Joint Indo-Bangladesh-Military "Exercise Unity-2” Starts at Zalalabad

Bangladesh and Indian military forces has started the joint military exercises at Zalalabad Cantonment in the country’s Sylhet division.

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Bangladesh Concludes Military Exercise with United States

Airmen and two C-130 Hercules aircraft traveled to the Asian nation to train with the Bangladesh air force to better respond to regional disasters. The exercise - which took place at Kurmitola Air Base - focused on tactical airlift operations with the Bangladesh AN-32 aircraft. Building up the relationship between the two countries was the theme of Cope South 10. Much of that relationship building happened during exchanges between subject-matter experts in operations, maintenance, navigation and rigging disciplines. "Their planes are older so we learned some things about the B-model C-130 while we told them about our H-model C-130," said Tech. Sgt. Doug Harper, of the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "They're very knowledgeable about the aircraft.

They're trying to figure out from us how to improve their aircraft. They're very well rounded. Our work is split up into different specialties in the Air Force. They have far less groups so their maintainers do a lot more." One of the exercise's objectives was to introduce Bangladesh navigators and pilots to flying missions using night-vision goggles. "The squadron commander approached me after the briefing and told me how great he thought this would cement the basics for his aircrew," said 1st Lt. Robert Carranza, a C-130 navigator with the 36th Airlift Squadron. 

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World Military Spending Soars Despite Recession

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Bangladesh Navy Orders Two AW109 Power Maritime Helicopters

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the award of a contract by the Bangladesh Navy for two AW109 Power maritime helicopters. The helicopters will be used for a wide range of naval missions including search and rescue, economic zone protection, surface surveillance and maritime security. The aircraft will be delivered in 2011 and will be capable of being operated from the frigate BNS Bangabandhu.The contract also includes a comprehensive training package including VFR/IFR conversion for aircrew, initial operational maritime training using an AW109 Power Level-D flight simulator and training for maintenance engineers........................................VerticalMag

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Bangladesh wants to buy fighters, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft

By Leithen Francis

Bangladesh has vowed to buy a squadron of new fighters and has resumed efforts to purchase two maritime patrol aircraft.Planning minister A K Khandker, a former chief of air staff at the Bangladesh air force, told the country's parliament that the government plans to buy a squadron of new fighters, plus an air-defence radar system..................................Flightglobal

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India Offers Upgrade Bangladeshi MiG-29 Jet and Mi-17 helicopters

The Indian Air Force is offering the Bangladesh Biman Bahini (Bangladesh air force) the use of its facilities to modernise and maintain fighter aircraft and helicopters, a senior defence source told. In reaching out to Dhaka with an offer to help upgrade its air fleet, New Delhi is stepping into an area in which Bangladesh has been dependent mainly on China and, to a limited extent, on Pakistan, Russia and the US.

Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik, currently in Dhaka on a week’s visit that began on Saturday, offered the use of Indian Air Force facilities in meetings with the chief of the Bangladesh Biman Bahini, Air Marshal S.M. Ziaur Rehman. The IAF is understood to have offered to liaise with defence public sector company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore, to help modernise Bangladesh’s MiG-29 aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters. The IAF flies and has upgraded the two aircraft for its own fleet. HAL is engaged in upgrading India’s own MiG-29s.

This is the first visit by an Indian Air Force chief to Bangladesh in more than five years. The last such visit was in 2004. But the Bangla air chief was here in April 2009. Military-to-military relations with Bangladesh have been resuscitated since the visit by the Bangladesh army chief in February 2008. An IAF source pointed out that while Bangladesh had mostly Chinese and some American-origin aircraft, it also had a squadron of MiG-29aircraft.

Nearly 70 per cent of Bangladesh’s flying fleet is aged, with the fighter aircraft being 20 years old or even more than that. Bangladesh has taken help from China and Pakistan for its A-5 and A-7 Chinese-origin aircraft.But the Indian Air Force has said that the facilities for its Mi-17 helicopters (the IAF flies the transport helicopter in large numbers), the MiG-29 and the Antonov 32 could be spared for Bangladesh’s limited air force. Bangladesh flies three AN 32s and 14 Mi-17s.

In Dhaka, Air Chief Marshal Naik has met President Zillur Rahman and was scheduled to meet Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday. He has also met the three chiefs of the armed forces. “The main focus of the visit will be on improving bilateral relations, promoting defence ties, outlining further areas of defence co-operation between the two countries and resolving pending issues through dialogue and understanding,” the air force source said.

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Dhaka to seek UN tribunal

Bangladesh will go to the United Nations arbitration for an immediate resolution of its long-standing dispute with India and Myanmar over maritime boundary.

Announcing the decision at a press briefing yesterday, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said the government has decided to take the matter up with the UN, as talks over the last 35 years could not settle it.

An end to the dispute is a must for the country to establish its claim on the natural resources in the Bay of Bengal, she noted.

“We have decided to submit the issue to compulsory arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to ensure our sovereign rights to the natural resources in the Bay,” Dipu Moni added.

She, however, said bilateral discussions will go on.

Earlier in the day, the ministry called in Indian high commissioner and Myanmarese ambassador in Dhaka and gave them notification of arbitration and statement of claim.

The statement on the invitation for arbitration reads, “The claims of our neighbours have unfairly cut off a significant portion of our maritime area in the Bay of Bengal and prevented us from exploring and exploiting oil and natural gas resources.

“Time had come to once and for all settle the disputed boundary so that both Bangladesh and its neighbours can finally resolve this obstacle that stands in the way of exploitation of our natural resources.”

Bangladesh's decision comes in the wake of its neighbours' laying claim to the three blocks it has earmarked for oil and gas exploration.

Now that the notification and statement of claim have been issued, a tribunal will be constituted in line with the UNCLOS principles and rules.

The country suffers from a scarcity of resources despite a huge deposit of marine assets in the Bay of Bengal. It needs urgent delimitation of maritime boundary to exploit the resources, observed Dipu Moni.

She said things will get even worse if the matter takes more time to be settled.

The foreign minister said she hopes the arbitration move will speed up the negotiations with India and Myanmar.

“There will be no need for arbitration if we can by that time settle the issue at the negotiating table,” she said, adding that Bangladesh has already appointed an international counsel to represent it in the UN arbitration.

The statement of claim says, “As all three countries are parties to this Convention, they are under an obligation to accept the Final Award of this Tribunal, which we anticipate will take approximately four to five years.”

Once the dispute with the neighbours is solved, it will ensure Bangladesh's sovereign rights to the natural resources. It will help the country move forward to an era of prosperity, it further adds.

Recently, the government has endorsed leasing out blocks 5, 10 and 11 to ConocoPhilips and Tullow Oil plc for offshore oil and gas exploration.

ConocoPhillips, the third largest US energy company, will get deep-sea blocks 10 and 11. Irish company Tullow, which has already been working on Bhangura gas field here, will get Shallow-sea block 5.

With around 15 trillion cubic feet (425 billion cubic metres) of proven and recoverable gas reserves, the country currently faces a shortage of around 100 million cubic feet gas a day.

Dipu Moni said the arbitration bid will mean no harm to the friendly relations with the two neighbours.

Asked if it will create problem for the lessee companies, she said the exploration will be carried out in the undisputed waters.

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Bangladesh to try BDR rebels in fast-track court

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Bangladeshi PM wants fighter base at Cox's Bazar

The prime minister has given directives to turn Cox's Bazar airport into an advanced airbase for speedy dispatch of fighter planes, according to a paper presented by defence ministry officials to a parliamentary body on Sunday. The report presented to the standing committee on defence said the ministry has also proposed allocating 25 percent of the annual defence budget to the air force until 2014 for its modernisation.

It further said that the government was moving to set up a radar station in Cox's Bazar, followed by one in Barisal, to bring the country under radar coverage. The paper said the defence ministry had finalised the specifications for procuring a radar system for Cox's Bazar. None of the standing committee members spoke to the press after the meeting. "We have not discussed anything newsworthy today," defence committee chairman Idris Ali told reporters at the parliament building.

The paper tabled at the meeting by defence ministry officials said, "As per the directives of the Prime Minister, preparation for turning the Cox's Bazar air port into an advanced air base is on. "The ministry is coordinating with the civil aviation authorities of Bangladesh to stretch the existing runway and build [other facilities]."

Ministry officials said in their report that the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar had already taken measures to acquire land for the purpose. The report also said the ministry had drafted short-term, mid-term and long-term plans to modernise the air force. "As per the short-term plan, 25 percent of the annual military budget can be given to the air force until 2014. "Or a special budget allocation can be made to install vital instruments for modernisation of the air force," it said.

"Short-range and mid-range surface-to-air-missile (SAM) system can be procured to secure the air force's installations as mid-term measures (from 2014 to 2021)," said the report. It also said the existing A-5, FT-6 and F-7 fighter planes could be replaced in phases in the long-term. "After 2021, measures can be taken to purchase new planes for the air force's three squadrons," said the defence ministry paper.

bdnews24.com

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Don't try BDR rebels under Army Act: Dhaka legal experts

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Bangladesh air force eyes upgrades and new aircraft

Bangladesh's air force is embarking on a major modernisation drive. The service hopes to upgrade some of its fighters and helicopters in the near term and new trainers and light attack aircraft over the longer term in the plan. The air force prepared an internal report on the issue in June and submitted it to parliament for approval, say Bangladeshi news reports. The service is seeking an annual 10% increase in its budget over the next 10 years to achieve this, they add.

Air force officials decline to comment, but industry sources say the service has been keen to upgrade its capabilities after several years of neglect. Around 70% of the air force's aircraft have been in service for more than 20 years, while only 18% were inducted in the last 10 years, says the report. "The air force is proceeding with the dream to build a digital air force," the service is quoted as saying in the report. This will help it to "prepare, operate and maintain an air force capable of projecting air power in order to uphold and promote our national interest".

Initially, it plans to set up facilities to upgrade its Chengdu F-7 fighters and various Russian-made helicopters. By 2021, it hopes to begin replacing the older aircraft, says the report. These include its Nanchang A-5, Shenyang FT-6 and F-7 fighters. It also hopes to introduce airborne early warning capability into the air force. Budget allocations for the air force have been falling, according to the reports. While the service received 20.9% of the total defence budget in the 2005-6 financial year, this went down to 15.11% in 2008-9, they add. Most of the budgetary allocation is spent on maintenance, salaries, supplies and instalments for past purchases. As a result, only 4-6% is allocated for new purchases. Industry sources say that Chinese and Russian government officials have been in Bangladesh in the past few years offering new aircraft and credit facilities.

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Bangladesh Air Force seeks to purchase fighter trainer aircraft and simulators for fighter planes and helicopters

Bangladesh Air Force seeks to urgently purchase one squadron of fighter trainer aircraft and simulators for fighter planes and helicopters, and set up overhauling plants for the existing F-7 fighter planes and MI series helicopters. It has prepared long-term plans for other major defence purchases by 2021 and beyond to modernise the force, discloses a report of the air force. It also seeks either 10 percent increase in budgetary allocation or special allocation for the next 10 years to achieve the target.

The report, which describes the problems the air force is facing and suggests ways to overcome them, was placed before the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry on July 14 for discussion. The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the report. The plans include purchasing of air defence radars and surface-to-air missile systems to protect important establishments of the force, replacement of A-5, FT-5 and F-7 fighter planes and induction of aircraft for airborne early warning, a system used for directing fighters to targets and counter attacks.

The air force also seeks to turn Cox's Bazar into an advanced base to increase the force's operational capability, approval of an organogram of the Kurmitola base, increase in healthcare facility for the force members and proper steps regarding their salaries and allowances. The air force suggested that the purchases be completed in phases by 2021. After 2021, it wants to begin purchasing aircraft in phases to form three air defence squadrons. An air force squadron typically consists of three or four air units, with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, depending on the type of aircraft and the air force.

In defence of the plans, the report says Bangladesh needs a five-layer strong air defence system to protect its airspace from enemy air attacks. The mission of Bangladesh Air Force is: "To prepare, operate and maintain an air force capable of projecting air power in order to uphold and promote our national interest", as drafted in light of the responsibilities and duties assigned by the government.

"The air force is proceeding with the dream to build a digital air force keeping consistency with the honourable prime minister's vision," the report says. It says the budgetary allocation for the air force has been decreased in the last two financial years. The allocation was increased to 20.90 percent of the total defence budget in FY 2005-06 from 18.56 percent in 2004-05. In FY 2006-07, the air force was given 20.97 percent of the total defence budget. But the allocation was decreased to 15.57 percent in FY 2007-08 and 15.11 percent in FY 2008-09.

In the report, the air force has demanded either 25 percent of the total defence budget or a special allocation in the next 10 years. Most of the budgetary allocation is spent for maintenance, salaries and allowances, supplies and services and instalments of previous purchases. Only 4-6 percent of it is spent for major purchases, the report says.

In defence of purchasing new equipment, the report says it is facing tremendous difficulties in playing due role with the aged aircraft. The force has over 160 planes--fighter, transport and training aircraft--and helicopters, of which 70 percent are aged over 20 years and 18 percent inducted in the last 10 years, says the report.

It says the air force has planned to set up overhauling plants for the existing F-7 fighter planes and MI helicopters. If two plants are set up in the country, two to three F-7 aircraft and three to four MI choppers could be overhauled each year and will not require sending abroad.

The air force has so far overhauled Bell helicopters 65 times and PT-6 planes 76 times at its own maintenance unit. In the last two years, five fighter aircraft were overhauled in the country with the help of foreign consultants, the report says.

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2 Bangladeshi guards killed, 1 Indian soldier injured in border clash

A border clash Friday left two Bangladeshi troops dead and one Indian soldier seriously wounded, military officials said. The clash occurred when an Indian border patrol vessel tried to prevent cattle from being smuggled into Bangladesh on a boat, said Ashish Kumar Mitra, the head of India's Border Security Force. The director of operations of the Bangladesh Rifles border force gave a different version. He said the Indian BSF patrol boat entered Bangladeshi waters and when a Bangladeshi Rifles vessel challenged them to leave, the Indians opened fire. The incident took place off the coast of Raghunathpur in Chapainawabganj district, 145 miles west of Dhaka. Bangladesh Rifles arrested the injured Indian citizen, Anjam Hossain, and seized a boat at the scene, he said.

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