The Chief of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) recently soared through European skies in the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon equipped with a cutting-edge Captor-E AESA radar system. The flight, arranged by Italian defence powerhouse Leonardo, marked a bold demonstration of European capabilities in Bangladesh’s fiercely contested Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) procurement program—one that could define South Asia’s aerial power balance for decades.
This unprecedented flight wasn’t just symbolic. It signaled that the Eurofighter Typhoon, once thought to be fading from contention, is back in play. And it comes at a time when Dhaka appears torn between two dramatically different visions for its airpower future: one aligned with European defence industry norms and political alliances, and the other closely tied to Beijing’s rising influence through its 4.5-generation Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon.”
The Bangladesh MRCA program has dragged on for nearly a decade, with competing offers from France’s Dassault Rafale, China’s J-10C, and the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium—backed by the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Among these, the Rafale has been quietly sidelined due to its close operational use by India, Bangladesh’s historic rival. This narrows the contest to a transcontinental showdown: Europe’s Typhoon vs China’s J-10C.
The presence of Bangladesh’s air chief and a senior combat pilot in a fully armed Typhoon suggests Dhaka is seriously weighing a pivot westward. Sources with knowledge of the flight evaluation described it as “a pivotal moment,” revealing that the mission included air combat maneuvers, radar system tests, and tactical mission simulations.
Leonardo’s hosting of the BAF delegation went beyond the cockpit. Briefings included details on C-130J Super Hercules support, rotary-wing options via AgustaWestland helicopters, and classified data on unmanned aerial systems. The tour was clearly designed to offer a one-stop shop for Dhaka’s growing aerospace ambitions.
Still, the Typhoon faces stiff headwinds.
Beijing has spent the better part of the last decade deepening its military ties with Bangladesh through arms deals, joint training programs, and interoperability initiatives. And at the center of this cooperation now stands the J-10C—a battle-hardened, radar-stealthy, and relatively affordable multirole platform that has gained notoriety through its deployment in Pakistan.
Unofficial reports from South Asia claim that Pakistan’s J-10C fleet performed strikingly well in recent confrontations with India, allegedly downing several high-value Indian Air Force (IAF) assets including Rafales and Su-30MKIs. While these claims remain unverified by neutral parties, they’ve had a significant influence on Dhaka’s strategic community.
Bangladesh is reportedly considering a phased procurement of 16 J-10C units, intended to replace its ageing Chinese-supplied F-7 interceptors. This plan fits with Dhaka’s long-standing defense doctrine of platform standardization and cost-effective maintenance. The J-10C’s reliance on Chinese parts, infrastructure, and training makes it a plug-and-play upgrade for the BAF.
Further strengthening its case, the J-10C is equipped with a native WS-10C turbofan engine and an indigenous AESA radar. But perhaps its most formidable feature is the PL-15 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, a weapon that analysts say can strike targets 200 to 300 kilometers away—rivaling the American AIM-120 AMRAAM.
At the core of Bangladesh’s decision is more than just a question of aerodynamics or missile range. It’s about choosing between divergent global alliances.
If Dhaka greenlights the Typhoon deal, particularly during the anticipated August 2025 state visit by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, it would mark a significant geopolitical shift. Europe would gain a rare strategic foothold in South Asia’s rapidly tightening Sino-centric security sphere.
For Bangladesh, this could mean balancing its traditionally non-aligned foreign policy with an unmistakable tilt toward Western defence cooperation. It would also send a message to regional powers, especially India and China, that Dhaka intends to chart a more diversified defence course.
On the other hand, finalizing a J-10C deal with China would reinforce a pattern of military dependence that Dhaka has pursued for years, purchasing everything from submarines to tanks and fighter jets from Beijing.
The implications of such a move would be far-reaching. With J-10Cs stationed in both Pakistan and Bangladesh, India would find itself facing advanced Chinese-origin fighters on both its western and eastern flanks—a scenario likely to exacerbate already tense regional dynamics.
France’s Dassault Aviation has pitched the Rafale to Bangladesh with all the usual fanfare. Yet, the fighter’s widespread use by the Indian Air Force severely undercuts its appeal in Dhaka’s eyes. No strategic planner in Bangladesh wants to field the same aircraft their primary adversary operates with insider-level knowledge.
Even though the Rafale is widely considered superior in air-to-ground precision and combat resilience, its deployment with India makes it politically radioactive in Dhaka’s procurement calculus.
The MRCA story dates back to 2015 when then-Air Chief Marshal Abu Esrar rejected both Russian and Chinese fighters for their perceived lack of long-term strategic value. His visit to the Farnborough Airshow in 2016, where he personally inspected the Eurofighter Typhoon, marked the beginning of Bangladesh’s pivot toward a Western combat aircraft fleet.
By 2017, the MRCA program had officially launched with a mandate to overhaul the BAF’s offensive and defensive posture. But nearly a decade later, Bangladesh still finds itself at a strategic crossroads.
Current Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan has been vocal about the urgent need to modernize. “We are working hard to acquire fighter jets and attack helicopters,” he recently said, with local press interpreting the remarks as an implicit endorsement of the Chinese offer.
The J-10C is still the frontrunner—primarily due to its combat track record, cost efficiency, and existing BAF familiarity with Chinese systems. But the recent Typhoon flight indicates that the race isn’t over.
Should Bangladesh acquire the J-10C, it would become the second South Asian power—after Pakistan—to field what Chinese media calls the “Rafale Killer.” The move would dramatically upgrade BAF’s strike capabilities, including deep-penetration bombing, high-altitude intercepts, and extended-range engagements.
This, in turn, would escalate tensions with India, already reeling from perceived encirclement through China’s Belt and Road Initiative and naval expansion in the Indian Ocean. Indian analysts fear that a J-10C-equipped Bangladesh could embolden Dhaka in territorial or maritime disputes.
Additionally, Myanmar, with its unstable military regime and historic frictions with Bangladesh, would also be forced to recalibrate its own air defence posture.
Conversely, if the Eurofighter Typhoon emerges as the winner, it would be a major win for European defence diplomacy in Asia and potentially catalyze similar procurement deals in other neutral or non-aligned nations across the region.
As Dhaka approaches its decision deadline, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The MRCA program isn’t just about buying jets. It’s about signaling to the world which way Bangladesh intends to lean in the global power contest between democratic Europe and authoritarian China.
Will Bangladesh reaffirm its strategic alignment with Beijing, doubling down on a proven but dependency-driven model? Or will it seize the opportunity to rebalance its foreign and defence policies, opting for the technological prowess and political capital that the Eurofighter Typhoon promises?
