Bangladesh Air Force

[Jobless Jack]

Looking at the conditions of IAF and BAF it gets clearer how successful the PAF is!! How do they maintain 400+ battle ready fighters with a meager budget?!?! Not to mention AWACS, EW, refueling, AD, radars etc.!!! And, that too with extensive ops, training, maintenance, weapons, in-house manufacturing, R&D etc.!! BAF should learn from PAF....

Well PAF has bigger territory to defend. So it needs all that equipment to function and serve its purpose.

As for BAF, they will have an easier time defending BD, but only if they show half they efficiency that PAF shows. 2-3 smart purchase and BAf can easily defend BD skies compared to the effort PAF has to put to defend their territory.

Heck, the way things are going BA might have to open their own fighter command..

 

[Indos]

Better spend on radar and medium range SAM system first until 2026 after that Bangladesh can try to order KF21 block 1 inshaAllah that I believe can be upgraded into block 2 by replacing the modular belly part into STEALTH version

China made or Norwegian made can be picked

NASAM

KF-X Fighter Price Sets at 65 Million USD

KAI sets sights on Asia No. 1 in ‘new space’ era By Kim Byung-wook Korea‘s sole aircraft manufacturer aims to carve out a niche in satellite biz; KF-X fighter price set at $65m Published : Apr 4, 2021 - 16:30...

defence.pk

 

[Indos]

While latest version of Eurofighter cost about 153 million USD per unit and it cannot be upgraded into STEALTH version. According to Indonesian KFX/IFX team, KF 21 fuselage can conceal the engine heat and it has semi recessed 4 hard point to conceal the heat of missiles. So basically block 1 is quite STEALTHY if it only carry 4 AA missiles.

2030 above is STEALTH era, better think long term and right now Bangladesh is not facing immediate threat.

Here you can see semi recessed hard points, it has 10 hard points

Specs and capabilities, it has much hire T/W Ratio than Rafale and will use Meteor missile for BVR combat.

 

[Indos]

Modular belly part that I believe can be upgraded into block 2 belly modular part. The belly can carry 6 AA missiles and we also can see it possibly enough space for several bombs as well in full STEALTH version.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1323911862707122177

LIG Nex1 delivers EW self-protection system prototype for KF-X fighter aircraft

South Korean defence company LIG Nex1 has developed an electronic warfare (EW) self-protection system for integration with the Korean Fighter eXperimental (KF-X) fighter...

www.janes.com

 

[mb444]

While capacity constrains effect them too they’re in a much better position than BAF, with one squadron rafale deployed in eastern command and atleast one sukhoi, we are nowhere near minimum deterrence with 8 or 16 EFT
With that same 3.5-4 bln we could have gone for 2 squadron gripens. A much cost effective choice
If you remember I used to be against gripen but now after seeing our abysmal situation it’s a no brainer to select gripen or f16 block 60-70 for Bangladesh’s use case

Bro British airspace was also tiny but they needed to have their planes saved up for massive assault ofc not comparable to modern warfare but quantity is necessary especially when you neighbor dwarfs you.
pakistan god their airforce model right. Have decent number of aircrafts that gets the job done well enough

No can not agree. Gripens can not withstand raffles, russian jets yes.

EFT can dominate both. Sukhoi are toast from the outset... raffles will pose significant challenge but can be overcome.

There will be no wvr engagement..... it will all be bvr.... eft will see adversaries first, release missiles and leave the theatre for reload.

Barring catastrophic strategic or intelligence failure EFT should hold its own for a while eliminating IAF assets in numbers.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Well PAF has bigger territory to defend. So it needs all that equipment to function and serve its purpose.

As for BAF, they will have an easier time defending BD, but only if they show half they efficiency that PAF shows. 2-3 smart purchase and BAf can easily defend BD skies compared to the effort PAF has to put to defend their territory.

Heck, the way things are going BA might have to open their own fighter command..

Many a top PAF pilot in the past were from the East Pak! PAF has named their bases after them! Really a sorry state for BAF....

 

[Michael Corleone]

No can not agree. Gripens can not withstand raffles, russian jets yes.

EFT can dominate both. Sukhoi are toast from the outset... raffles will pose significant challenge but can be overcome.

There will be no wvr engagement..... it will all be bvr.... eft will see adversaries first, release missiles and leave the theatre for reload.

Barring catastrophic strategic or intelligence failure EFT should hold its own for a while eliminating IAF assets in numbers.

Why do you think gripen won’t hold its own against rafale?
It has world class ecw and avionics suite and can hold its own against all us fighters including f15s, except f22 and f35s. Rafale is no where near the level of f22s so I would like to know why your conclusion is that

 

[Jobless Jack]

No can not agree. Gripens can not withstand raffles, russian jets yes.

EFT can dominate both. Sukhoi are toast from the outset... raffles will pose significant challenge but can be overcome.

There will be no wvr engagement..... it will all be bvr.... eft will see adversaries first, release missiles and leave the theatre for reload.

Barring catastrophic strategic or intelligence failure EFT should hold its own for a while eliminating IAF assets in numbers.

In all honesty i would rather have numbers. J10 produced inhouse. Thrown at IAF. Soviet style

 

[Destranator]

In all honesty i would rather have numbers. J10 produced inhouse. Thrown at IAF. Soviet style

I agree that we need numbers. Entire Bangladesh is within the range of Indian artillery/missiles. We will inevitably lose many fighters on the ground.

However, Gripen would be a much better choice than J-10 for many reasons including the below:
Network integration with EFTs. You can use the same AEW&C aircraft and network to connect EFTs and Gripens. On the other hand, if we get J-10s we would have to maintain two different sets of AEW&C networks and aircraft. Good luck getting BAF to find the balls to ask govt for two different sets of AEW&C aircraft.

AEW&C is absolutely vital for BAF because of our tight airspace. There is very little margin for error. BAF needs to be able to detect enemy aircraft and artillery movement and scramble its own fighters immediately.

 

[Jobless Jack]

I agree that we need numbers. Entire Bangladesh is within the range of Indian artillery/missiles. We will inevitably lose many fighters onnthe ground.

However, Gripen would be a much better choice than J-10 for many reasons including the below:
Network integration with EFTs. You can use the same AEW&C aircraft and network to connect EFTs and Gripens. On the other hand, if we get J-10s we would have to maintain two different sets of AEW&C networks and aircraft. Good luck getting BAF to find the balls to ask govt for two different sets of AEW&C aircraft.

forget AEW's I will be happy the day I see BAF operating 20+ 4 gen MRCA's .

will probably die from shock .

 

[Avicenna]

I agree that we need numbers. Entire Bangladesh is within the range of Indian artillery/missiles. We will inevitably lose many fighters on the ground.

However, Gripen would be a much better choice than J-10 for many reasons including the below:
Network integration with EFTs. You can use the same AEW&C aircraft and network to connect EFTs and Gripens. On the other hand, if we get J-10s we would have to maintain two different sets of AEW&C networks and aircraft. Good luck getting BAF to find the balls to ask govt for two different sets of AEW&C aircraft.

AEW&C is absolutely vital for BAF because of our tight airspace. There is very little margin for error. BAF needs to be able to detect enemy aircraft and artillery movement and scramble its own fighters immediately.

Also, Gripen has better short field performance.

Runways in BD are vulnerable.

Dispersal is more feasible with Gripen although I don't know if there are highways in BD that allow for this to be possible.

 

[UKBengali]

Better spend on radar and medium range SAM system first until 2026 after that Bangladesh can try to order KF21 block 1 inshaAllah that I believe can be upgraded into block 2 by replacing the modular belly part into STEALTH version

China made or Norwegian made can be picked

NASAM

View attachment 735993
View attachment 735992
View attachment 735994

KF-X Fighter Price Sets at 65 Million USD

KAI sets sights on Asia No. 1 in ‘new space’ era By Kim Byung-wook Korea‘s sole aircraft manufacturer aims to carve out a niche in satellite biz; KF-X fighter price set at $65m Published : Apr 4, 2021 - 16:30...

defence.pk

I agree with ordering MRSAM first but like I already said for strategic reasons BAF cannot order the KF-X fighter.
TF-X and J-35s should be the 5th gen fighters of choice for BD.

No can not agree. Gripens can not withstand raffles, russian jets yes.

EFT can dominate both. Sukhoi are toast from the outset... raffles will pose significant challenge but can be overcome.

There will be no wvr engagement..... it will all be bvr.... eft will see adversaries first, release missiles and leave the theatre for reload.

Barring catastrophic strategic or intelligence failure EFT should hold its own for a while eliminating IAF assets in numbers.

Who said a Gripen with AESA radar, upgraded electronics and Meteor cannot take on a Rafale? The area where Rafale really excels over Gripen is air-to-ground as it can carry a much heavier ordnance load.

I would think that there would be more air-to-air difference between EFT and Rafale than that between Rafale and Gripen.

Also, Gripen has better short field performance.

Runways in BD are vulnerable.

Dispersal is more feasible with Gripen although I don't know if there are highways in BD that allow for this to be possible.

There are plenty of 4-6 lane highways being built in BD right now that can be will be suitable for Gripen.

Yes, that is another big advantage of Gripen as it would allow dispersal of the BAF fleet in case of war with India, where it's airbases would come under constant attack from bombs, missiles and MLRS.

I think that unfortunately the Gripen ship has sailed now and BAF looks likely to order 16 EFTs for its MRCA requirement.

 

[Jobless Jack]

Also, Gripen has better short field performance.

Runways in BD are vulnerable.

Dispersal is more feasible with Gripen although I don't know if there are highways in BD that allow for this to be possible.

The effectiveness of this tactic will Depend on how long can BA hold the ground against IA before using guerilla tactics

In any conflict with India, BAF's role will be crucial in the first 3-4 days. after that its just interception duty..

 

[mb444]

While latest version of Eurofighter cost about 153 million USD per unit and it cannot be upgraded into STEALTH version. According to Indonesian KFX/IFX team, KF 21 fuselage can conceal the engine heat and it has semi recessed 4 hard point to conceal the heat of missiles. So basically block 1 is quite STEALTHY if it only carry 4 AA missiles.

2030 above is STEALTH era, better think long term and right now Bangladesh is not facing immediate threat.

Here you can see semi recessed hard points, it has 10 hard points

View attachment 735998
View attachment 735999

Specs and capabilities, it has much hire T/W Ratio than Rafale

I agree with ordering MRSAM first but like I already said for strategic reasons BAF cannot order the KF-X fighter.
TF-X and J-35s should be the 5th gen fighters of choice for BD.



Who said a Gripen with AESA radar, upgraded electronics and Meteor cannot take on a Rafale? The area where Rafale really excels over Gripen is air-to-ground as it can carry a much heavier ordnance load.

I would think that there would be more air-to-air difference between EFT and Rafale than that between Rafale and Gripen.






There are plenty of 4-6 lane highways being built in BD right now that can be will be suitable for Gripen.

Yes, that is another big advantage of Gripen as it would allow dispersal of the BAF fleet in case of war with India, where it's airbases would come under constant attack from bombs, missiles and MLRS.

I think that unfortunately the Gripen ship has sailed now and BAF looks likely to order 16 EFTs for its MRCA requirement.

Grippen is a capable fighter that can hold its own against raffle.

But given BAF will always have a quantitative disadvantage against IAF what deterrance value is their getting an on par jet?

EFT on the other hand is better than raffle in terms of air dominance. BAF needs quality where it can not match quantity....it also needs the greatest range and loitering capacity.

Grippen dispersal strategies is entirely irrelevant....we can not afford them in numbers for it to matter. Swedish asset dispersal strategy is there to slow russian advance and buy time until the west mobilises and comes to their aid.

BD has no such alliance. We are on our own. So we need to get the biggest and most deadly platform we can get. Our only chance is to hit IAF hard and fast... we can not afford any war of attrition.

 

[UKBengali]

Grippen dispersal strategies is entirely irrelevant....we can not afford them in numbers for it to matter. Swedish asset dispersal strategy is there to slow russian advance and buy time until the west mobilises and comes to their aid.

BD has no such alliance. We are on our own. So we need to get the biggest and most deadly platform we can get. Our only chance is to hit IAF hard and fast... we can not afford any war of attrition.

Fair enough but I would have to disagree with Gripen's dispersal strategy angle. Having the option of being able to take off from the thousands of kms of motorways that have been and will be built in BD over this decade always gives you more options.

Also remember that BAF can buy and operate twice as many Gripens as EFT and so would 16 EFTs be a better deterrent than 32-40 Gripens? I would say yes, as the EFT is a fair bit better in the air-to-air role than the Rafale that India would have.