Well hundreds of Chinese warplanes are now flying with WS-10A powerplant.
In this forum, there is now a general consensus that the J-20 production planes are using an upgraded WS-10X engine. So looks like the Chinese are slowly getting there.
You know that the powerplant for the Z-10 attack helicopter is pure Chinese?
Honestly, I don't buy much of whatever the Chinese sub-forum say. They sound like a bunch of ball-less fanboys trying to prove something.
But other than that, the one's they'll offer will be downgraded versions just like the MBT-2000's we have. And even if at their best, I doubt if they can outperform their NATO or even Russian counterparts. I want quality weapons that can get the job done. Not a bunch of knockoffs from Russian designs and Coca-Cola diplomacy.
True that but I am thinking more in the long term up to 2030. Who knows what the situation may be in 5 years time.
It maybe possible to do business with Euros. But still, it is risky. Normalization of US-Iran relations should benefit us.
If it was that easy, then there would be no need to go to China would it then?
China has promised 24 billion US dollars of low interest loans. Some of the loans already agreed come with a 5 year grace period. Tell me which commercial bank would give BD those terms?
24 billion US dollars is the total tax intake for BD government for the whole year and so is not an insignigicant sum.
I'm have a dubious view of G2G loans. Imagine if we can't repay them for some reason, what then?
Why would any country risk that kind of money in a country like Bangladesh which is teetered in bureaucracy, corruption and a laughable political environment? No, it was just to exploit us to counter India just like how India is doing the same now. To me, throwing some loans, a spit in the hand and a handshake isn't enough. My security is what matters. And the way they are handling Burma doesn't correspond to my security. Just take North Korea for example. For years they were appeasing and supporting them. And now, they can't control that maniac. That is my view of China. It is not a reasonable nor a responsible power in my view. They cannot be counted upon.
And what's more on our side, what happened to the deep sea port? Chittagong and Mongla seaports have been seeing massive congestion over the months which leads to export delays, demurrage charges, etc. and this hurts our business. What happened to them?
Other than that, yes we can access low interest loans elsewhere. Just not as low as G2G loans.
Who else apart from China is raising their imports from BD by 30% a year? From around 150 million US dollars in 2010, it is now around the 1 billion US dollar mark. In a decade it may hit 10 US billion dollars as long as BD does not become hostile to China. Developed markets like the US and EU are saturated and so only China can help BD exports rise in a big way. BD should not turn away from a soon to be(~10 years) developed market of 1.4 billion consumers.
As long as we don't have GSP in the US, we haven't yet realized the full potential of the US market. China will continue to do business even if our interests do not correspond.
BD is already getting ToT from China to manufacture small warships and SAMs such as the FN-16 manpad. There were reports a couple of months ago that BD will work in partnership with China to create a next-gen frigate. These are tangible technology transfers that China is providing BD that will help it eventually become self-sufficient or part sufficient in armaments. No other country can or will provide this currently.
And what if we have to use those weapons against their dog if it is to attack us? How much do they love their pet? That is the question. But then, India would come to the rescue. An interesting complex...
Just over a month ago, we signed a deal with a Turkish company regarding a sizable number of Ukrainian armored vehicles. Mostly consisting of AFV's and wheeled tank destroyers.
http://uprom.info/en/news/vpk/bangladeshska-armiya-maye-namir-pridbati-680-bronemashin-kozak-2m
http://deltadefence.com.tr/#
Aircraft is a tricky part though.
I prefer more advanced partners with regards to weapons.
UK is at the forefront of voicing it's condemnation about the genocidal Myanmarese at the UN. There is nothing much that can be done by the UK since it is BD itself that is the problem here.
By the laws of nature. BD should be inherently a more powerful country that Myanmar with a GDP of 3.5 times that of Myanmar.
I think that the UK and the EU can do more. Only time can tell.
Though at least, a complete arms embargo on them on part of the NATO countries and their allies will help.
Pathetic Hasina even refused to sit with BNP recently at some international forum(maybe UN) saying that BD has all the allies it needs anyway and won't sit with killers(BNP).
Ah...you know, I'm sure that our Honorable Prime Minister is eyeing for a Nobel
She's enjoying all the global applause and attention (she likes it!) and yet at the same time apprehensive about the refugee influx. No one knows how they'll integrate with Bangladesh's sociopolitical spectrum in the long run. I doubt they'll support the ideology her party follows.
As for BNP, what can BNP do while their leader is in the UK using 'treatment' as a guise for her failure to guide her party? It is a party with no one in it. Hasina doesn't need them.
Like it or not, we are stuck with the AL for the time being.
When Khaleda came into power she decomissioned the Bangabhandu frigate and tried to sell off the 8 Mig-29s saying they were not necessary for the defence of BD and too expensive, and she would buy more modern fighters. What did the half-wit Khaleda do? She brought F-7s from China at a time when Myanmar was buying squadron after squadron of Mig-29s armed with the deadly R-77.
I am sorry if anyone is offended but unless BD is serious about building a military that can dominate Myanmar, then we can expect the savages next door to eventually push all their Rohingya into BD.
BD has GDP 3.5x that of Myanmar. Even a slight increase in BD defence spending to 2% will mean that Myanmar will have to eat arms again to match BD.
It is ridiculous that BD is comparing itself to a tiny country ethnic-strife torn entity like Myanmar.
Bangabandhu is still operational. Those F-7's were bought because they are easy and cheap to operate. The BGI's were bought under Hasina's administration. But I agree, Bangladesh urgently needs to upgrade its air defense and air force.
What the Tatmaydaw did to the Rohingyas is nothing surprising. They have a notoriety for burning and destroying entire villages and towns to the ground belonging to anyone that got in their way. Their soldiers have been taught to hate Muslims in their training over the years (thanks to Ne Win). This is the way they do things and have always done.
The thing about Rahkine is that they were fighting for their own state. But, neither they nor the Bamas liked the Rohingyas. Using their shared hatred, they drove them away and keep Rakhine firmly in the military regime's grasp. Given we are the only Muslim-majority country in quite a large area, they have managed to make a boogeyman out of us. A way to unite a country embroiled in civil war. Divide and conquer.
I used to remember seeing many Burmese folks in Thailand. Running small businesses, doing small jobs and studying. I even used to have Mathematics teacher who was Burmese, but his mother was Indian. He always looked sad and appeared to have struggled a lot to where he got then. He lives in Germany now leading a full life. He'll never go back there. They were fleeing their country over discrimination and fear of being destroyed by the might of the Tatmaydaw. It's a bit like a cat and mouse game in a small cage. The Rohingya are the mouse.
A small military can technically beat a larger one. I am confident that with a little more boost, we can give them a bloody nose should they violate our territory.
But it is not that which concerns me, nor that of GDP. What concerns me is as to how Bangladesh can manage itself in a complex geopolitical environment given Bangladesh's political environment. Things need to change here in my view.
Reading the comments of our Burmese counterparts, I'm starting to think that dog across the street is better.
