A group of senior and mid ranking officials from the Bangladesh Air Force have visited Russia to resume discussions on the stalled maritime strike fighter aircraft acquisition talks.
The Bangladesh Air Force is seeking to add a squadron of land-based maritime strike fighter aircraft enabling it to support operations of the Bangladesh Navy during times of war.
Rosoboronexport and the United Aircraft Corporation, which owns the Irkut Aviation Plant in Siberia invited the Bangladesh Air Force members to visit the aircraft manufacturing factory. The Russians paid for the entire visit program illustrating their keenness to sell Su-30 multi-role fighter aircraft and Yak-130 advanced jet trainers to the Bangladesh Air Force.
This is the first time the Russians paid for such an evaluation trip allowing BAF officials to once more get an in-depth look at platforms that might eventually end up in the organisation’s inventory.
Previously Russia offered the Su-35, Su-30, Su-27 and MiG-35 to fulfil the Bangladesh Air Force’s requirement for modern multi-role capable combat platforms which would eventually replace the existing fleet of Chinese-origin fighter aircraft in its fleet.
The Bangladesh Air Force has already selected the Eurofighter Typhoon heavy multi-role combat aircraft to be its flagship platform. The Su-30SME still has an ample scope to join in a maritime strike capacity. This view is further enhanced by the fact that the Bangladesh Air Force has sent its MiG-29’s to Belarus for upgrading those air superiority aircraft to have multi-role capabilities that include anti-surface warfare operations using anti-ship missiles.
Both immediate neighbours of Bangladesh Air Force have purchased Su-30 fighter aircraft with the Indian Air Force being one of the largest operators of the heavy Russian fighter aircraft in the world. The Myanmar Air Force also purchased six Su-30 fighters in 2018.
Critics of Russian aircraft believe the Su-30 would not give the Bangladesh Air Force any distict advantage over the neighbouring air force’s fleet however those in favour of the purchase believe it would be a good way to field more proven combat aircraft sharing the same munitions as existing MiG-29’s.
The Indian Air Force is keen on enhancing defence ties with Bangladesh and the Government of India has offered a $500 million defence credit package to the Bangladesh Armed Forces for purchasing Indian made defence products or products they approve from a third country (such as Russia).
Bangladesh could in theory use the Indian funds to facilitate the purchase of the Su-30 fighters, which would in essence increase its operational capabilities in the short and midterms however others have opposed utilising any defence credits from India, given its track record against Bangladesh. Russia may offer defence credits of its own to the Bangladesh Air Force which might be enough to ensure Indian credits are not utilised at all.
The super-maneuverable Su-30SME two-seat fighter is equipped with phased-array radar, thrust vectoring engines and canard panels. It is capable of employing advanced high-precision air-to-air and air-to-surface weaponry.
The aircraft may be used for training pilots of advanced multirole super-maneuverable single-seat fighters. Su-30SME belongs to the Su-30MKI combat aircraft family. The fighter is adapted to the requirements of the Russian Air Force for radar, communication, and IFF systems, as well as weaponry, ejection seat, and a number of supporting systems.
