Bangladesh is moving forward with plans to purchase 20 J-10CE fighter jets from China. The J-10CE gained international attention last year when it shot down a French-made Rafale fighter during a conflict between India and Pakistan in early May.
A senior advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh revealed at a recent press conference that the country is working on acquiring J-10CE fighter jets, armed helicopters, and drones from China, as reported by the Chinese state-run Global Times, citing local media.
The advisor stated, "If funding is secured, the purchase could be finalized this year; otherwise, it may be postponed until next year." He added, "The Defense Procurement Committee has prepared a draft agreement, which is currently under official review by relevant departments." He also noted that compared to similar performance aircraft like the Rafale or Eurofighter Typhoon, Chinese jets are significantly cheaper.
Reports indicate that Bangladesh plans to acquire 20 J-10CE fighter jets. If the purchase goes through, it is expected to strengthen military cooperation between Bangladesh and China.
The J-10 is a fighter jet developed by China, which has been operational since 2003. The J-10C, first unveiled in 2017, is considered an upgraded version and classified as a 4.5 generation fighter. The J-10CE is the export variant of the J-10C, equipped with China's PL-15 air-to-air missile. It was reported that a J-10CE operated by the Pakistani military shot down a Rafale using the PL-15E missile in May of last year.
Since the Rafale incident in May, there have been reports of countries such as Indonesia, Algeria, Serbia, and Uzbekistan planning to purchase the J-10CE from China. However, there have been no confirmed government-level purchases to date. Bangladesh's acquisition is still in the planning stages and has not yet been finalized.
Earlier this month, foreign media reported that Uzbekistan has already introduced and is operating the J-10CE, but neither the Chinese nor Uzbek governments have officially confirmed this.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.