The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) acquisition/deployment scheme of the Bangladesh Army is quite a complex multi-tier programme that involves local production as well as foreign made acquisitions. There will be multiple types imported from Turkey and the US.
Infantry, Special Forces, Artillery. Combat Engineers and Army Aviation are going to deploy UAV/UCAV/UAS of different specifications in accordance to their mission requirements as per Forces Goal 2030.
Currently the Army deploys unarmed UAVs and target practice drones that were imported from Slovenia, China and Turkey. They were observed to deploy UAVs numerous times during military training exercises and counter-terrorism operations.
Infantry
Infantry units and formations will deploy small and medium sized unarmed UAVs for to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and assist with battlefield planning, damage assessment and planning.
Special Forces
UAS will be deployed by the Special Forces, besides small-diameter loitering aerial munitions to conduct surveillance on targets or neutralise them. Such UAS will be deployed at battalion level.
Artillery
Air defence artillery branch of the Bangladesh Army is the first unit to operate any form of UAVs in the entire force. It employs target drones for training purposes. Those were locally built as well as imported from foreign sources.
The GMLRS regiments will deploy a set of UAVs to conduct target selection, target guiding and battlefield damage assessment. Some GMLRS of the Bangladesh Army will be capable of receiving target information during mid-course of the flight, thereby improving accuracy manifold.
Combat Engineers
Combat and Riverine engineers of the Bangladesh Army will use UAVs to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, patrolling and survey of operational area using unarmed UAVs. They will also employ them for demining operations and CEID role.
Army Aviation
The Army Aviation group will operate MALE UCAVs to undertake offensive combat operations such as targeted destruction of adversaries command posts, troop concentrations and artillery/air defence emplacements. They will deploy the most expensive UCAVs.
