Bangladesh has taken a significant step toward one of its most ambitious defence modernisation efforts in recent years, with the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) signing a letter of intent (LOI) with Italian aerospace giant Leonardo for the future acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft. The LOI was formalised on December 9, 2025, at BAF headquarters in Dhaka, witnessed by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Italy\u2019s Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro, and senior defence representatives from both nations.<\/strong><\/p>\nThe agreement marks a key milestone in Bangladesh\u2019s Forces Goal 2030 programme \u2014 an ongoing, multi-branch modernisation roadmap aimed at overhauling the country\u2019s military capabilities across air, land, and sea. For the BAF, the Typhoon procurement signals a move toward high-end Western airpower after years of relying primarily on Russian and Chinese platforms.<\/p>\n
Leonardo, which holds a 21% stake in the Eurofighter consortium, is leading the Bangladeshi procurement effort. Should the deal proceed to a firm contract, the aircraft would almost certainly undergo final assembly at Leonardo\u2019s facility in Turin, Italy. Earlier in 2025, BAF evaluation teams travelled to Turin to assess the Typhoon firsthand. Their test flights used the ISPA 6 instrumented production aircraft equipped with the Captor-E active electronically scanned array radar and the advanced P3Eb upgrade package, signalling that Bangladesh is seeking a cutting-edge variant of the fighter.<\/p>\n
Although the exact number of aircraft will be finalised later, Bangladeshi officials have previously indicated interest in acquiring between 10 and 16 aircraft in this category. France had lobbied Dhaka to consider the Dassault Rafale, but the Typhoon has long been viewed as the preferred choice. The new fleet is intended to replace ageing Chengdu J-7s and legacy MiG-29s, both of which now struggle to meet modern operational demands.<\/p>\n
The shift away from Russian platforms is partly driven by logistical difficulties and the tightening sanctions regime linked to the war in Ukraine, which has complicated access to parts and support. While Bangladesh maintains strong defence ties with China, the Typhoon deal signals Dhaka\u2019s intention to diversify away from reliance on any single supplier. The BAF is still expected to acquire China\u2019s Chengdu J-10C, and there are persistent rumours about a possible future order of Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 fighters. Even without a JF-17 purchase, a mixed fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons and J-10Cs would represent a dramatic leap in Bangladesh\u2019s air combat capability.<\/p>\n
If deliveries occur after Turkey receives its first batch of aircraft, Bangladesh is poised to become the 11th operator of the Typhoon globally \u2014 and the first outside Europe and the Middle East. Southeast Asia has historically leaned toward European designs like the Rafale, now on order by Indonesia and operated by India, or the Saab Gripen, in service with Thailand. Dhaka\u2019s move toward the Typhoon therefore marks a rare expansion of the aircraft\u2019s presence in the broader Indo-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh\u2019s aircraft are expected to be delivered in the Tranche 4 configuration. As Tranche 5 production will not begin until the early 2030s, the BAF\u2019s Typhoons would feature many of the latest enhancements without waiting for the next-generation version. A full contract would also include Western weapons integration, as the Typhoon cannot operate Bangladesh\u2019s existing stocks of Russian and Chinese missiles.<\/p>\n
This acquisition would deepen Bangladesh\u2019s already robust relationship with Leonardo, whose products feature prominently across the country\u2019s military inventory. The armed forces operate AW109, AW119, and AW139 helicopters for training, utility, and search-and-rescue missions. Bangladesh has also fielded Leonardo\u2019s Falco unmanned aerial vehicles, originally designed by Selex ES, which support UN peacekeeping deployments and can be armed with Turkish CIRIT laser-guided rockets for precision strike missions.<\/p>\n
Leonardo has also supplied key sensor systems to Dhaka\u2019s defence establishment. The Bangladesh Army uses the KRONOS LAND surveillance radar, whose underlying technology shares lineage with the CAPTOR-E radar now under consideration for the Typhoon. The Bangladesh Navy, meanwhile, employs Leonardo\u2019s Seaspray 5000E maritime radar aboard its Dornier Do 228 patrol aircraft.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Forces Goal 2030 identifies the need for a long-range maritime patrol aircraft \u2014 a requirement Leonardo could potentially meet with its ATR 72MP or a future long-range platform derived from Bombardier\u2019s Global series. With Bangladesh responsible for monitoring an exclusive economic zone of more than 118,000 square kilometres in the Bay of Bengal, and with piracy in the region described by experts as a \u201cticking time bomb,\u201d Dhaka\u2019s interest in expanding its air-maritime surveillance capabilities is likely to grow.<\/p>\n
The Eurofighter Typhoon deal would stand as one of the most consequential airpower acquisitions in Bangladesh\u2019s history \u2014 signalling not only a dramatic technological upgrade but also a broader strategic realignment toward diversified, high-end Western defence partnerships.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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