will be in debt trap cycle.

So yeah, forget about it. BD is not going to have enough money to buy fifth gen planes.

 

[Afif]

Look, given the political mess you have, for all you know bangladesh's finances will be way worse off in that time period.

Bangladesh currently is having massive power cuts and rolling failures in gas and coal fired power plants. Russian nuclear plant progress is delayed at the very least and bangladesh has to pay interest on the loans. Then there is Indian power bill due. Not to mention, it seems the current government is busy reviewing and possibly renegotiating almost all of these deal. Plus Bangladesh will need more forex just to keep itself fed and imports going.

I believe at some point of time in coming months or may be year or so China will jump in and will provide much needed liquidity and will snatch a large number of infra projects, at its terms. It will be playout of Sri Lanka once more. Bangladesh will get infra but not the means to payback the infra and other loans and will have to concede some advantages to China and may be some land or Island for ports. And BD will be in debt trap cycle.

So yeah, forget about it. BD is not going to have enough money to buy fifth gen planes.

Don't you worry about. We will see about our own thing. I know that you and your lot wish on us ill, but with new reform initiatives economy will do much better than what Hassina did.

 

[UKBengali]

Look, given the political mess you have, for all you know bangladesh's finances will be way worse off in that time period.

Bangladesh currently is having massive power cuts and rolling failures in gas and coal fired power plants. Russian nuclear plant progress is delayed at the very least and bangladesh has to pay interest on the loans. Then there is Indian power bill due. Not to mention, it seems the current government is busy reviewing and possibly renegotiating almost all of these deal. Plus Bangladesh will need more forex just to keep itself fed and imports going.

I believe at some point of time in coming months or may be year or so China will jump in and will provide much needed liquidity and will snatch a large number of infra projects, at its terms. It will be playout of Sri Lanka once more. Bangladesh will get infra but not the means to payback the infra and other loans and will have to concede some advantages to China and may be some land or Island for ports. And BD will be in debt trap cycle.

So yeah, forget about it. BD is not going to have enough money to buy fifth gen planes.

Your post makes no sense and anyway BD is asking IMF, World Bank and Japan for 5 billion US dollar loan to make up the current forex shortfall. China is not even in the picture here.

What screwed the BD economy in the end was the Ukraine war but now as the world economy has adjusted the damage to BD's economy is slowly repairing itself.

Yes there is no way of knowing whether there will be longer term political stability but at this stage we are assuming that there will be some semi-orderly transition to democracy in around late 2026/early 2027.

No idea why Hasina did not buy any modern fighters during her time but BD will as soon as is economically feasible, buy the most modern fighter planes that fit its strategic and economic needs.

 

[AjayGhatak]

Don't you worry about. We will see about our own thing. I know that you and your lot wish on us ill, but with new reform initiatives economy will do much better than what Hassina did.

There is no ill wish, this is all that is happening right now and has happened in that region.

 

[AbuShalehRumi]

Look, given the political mess you have

We don't have political mess, we have administrative mess created by awami dictatorship. Current government is stabilizing things smoothly.

for all you know bangladesh's finances will be way worse off in that time period.

Our financial situation will only get better.

Bangladesh currently is having massive power cuts

As of now situation is improving. But, it is another fault of awami dictatorship. Current government can't do much.

Russian nuclear plant progress is delayed at the very least and bangladesh has to pay interest on the loans.

Russia shouldn't have invaded Ukraine and get sanctioned by US and then ask us for interest payment in USD.

Then there is Indian power bill due

We're surprised and skeptical in this case...

Not to mention, it seems the current government is busy reviewing and possibly renegotiating almost all of these deal

Obviously. Dictators don't make good deals. So current government must review everything.

Plus Bangladesh will need more forex just to keep itself fed and imports going.

Situation is improving...

I believe at some point of time in coming months or may be year or so China will jump in and will provide much needed liquidity and will snatch a large number of infra projects, at its terms. It will be playout of Sri Lanka once more. Bangladesh will get infra but not the means to payback the infra and other loans and will have to concede some advantages to China and may be some land or Island for ports. And BD will be in debt trap cycle.

You don't have to worry about us.

So yeah, forget about it. BD is not going to have enough money to buy fifth gen planes.

When we have, we will think about it...

this is all that is happening right now and has happened in that region.

Hmm, focus on india.

 

[SteppeWolff]

US, UK and France has technological overmatch when it comes SSNs and SSBNs, as well as missiles.

Russian Yasen-Ms are roughly on par, certainly better than the Chinese subs, Nuclear Submarines are one of the few left departments where Russians are still ahead of the Chinese.

But the upcoming Diesal electric submarines from China ( type 041 ) or the Hangor equivalents would be good options for BD if they really want a submarine force.

 

[Fallstuff]

Look, given the political mess you have, for all you know bangladesh's finances will be way worse off in that time period.

Bangladesh currently is having massive power cuts and rolling failures in gas and coal fired power plants. Russian nuclear plant progress is delayed at the very least and bangladesh has to pay interest on the loans. Then there is Indian power bill due. Not to mention, it seems the current government is busy reviewing and possibly renegotiating almost all of these deal. Plus Bangladesh will need more forex just to keep itself fed and imports going.

I believe at some point of time in coming months or may be year or so China will jump in and will provide much needed liquidity and will snatch a large number of infra projects, at its terms. It will be playout of Sri Lanka once more. Bangladesh will get infra but not the means to payback the infra and other loans and will have to concede some advantages to China and may be some land or Island for ports. And BD will be in debt trap cycle.

So yeah, forget about it. BD is not going to have enough money to buy fifth gen planes.

Interesting how some things don’t change.
Kolkata Babus opposed creation of Dhaka University more than 100 years ago saying “ what are the working class people going to do with a university? “
Now we hear “why do the Bangladeshi folks need an army/ Air Force ?” “They don’t have money. “

 

[AjayGhatak]

Interesting how some things don’t change.
Kolkata Babus opposed creation of Dhaka University more than 100 years ago saying “ what are the working class people going to do with a university? “
Now we hear “why do the Bangladeshi folks need an army/ Air Force ?” “They don’t have money. “

Except it is true.

BD does not have money to buy a fifth gen plane.
The fifth gen plane in question is not there yet and no one knows when it will be there or if it will be there.