Bangladesh Air Force

Total Aircraft: 184

Active Aircraft Inventory (2020)

FIGHTERS

HELICOPTERS

The bangladesh Air Force aircraft crop is stocked with types of foreign origin - from the United States and China to Italy and the old Soviet Union.

POWER INDEX SCORE

14.1

(Ranked 49 of 53)
*See Notes

The modern Bangladesh Air Force inventory is dominated by a commitment to its airman training fleet followed by its fighter and rotorcraft forces. The fighter stock is made up of the Chinese-originated Chengdu F-7 supersonic fighter backed by a small collection of the more modern Mikoyan MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighter forms. Rotorcraft strength is through the Russian Mil Mi-17 'Hip' multirole transport helicopter which can be equipped for the gunship role and support many other battlefield requirements. Beyond this is the classic Bell 212 series and Italian-originated AW139, the latter adding a more modern flair. The fighter fleet accounts for 24% of all strength while the rotorcraft fleet adds another 27%. The training force makes up 45% and is compiled of various foreign-born designs including the Russian Yakovlev Yak-130, K-8, and L-39 for the Advanced Jet Trainer role, the FT-6 and FT-7 for the fighter trainer role, and the Bell Model 206/AW119 for the more specialized area of helicopter training.

The transport arm is capable of moderate hauling sorties over range and focuses on the venerable Lockheed C-130 'Herules' (and, more recently, the 'Super Hercules') type supported by a few Antonov An-32 transports. On-order are several notable types including the Sukhoi Su-30 'Flanker-C' multirole type which will bolster the modest fighter fleet. Add to this additional K-8 advanced trainers, Mi-17 helos, and a C-130J which will all serve well to boost overall fleet strength.

No special mission or aerial tanker aircraft are retained.

NOTES: The WDMMA.org Power Index (PwrIndx) score looks at various qualities of an individual air power (or service branch). While total aircraft certainly influences the rating, aircraft variety (force balance) also plays a key role in determining an air service's placement on the list. Other focused qualities include local industry (aerospace-related) capability, future outlook, and current/recent combat experience. All this is worked into a formula which provides an analytical approach to resolving a force's fighting state in the modern world. This approach to fighting strength is highly theoretical and does not take into account a nation's available manpower or resolve in the face of conflict nor does it involve land and naval fighting strength. The top achievable PwrIndx score belongs to the United States Air Force with its rating of 242.9. As of now, UAV systems are not taken into account due to reporting differences between publicly-available sources (these will be integrated as some point). Navy aviation branches do not take into account the fighting capacity of naval ships.