Bangladesh to Purchase 20 Chinese J-10CE Fighter Jets in $2.2 Billion Defense Deal
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Bangladesh is moving forward with a $2.2 billion deal to acquire 20 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter aircraft under its Forces Goal 2030 program. The purchase includes training, maintenance, and logistical support through 2036, strengthening Dhaka’s long-term defense capabilities.Official sources in Bangladesh and China confirmed that Bangladesh is advancing plans to purchase 20 J-10CE multirole fighter aircraft from China, valued at about $2.20 billion (Tk 27,060 crore). The agreement, part of the nation’s Forces Goal 2030 modernization initiative, includes pilot and crew training, maintenance support, and integrated logistics through 2035–36. The move underscores Bangladesh’s effort to enhance regional airpower and modernize its military infrastructure.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Chengdu J-10CE, the export variant of China’s J-10C multirole fighter, combines a canard-delta aerodynamic design with an AESA radar, digital flight control system, and compatibility with advanced PL-10 and PL-15 missiles. (Picture source: Wikimedia)
The proposed acquisition, which is expected to be executed during fiscal years 2026 and 2027, will be financed under a ten-year payment plan. While final terms are under review, Bangladesh is considering a government-to-government (G2G) framework with China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), to ensure stable delivery schedules, access to spares, and lifecycle sustainment support.
From a technical standpoint, the J-10CE represents a generational leap for the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). The aircraft is the export variant of the Chengdu J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter currently in service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a diverterless supersonic intake, and canard-delta wing configuration, providing superior aerodynamic performance and agility in both high and low-altitude regimes.
The J-10CE’s mission avionics suite supports advanced sensor fusion and data-link capabilities compatible with modern Chinese air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions. It can deploy the PL-15 long-range beyond-visual-range missile with active radar guidance, the PL-10 short-range infrared missile, and a variety of precision-guided bombs and stand-off strike weapons. According to open-source assessments, the J-10CE can perform both air-superiority and strike missions, giving Bangladesh a true multirole capability absent in its current fleet of F-7BGI and MiG-29UB aircraft.
Operationally, the integration of the J-10CE will require the BAF to modernize its command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems. The aircraft’s digital architecture supports networked operations when paired with airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) assets, allowing multi-ship formations to share radar and targeting data in real time. To fully exploit these features, the Air Force plans to expand ground-based data-link networks and improve radar coverage over the Bay of Bengal and the southeastern border corridor.
Two BAF bases—Cox’s Bazar Air Base and Barishal Air Station—are being prepared for future J-10CE deployment. Both locations provide direct access to maritime approaches and allow overlapping radar coverage with Chattogram, creating a continuous air defense envelope along the coast. These bases will host newly constructed hardened shelters, modern fuel storage, and maintenance facilities to support high-intensity sortie operations.
In a regional context, the introduction of 4.5-generation fighters into the BAF inventory would significantly elevate Bangladesh’s deterrence posture and air policing capability. The aircraft’s long-range engagement envelope, estimated at over 200 km with the PL-15 missile, would allow Dhaka to monitor and secure its airspace and maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) more effectively. The J-10CE’s multirole configuration also enhances flexibility for interdiction, maritime strike, and close air support missions, contributing to joint operations with naval and ground forces.
Neighboring countries are expected to assess the acquisition primarily in terms of regional force balance. India, which fields Dassault Rafale, Su-30MKI, and Tejas Mk1A fighters, maintains technological superiority, but Bangladesh’s modernization narrows the gap in sensor and missile capabilities. For regional stability, the addition of the J-10CEs introduces a new variable in airspace management and maritime surveillance in the Bay of Bengal theater, potentially leading to more structured airspace coordination and regional engagement exercises.
From an operational readiness perspective, the J-10CE fleet will enable the BAF to retire its legacy platforms that have exceeded design lifespans and faced increasing maintenance demands. Following several recent incidents involving aging F-7 aircraft, including a 2025 crash in Dhaka, modernization is now considered critical for flight safety and mission reliability.
If the deal is finalized in 2026, pilot conversion training is expected to take place in China beginning in 2027, with initial aircraft deliveries by late 2027 or early 2028. Full operational capability could be achieved by 2030, establishing a two-squadron J-10CE wing capable of sustained quick reaction alert (QRA) duties and high-altitude interception missions.
The acquisition would mark a transformational step in the Bangladesh Air Force’s evolution from a legacy interceptor fleet toward a digitally networked combat force. Beyond its national defense implications, it also reinforces the ongoing trend across South and Southeast Asia of air forces shifting toward multirole 4.5-generation platforms capable of integrated, network-centric operations.Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition GroupAlain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.
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Bangladesh is moving forward with a $2.2 billion deal to acquire 20 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter aircraft under its Forces Goal 2030 program. The purchase includes training, maintenance, and logistical support through 2036, strengthening Dhaka’s long-term defense capabilities.
Official sources in Bangladesh and China confirmed that Bangladesh is advancing plans to purchase 20 J-10CE multirole fighter aircraft from China, valued at about $2.20 billion (Tk 27,060 crore). The agreement, part of the nation’s Forces Goal 2030 modernization initiative, includes pilot and crew training, maintenance support, and integrated logistics through 2035–36. The move underscores Bangladesh’s effort to enhance regional airpower and modernize its military infrastructure.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Chengdu J-10CE, the export variant of China’s J-10C multirole fighter, combines a canard-delta aerodynamic design with an AESA radar, digital flight control system, and compatibility with advanced PL-10 and PL-15 missiles. (Picture source: Wikimedia)
The proposed acquisition, which is expected to be executed during fiscal years 2026 and 2027, will be financed under a ten-year payment plan. While final terms are under review, Bangladesh is considering a government-to-government (G2G) framework with China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), to ensure stable delivery schedules, access to spares, and lifecycle sustainment support.
From a technical standpoint, the J-10CE represents a generational leap for the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). The aircraft is the export variant of the Chengdu J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter currently in service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a diverterless supersonic intake, and canard-delta wing configuration, providing superior aerodynamic performance and agility in both high and low-altitude regimes.
The J-10CE’s mission avionics suite supports advanced sensor fusion and data-link capabilities compatible with modern Chinese air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions. It can deploy the PL-15 long-range beyond-visual-range missile with active radar guidance, the PL-10 short-range infrared missile, and a variety of precision-guided bombs and stand-off strike weapons. According to open-source assessments, the J-10CE can perform both air-superiority and strike missions, giving Bangladesh a true multirole capability absent in its current fleet of F-7BGI and MiG-29UB aircraft.
Operationally, the integration of the J-10CE will require the BAF to modernize its command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems. The aircraft’s digital architecture supports networked operations when paired with airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) assets, allowing multi-ship formations to share radar and targeting data in real time. To fully exploit these features, the Air Force plans to expand ground-based data-link networks and improve radar coverage over the Bay of Bengal and the southeastern border corridor.
Two BAF bases—Cox’s Bazar Air Base and Barishal Air Station—are being prepared for future J-10CE deployment. Both locations provide direct access to maritime approaches and allow overlapping radar coverage with Chattogram, creating a continuous air defense envelope along the coast. These bases will host newly constructed hardened shelters, modern fuel storage, and maintenance facilities to support high-intensity sortie operations.
In a regional context, the introduction of 4.5-generation fighters into the BAF inventory would significantly elevate Bangladesh’s deterrence posture and air policing capability. The aircraft’s long-range engagement envelope, estimated at over 200 km with the PL-15 missile, would allow Dhaka to monitor and secure its airspace and maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) more effectively. The J-10CE’s multirole configuration also enhances flexibility for interdiction, maritime strike, and close air support missions, contributing to joint operations with naval and ground forces.
Neighboring countries are expected to assess the acquisition primarily in terms of regional force balance. India, which fields Dassault Rafale, Su-30MKI, and Tejas Mk1A fighters, maintains technological superiority, but Bangladesh’s modernization narrows the gap in sensor and missile capabilities. For regional stability, the addition of the J-10CEs introduces a new variable in airspace management and maritime surveillance in the Bay of Bengal theater, potentially leading to more structured airspace coordination and regional engagement exercises.
From an operational readiness perspective, the J-10CE fleet will enable the BAF to retire its legacy platforms that have exceeded design lifespans and faced increasing maintenance demands. Following several recent incidents involving aging F-7 aircraft, including a 2025 crash in Dhaka, modernization is now considered critical for flight safety and mission reliability.
If the deal is finalized in 2026, pilot conversion training is expected to take place in China beginning in 2027, with initial aircraft deliveries by late 2027 or early 2028. Full operational capability could be achieved by 2030, establishing a two-squadron J-10CE wing capable of sustained quick reaction alert (QRA) duties and high-altitude interception missions.
The acquisition would mark a transformational step in the Bangladesh Air Force’s evolution from a legacy interceptor fleet toward a digitally networked combat force. Beyond its national defense implications, it also reinforces the ongoing trend across South and Southeast Asia of air forces shifting toward multirole 4.5-generation platforms capable of integrated, network-centric operations.
Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.
