There are increasing indications that Bangladesh could possibly become another export customer for the Eurofighter Typhoon. No final decision has yet been made in Dhaka as to whether the contract planned for this year will go to a Western or a Chinese system.
But in mid-May, Bangladesh’s air force chief, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan, together with a small delegation from the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF), took part in the Aerospace Power Conference 2025 organized by his Italian counterpart Luca Goretti. Aerospace Power Conference 2025 (ASPC) in Rome, organized by his Italian counterpart Luca Goretti. As part of this visit, the Italian defense contractor Leonardo organized factory tours – including a flight in the Eurofighter two-seater ISPA6 at Turin Airport.
The demonstration flight – during which air combat maneuvers, radar system performance and tactical mission simulations were carried out – indicates that the Eurofighter, which had fallen out of the focus of the Bangladeshi procurement program in the meantime, is now considered a serious candidate again.
Dhaka appears to be wavering between two politically and technically very different options for the future direction of its air force: on the one hand, linking up with European security and industrial partnerships, and on the other, continuing its close military cooperation with long-term supplier China, which has already supplied submarines, corvettes, fighter aircraft and tanks. The current focus is on the Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon generation 4.5 – an aircraft that is roughly comparable to later F-16 variants. This type recently attracted increased international attention due to its use in an air operation against India by the air operation against India by the sole export customer Pakistan on May 7.
Lengthy selection process
Bangladesh’s MRCA (Multi Role Combat Aircraft) program has been dragging on for almost ten years now. At the Farnborough Airshow in 2016, the then Air Force Chief Abu Esrar had already ruled out both Russian and Chinese jets and hinted at a strategic reorientation towards Western fighter aircraft – in particular with offers from the Dassault Rafale from France and the Eurofighter Typhoon. The J-10C has also been in the running since 2023. However, the Rafale is considered politically less likely due to its close use by historical rival India.
This narrows the choice down to a “transcontinental” showdown: Europe’s “Typhoon” against China’s “Dragon”.
Hasan Mahmud Khan publicly emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive modernization and declared: “We are working hard to procure fighter jets and combat helicopters.”
The presentation for him and his delegation went beyond the flight: it included briefings on support for the C-130J Super Hercules, options for various AW helicopter models and information on unmanned aerial systems. The aim of the tour was to present Leonardo as a kind of “one-stop store” for Dhaka’s ambitious aerospace plans.
Politics and geopolitics help decide
According to local reports, Bangladesh is considering the gradual procurement of 16 Eurofighter units to replace the ageing 36 F-7 interceptors supplied by China. In addition, there are still some MiG-29s in the inventory, but their operational readiness is severely limited due to overdue engine overhauls. Russia is now demanding advance payments for this, although there are also doubts about the reliability of Russian deliveries – particularly in view of the effects of the
The decision is therefore not only based on performance data or armament ranges, but also on strategic considerations. If Dhaka opts for the Eurofighter, this could be officially announced during the state visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni planned for August 2025 – with a significant geopolitical signal effect. Europe, which has had little military presence in Asia to date, would thus gain a rare strategic foothold in the increasingly Chinese-dominated security region of South Asia.
A neighbor with Eurofighters would probably also be more politically acceptable for India, from whose war with Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh emerged, than one with Chinese J-10Cs. On the one hand, due to the increasing encirclement by China’s “Silk Road” and “String of Pearls” strategies as well as the growing presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, Indian analysts fear that a BAF equipped with J-10Cs could motivate Dhaka to close ranks with Beijing or even to engage in maritime or territorial disputes. Myanmar – with its unstable military regime and historical tensions with Bangladesh – would also have to reassess its air defense strategy.
A decision in favour of the Eurofighter could therefore not only initiate a technological modernization, but also mark a symbolic turning point towards stronger Western defence cooperation. It would be a sign to India and China alike that Bangladesh is pursuing a diversified, independent security policy course – with a focus on performance and political independence.
Latest technology demonstrated
The Eurofighter ISPA6 (MM55169, registration IT014) used for the demonstration represents the latest state of the art that the manufacturer can currently demonstrate. ISPA6 is an Italian two-seater of Tranche 3 and the last instrumented test aircraft of the Typhoon program to date (maiden flight: 23 December 2020). After delivery to the Italian Air Force, it was used as a flying test platform for the new P3EB configuration (P-3 Enhancement Package).
This includes, among other things:
- the AESA ECRS Mk.0 radar
- the Lockheed Martin Sniper target container and its enhanced version “Enhanced Sniper Pod”,
- the P5 ACMI pod for flight data acquisition,
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as well as the integration of new precision weapons such as the GBU-31 JDAM.
These systems are now fully integrated into all Tranche 3 Eurofighters.
Here for more news about the armed forces from Bangladesh.
