Bangladesh is accelerating plans to procure up to 24 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter jets, a deal that would make it the second country after Pakistan to acquire this 4.5-generation aircraft, with a potential agreement expected by August of this year at an estimated cost of $40 million per unit. This development comes as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visits China, where discussions are advancing and numerous other agreements are anticipated, signaling an upgrade in bilateral relations from a strategic partnership to a "community with a shared future," underscoring China's significant role as an ally to Bangladesh. The J-10CE, known as the "Vigorous Dragon," is capable of Mach 2.0 speeds, air superiority, precision strikes, and possesses a combat radius over 1,000 km, offering enhanced operational flexibility to the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Bangladesh is accelerating plans to procure up to 24 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter jets, a deal that would make it the second country after Pakistan to acquire this 4.5-generation aircraft, with a potential agreement expected by August of this year at an estimated cost of $40 million per unit. This development comes as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visits China, where discussions are advancing and numerous other agreements are anticipated, signaling an upgrade in bilateral relations from a strategic partnership to a "community with a shared future," underscoring China's significant role as an ally to Bangladesh. The J-10CE, known as the "Vigorous Dragon," is capable of Mach 2.0 speeds, air superiority, precision strikes, and possesses a combat radius over 1,000 km, offering enhanced operational flexibility to the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Bangladesh is accelerating plans to procure up to 24 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter jets, a deal that would make it the second country after Pakistan to acquire this 4.5-generation aircraft, with a potential agreement expected by August of this year at an estimated cost of $40 million per unit. This development comes as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visits China, where discussions are advancing and numerous other agreements are anticipated, signaling an upgrade in bilateral relations from a strategic partnership to a "community with a shared future," underscoring China's significant role as an ally to Bangladesh. The J-10CE, known as the "Vigorous Dragon," is capable of Mach 2.0 speeds, air superiority, precision strikes, and possesses a combat radius over 1,000 km, offering enhanced operational flexibility to the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Bangladesh is accelerating plans to procure the J-10CE multirole fighter jet, the export variant of China's 4.5-generation J-10C fighter aircraft that was reportedly deployed by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor against India.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during his ongoing visit to China, is expected to advance talks on procuring up to 24 of these fighter jets. If the deal goes through, Bangladesh will be the second country to procure the fighter jet after Pakistan.

"We hope to sign the fighter jet purchase agreement by August this year," Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Waadaa quoted a government official as saying.

Each J-10CE aircraft, also known as the "Vigorous Dragon", is reportedly valued at around $40 million.

The 4.5-generation multirole fighter, the Chengdu J-10C, was developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and has been in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since 2018.

The J-10C can reach speeds of up to Mach 2.0 and is capable of carrying out both air-superiority and precision-strike missions. With a combat radius exceeding 1,000 km, the fighter offers significant operational flexibility to the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

During the Bangladeshi prime minister's visit to China, the two countries are expected to sign as many as 17 agreements, including 15 MoUs, even as the two sides upgrade their relationship from a strategic partnership to a "community with a shared future", according to media reports.

China is a very close friend, strategic partner, and a crucial commercial and development ally for Bangladesh, the country's foreign secretary recently said.

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