An expert on defense and security in Asia, Henry Kenmann, reported in his Twitter account East Pendulum about the conclusion of a $ 1 billion contract between China and Bangladesh. Under the agreement, Dhaka will receive from Beijing 25 combat and auxiliary aircraft of different types and other equipment. According to Kenmann, the package will include 16 Chinese J-10B fighters, seven K-8W training aircraft, one heavy Y-20 military transport aircraft, one KJ-200 long-range radar detection aircraft and other weapons. The implementation of this agreement, carried out on the funds received by Bangladesh on a targeted Chinese loan, will significantly upgrade the country's Air Force Park. The J-10B fighters equipped with advanced Russian engines AL-31FN M1 represent a modernized version of the famous Chinese platform created in the 1990-2000s on the basis of the Israeli project Lavi with the help of a number of Russian engineering organizations, including the Siberian Research Institute of Aviation (SibNIA ). Earlier, J-10 fighters were not exported, about 400 vehicles of this type are in various versions in the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China. K-8W combat training aircraft are an independent Chinese development of the 1980-90s, actively promoted in the Third World countries. In addition to the PRC, this type of aircraft is used by 12 countries in Asia, Avrica and Latin America. Bangladesh has previously received nine of these aircraft, in addition, the Air Force of this country is used by the Russian combat training aircraft Yak-130. The heavy military transport aircraft Y-20 represents a recent Chinese development using the technical solutions of Soviet IL-76 and American C-17 Globemaster. The transporter with a maximum take-off weight of 220 tons is equipped with four D-30KP2 engines of Russian production and can deliver a cargo of 66 tons to a distance of 4,500 kilometers. The range of the aircraft with incomplete loading exceeds 10 thousand kilometers. The KJ-200 (Y-8F-600) radar equipped with Balance Beam radar with an active phased array antenna is a "flying radar" built on the basis of the Y-8 military transport aircraft (licensed copy of the Soviet AN-12 transport vehicle). Machines of this type are also used by the Pakistan Air Force. Currently, the Bangladesh Air Force has 45 fighters, including 37 F-7 (Chinese version of the MiG-21) and eight MiG-29s obtained in the early 2000s. Bangladesh is updating its air force with the support of China, Russia and India.

Thus, in early April 2017, the media reported India's intention to allocate Bangladesh a $ 500 million loan for the purchase of spare parts for MiG-29 fighters, and possibly the supply of new MiG-35s. On May 8, the media reported the purchase of Bangladesh eight Russian Su-30SME fighters. One of the reasons for the interest of Bangladesh in the renewal of the armed forces is the large reserves of hydrocarbons discovered recently on the continental shelf of this country.

Original article: The network reported a billion-dollar arms contract between China and Bangladesh.