Bangladesh Air Force and UK signed a deal to purchase military transport aircraft

[EastBengalPro]

Dhaka, May 10: Under the G2G contract, agreement between the Bangladesh Air Force and the United Kingdom for the purchase of 2 C-30JMK 5-Million Transport Aircraft, was signed on Thursday (10-5-2018) at Headquarters Office of the Air Force.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Abu Esrar, BBP, NDC, ACSC attended the signing ceremony. United Arab Emirates High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mrs. Ellison Blake signed the Agreement on behalf of Air Vice Marshal M Sanaul Haq, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plan) for Bangladesh, OSP, GUP, NDC, PSC and United Kingdom on behalf of Joint Secretary Signed.

Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division, Principal Staff Officers of Air Head and other senior officials were present in the ceremony, representatives of UK Embassy in Bangladesh were also present.

It is to be noted that this agreement was signed for the use of the US-made C-130JMK 5-meter transport aircraft as part of the implementation of the Fires Goal-2030. This sophisticated transport aircraft is currently operating in 17 advanced developed countries of the world. Air transport capability in the air force is expected to increase significantly when the Air Force added the C-130J Transport Aircraft.

http://www.ispr.gov.bd

 

[Bilal9]

The news report may be in error.

The two aircraft BAF is getting are not C130J stretches I believe (C5's in Royal Air Force terms means shorter version) and are relatively newly inducted to the RAF. They are getting rid of these to fund C-17 purchases.

Bangladesh will become the ninth operator of the C-130J C5 in Asia.

Interesting note:

With the addition of the Marine Corps's ISR / Weapon Mission Kit, the KC-130J tanker variant will be able to serve as an overwatch aircraft and can deliver ground support fire in the form of Hellfire or Griffin missiles, precision-guided bombs, and eventually 30mm cannon fire in a later upgrade.[12] This capability, designated as "Harvest HAWK" (Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit), can be used in scenarios where precision is not a requisite, such as area denial.[13] The aircraft retains its original capabilities in refueling and transportation. The entire system can be removed within a day if necessary.[14]