LONDON November 20, 2007: According to Janes Defense Weekly website reported on November 17, Bangladesh has Not long ago, the Chinese ordered 16 F-7BGI fighter. Air Force Commander, General Meng Zi Ao Rahman recently attended an international conference in London announced that the newly purchased 16 F-7BGI delivery from 2012 onwards. However, he did not disclose the specific parties involved in the transaction amount. Presumably, these new aircraft will be deployed near the capital located in Meng Assad Air Base Squadron 21 for replacement of old equipment, A-5C attack aircraft.
F-7BGI is the latest model MiG-21 family, from Chinas Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group F-7 previously developed improvements made. Ziao Rahman said the general description, these new aircraft will be equipped with improved onboard systems, including hands on the bar control device (HOTAS), three multi-function displays and a HUD. The machine also has the ability to use guided weapons, the use of GPS signals to transmit high-precision air-guided bombs. Since its inception in the 1950s, MiG-21 has become the largest global production after World War II as a fighter, but the Chinese F-7BGI new orders received, making the production of MiG-21 series aircraft will be able to last until 2012 .
Bangladesh Air Force has long been China Series F-7 fighter one of the major users. Since 1989, the country has imported 44 batches of the type of aircraft, including 16 F-7MB and 16 F-BG fighter, 8 FT-7MB and four FT-7BG trainer. According to statistics, is still serving Meng Air Force F-7 series aircraft a total of 31, were deployed in Dhaka 库尔米托拉 Air Force Base.
air force commander said Meng, Meng purchase F-7BGI just before the Air Force in the new generation of fighter aircraft transitional measures. According to the plan, Meng Air Force will be purchased in the last 13-15 years, 20-32 new fighter aircraft, and most likely to be selected models, including the United States Lockheed Martin F-16, Russias MiG-29SMT and Su-30, and the Swedish Saab JAS-39 and so on.
In addition, the Bangladesh Air Force will purchase a number of new trainer aircraft, used to replace the existing fleet of L-39, while in 1999, equipped with 10 Russian-made MiG-29 fighters will also be upgraded in the coming years. (Compass)