Bangladesh considers JF-17 fighter jet acquisition following talks with Pakistan Air Force.

Bangladesh and Pakistan opened formal air force-level talks in Islamabad on January 6, 2026, examining the possible acquisition of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets alongside training and maintenance cooperation.

On January 6, 2026, Bangladesh and Pakistan formally opened high-level talks in Islamabad that included detailed discussions on a possible Bangladeshi procurement of the JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter jet. The meeting involved the chiefs of air staff of both countries and covered aircraft acquisition, training cooperation, and sustainment support, as Bangladesh reviews options to replace aging combat aircraft under its long-term air force modernization plan.
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The Bangladesh Air Force could purchase between 20 and 32 JF-17 Thunder jets to progressively replace aging Chinese and Russian fighters while staying within financial and sustainment limits (Picture source: Pakistan Air Force)

The meeting brought together Bangladesh Air Force Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Pakistan Air Force Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at Pakistan Air Force Headquarters, combining ceremonial protocol such as a guard of honour with substantive exchanges on operational cooperation. Beyond aircraft acquisition, the talks addressed training pipelines, long-term sustainment, and institutional cooperation, reflecting Dhaka’s continuing reassessment of its air combat modernization options amid evolving regional and political conditions.

During the meeting, both air chiefs focused on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy, with an emphasis on training, capacity building, and aerospace collaboration. Pakistan reaffirmed its willingness to support the Bangladesh Air Force through a comprehensive training framework covering basic, advanced, and specialized flying courses across Pakistan Air Force institutions. A key element of the discussion involved assurances related to fast-tracked delivery of Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, coupled with a broader training and long-term support ecosystem intended to ensure continuity in pilot training and aircraft availability. The Bangladeshi side also sought assistance in maintenance support for its aging fleet and in the integration of air defense radar systems to improve national air surveillance coverage.

The talks took place against a backdrop of shifting regional relationships and renewed bilateral engagement. Pakistan has been seeking to expand defense exports following its air force’s operational experience during the May 2025 conflict with India, described as the most serious fighting between the two countries in nearly three decades. At the same time, relations between Islamabad and Dhaka have warmed since protests in August 2024 led to the departure of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India, which strained Bangladesh’s ties with New Delhi. Since then, Pakistan and Bangladesh have resumed direct trade for the first time since the 1971 war that resulted in Bangladesh’s independence, while senior military officials from both sides have held multiple engagements aimed at establishing longer-term strategic cooperation.

Under the Forces Goal 2030 program, launched in 2009 and revised in 2017, Bangladesh has set out a requirement to introduce 20 to 32 modern multirole combat aircraft to progressively replace aging fighters while staying within financial and sustainment limits. For now, the Bangladesh Air Force continues to operate as a mid-sized service responsible for air defense, reconnaissance, transport, training, and support to national security operations. Founded in September 1971 following the Liberation War, the force today comprises around 17,000 active-duty personnel and operates slightly more than 200 aircraft across combat, training, transport, and rotary-wing roles. Its organizational structure and mission set require maintaining continuous airspace coverage while also absorbing new technologies, aircraft types, and support systems under long-term modernization planning. These demands place particular emphasis on pilot training capacity, maintenance infrastructure, and air surveillance integration.

Bangladesh’s current combat aviation capability is centered on a fleet of Chinese- and Russian-origin aircraft, notably approximately 50 outdated Chinese-built F-7 fighters and eight MiG-29s acquired in the late 1990s. This situation stems largely from prolonged delays in multirole fighter procurement, repeated tender cancellations, and shifting political priorities that postponed fleet renewal despite long-standing plans. While these fighter jets continue to provide basic air defense coverage, they face increasing limitations in avionics, sensor performance, and weapons integration compared with newer regional systems. To address these gaps, Bangladesh has pursued several parallel procurement paths in recent years, as multiple crashes due to fleet aging have been recorded over the past two decades. In 2025, Dhaka began a process to acquire 20 Chengdu J-10CE fighters under a contract valued at about $2.2 billion, with deliveries planned to conclude by 2027 and payments extending into the mid-2030s (if fully approved, which no longer seems to be the case), while also signing a letter of intent in December 2025 related to a potential Eurofighter Typhoon acquisition.

This whole context explains why the JF-17 Thunder has emerged as one of the options under active consideration by Bangladesh due to its positioning as a cost-conscious multirole fighter. Jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation, the single-engine JF-17, also designated FC-1 in China, was conceived to replace older third-generation fighters and to perform air-to-air, ground-attack, and maritime strike missions. The aircraft is powered by the Russian-designed RD-93 engine, offering a degree of commonality with Bangladesh’s existing MiG-29 fleet, which could simplify certain aspects of maintenance and logistics. Depending on configuration, the JF-17 is typically described as capable of speeds around Mach 1.6 to Mach 1.8, with a service ceiling approaching 17,000 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 13,500 kilograms.

The most recent Block III variant, which features prominently in export discussions and was recently deployed by Azerbaijan, incorporates an active electronically scanned array radar identified as KLJ-7A, improved sensor fusion, a helmet-mounted display and sight system, missile-approach warning sensors, and updated electronic warfare components. The aircraft supports a mix of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, including beyond-visual-range missiles such as the PL-15E, within-visual-range missiles like the PL-10E, guided bombs, and anti-ship munitions, carried across eight external hardpoints with an overall payload of around 1,500 kilograms. Production of the JF-17 is split between China and Pakistan, with final assembly conducted at PAC Kamra, and annual production capacity commonly cited at about 20 aircraft, positioning the platform as an export-oriented fighter aligned with the financial and operational constraints of air forces seeking incremental modernization.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.