The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is moving forward with the purchase of twenty J-10CE Vigorous Dragons, or Firebirds according to NATO. The deal for the aircraft is moving ahead with a per unit price of 60 million USD and a total package cost of 2.2 billion USD that includes training, weapons, insurance, middleman agency commissions and so on. Vaunted in recent times for its reported feat in scoring an air-to-air kill against at least one highly advanced Dassault Rafale belonging to the Indian Air Force, it now stands as the BAF’s ticket to becoming a truly modern air force. While this purchase would undoubtedly inject renewed self-confidence into the BAF, there are certain aspects to consider.
Deal of the decade?
Since the development of the C variant of the J-10, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) has been trying its best to secure sales to export customers as a 4.5th generation design. The current era of the fighter jet has produced a stark distance between the more advanced 5th generation designs and the late Cold War-era 4th generation designs. The difference in kinetic performance, data processing, and weapons make for a night and day gulf. The night and day gulf also extends to costs and thus, the 4.5th generation classification has emerged.
4.5th generation fighter aircraft are typically new additions and revisions to the aforementioned Cold War-era fighter aircraft. These are, for example, advanced variants of the F-16 Falcon, MiG-29 Fulcrum, F-15 Eagle, Su-27 Flanker and so on. Examples of a 4.5th generation variant of these include the F-15EX Eagle II or the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F. There have also been completely original and new designs being developed starting from the 21st century onwards such as the JAS 39 Gripen, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale. The J-10C stands among these.
What differentiates a 4th generation fighter from a 4.5th generation fighter is the fact that the latter are equipped with more advanced AESA radars with greatly improved range and tracking capabilities as a basic feature. They are also equipped with deeply integrated data-link systems, fully digitized glass systems with accurate geolocation capabilities, and a deeply integrated weapons systems suite for the seamless deployment of precision munitions. Many 4.5th generation platforms also have stealth features that limit its radar cross-section profile through design modifications or specific material use.
Basic 4.5th generation features aside, the J-10C incorporates some features that reduce its radar cross-section to a limited extent and a fly-by-wire system that is efficient compared to traditional control systems that 4th generation fighter aircraft are equipped with. The J-10C is usually equipped with the Chinese WS-10 engine, which is capable of thrust vectoring, i.e. changing the direction of the engine’s thrust. This works to greatly improve maneuverability and control.
The J-10 project began with the explicit purpose of developing a platform that can be iterated into a 4.5th generation multirole combat aircraft. It was intended specifically to replace the J-7 Fishbed (MiG-21 copy) and J-8 Finback fleets belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Its multirole configuration, especially combined with more advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars in later variants, makes for a robust interceptor and point defense platform.
The CE variant of the J-10C is the export-oriented variant of the jet with slightly reduced radar capabilities, reduced electronic warfare suite capabilities, and inherent data-link systems removed. Apart from these downgrades, it is the exact same aircraft. It was, after all, the export variant J-10CE that scored its air-to-air kill against a Dassault Rafale.
Regardless, combining all this context with the pressing need to update Bangladesh’s aging fleet of J-7s and MiG-29s, the J-10CE serves as an evolutionary step up. Competitors to the J-10CE, such as the F-16V Viper (Block 72) or the JAS 39 Gripen would have cost the BAF twice or thrice as much for the base units alone. On top of that, Western choices, particularly American ones, are attached with limitations and restrictions regarding what can be done with the aircraft and associated weapons systems post-purchase.
Bangladesh may be purchasing the J-10C at slightly higher prices per unit compared to Pakistan. While figures are not publicly available, a hypothetical figure of 1.3 billion USD for 25 J-10CEs allegedly paid by Pakistan floats around the internet. Based on that, the per unit cost there may be around 50-52 million USD. On the other hand, the per unit price quotation is being reported to be 60 million USD for Bangladesh. Why the difference? Inflation aside, support for ground infrastructure and training simulators may be included here. Fees for agencies and other sorts of middlemen must also be accounted for and is therefore included in the final price quotation.
Furthermore, payments are to be made over the course of a decade gradually. For the Bangladesh Air Force to climb out of the Cold War era, this may be considered to be a rather profitable deal for all those involved. However, Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has declined to comment further on the details of the purchase package. [bdnews24]
It is being widely reported that 20 units are to be purchased, making for one and a half squadrons of aircraft. At the time of writing, it is still unclear what number of those are slated to be trainers, and it is worth mentioning that news reports in August previously indicated that 12 units, making one squadron, would be inducted. [Prothom Alo]
Symbolism and strategic positioning
Talk about a J-10C purchase has been ongoing since 2017 in some form, but Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan expressed concrete interest in the platform following a visit to China and the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2024. Between that and the Air Chief’s recent remarks that the government has signalled its approval for a multirole fighter jet, a direct meeting between Xi Jinping and Muhammad Yunus allegedly included discussion of a fighter jet sale.
Of course, the purchase of fighter aircraft is a geopolitical issue, as General (retd.) ANM Muniruzzaman has said that “A new kind of geopolitical divide has formed in the world today, so the geopolitical impact must be analyzed before buying aircraft from any country.” He also conceded that the need for modern fighter aircraft cannot be ignored. [Zona Militar, Dhaka Tribune]
Contextualizing based off this statement, we can note that hostilities between India and Pakistan in May 2025 following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam did much to raise the profile of the J-10C. On the 8th of May, 2025, Reuters reported that a J-10C had shot down at least one Rafale, quoting US intelligence officials. Conclusive evidence to that effect remains unclear, but Pakistani and Chinese figures have run with the narrative that the J-10C has emerged as a ‘Rafale killer’.
Regardless of the truthfulness of the matter, the propaganda value of this narrative remains powerful, as a Rafale was indeed shot down and reduced to ruin. We can be confident in the assumption that the F-16s were not cleared for deployment against Indian aircraft. JF-17 or the J-10C, what stands is that Chinese-made modern fighter jet designs were able to shoot down the Rafale, a top-of-the-line Western design.
The aforementioned price differential aside, the geopolitical impact of Bangladesh being the newest operator of the so-called Rafale killer is hard to miss. It is important to consider the context of worsening relations between India and Bangladesh post-5th August 2024. China, on the other hand, has been a primary military partner of Bangladesh, being the source of the bulk of military equipment used by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. For a comparatively cash-strapped Bangladesh Armed Forces, China has been an ideal choice as a supplier.
Yet, Chinese military equipment need not be solely associated with being cash-strapped anymore, although the J-10CE package costs significantly less compared to Western options. The ‘Rafale killer’ tag has made it an attractive choice for gaining 4.5th generation multirole fighter capabilities without having too many strings attached to usage conditions. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has also been reported to be considering a fleet of up to 42 J-10CEs, weighing its balance between cost, localized needs, and geopolitical implications. [The Diplomat]
Geopolitical actions by Bangladesh’s neighbor India are to be watched out for, as the purchase still represents a significant step up from a very outdated inventory.
The complications
The export variant of the J-10C does not come with the data-link system used by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAAF). What differentiates the purchase between Pakistan and Bangladesh is the fact that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had the technical knowledge and know-how to be able to develop their own data-link and communication solutions. The PAF also maintains the ZDK-03 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) platform based on the Shaanxi Y-8. Its integration with the JF-17 Block 3 and J-10CE possibly enabled the PAF to blunt the Indian Air Force’s aggressive actions during Operation Sindoor by maintaining the information edge.
Combined with ground assets such as anti-aircraft missile launch systems, Pakistan’s proprietary Link-17 enables seamless transfer of info to units within the battle space. An anti-aircraft battery connected to the system, for example, can instantly transfer the data onto JF-17s and J-10s within the area of operation, where their pilots can view it on their glass cockpit systems. Of course, AWACS aircraft extend the range and line of sight even further. These advantages over the Indian Air Force are generally agreed to have been decisive in May 2025 if certain unnamed Pakistani officials can be believed. [The Japan Times]
Air Marshal Gregory Jack Bagwell of the Royal Air Force supports the assessment: “The winner in this was the side that had the best situational awareness.” [Arab News]
Bangladesh, as a J-10CE operato,r will run into severe issues with this, as the presence of a full data-link system and an advanced communications mechanism is crucial to air combat in an age where electronic warfare and electronic countermeasures (ECM) can effectively neutralize targeting systems.
It is also unclear at the time of writing what engine the J-10CE will be shipped with. Options include a non-thrust vectoring variant of the Russian-made AL-31 engine, which would result in reduced performance metrics compared to the WS-10B engine of the Pakistani J-10CEs, which comes with thrust vectoring. Reliability issues used to plague the WS-10 and its variants, which have been smoothed out enough to make it a machine that the Pakistan Air Force would deploy in active combat operations.
Engine issues aside, the lack of a data-link system, along with the lack of a seamless air-to-ground data link system will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the J-10CE platform for any operational use. Any opponent of Bangladesh with offensive electronic warfare capabilities will also be able to apply excessive pressure, reducing operational effectiveness.
There is indeed cause to rejoice for the Bangladesh Air Force since, as previously mentioned, the J-10CE will bring the force out of the Cold War era technologically. Yet, this technological advancement will not be realized without systems that work within and without the aircraft.
Even if a system tailored to the needs of the Bangladesh Air Force similar to Pakistan’s Data Link-17 is developed for its J-10s, the question of what to do with the pre-existing inventory remains. BAF’s combat fleet consists of J-7s, which can be considered obsolete, 8 MiG-29s which suffer from engine issues and to some extent, Yak-130s. With all these diverse platforms of varying age, this is hardly a force that can coordinate itself effectively in the modern battlespace. Can these aircraft be effectively coordinated within a tailored data link system?
It is being stated that the J-10s are to join the inventory by 2027 [Jugantor]. Concerns regarding whether or not the next elected government will be able to smoothly oversee the purchase and integration process to its end remain naturally. It remains to be seen whether the deal goes through properly, exactly as the interim government has planned until then.
Evidently, purchasing a modern fighter jet is not a simple thing. From the very beginning of planning where geopolitical factors must be considered, to making sure that an advantageous deal is secured, to finally carefully assessing whether the aircraft itself can be fielded and operated effectively, the process is complex to the core.
Verification Note: Information sourced from and corroborated from government websites, documents, and news sources. Sources are carefully weighed for authenticity, and sources making superfluous claims without evidence are discarded. Information is then analyzed and interpreted to come to conclusions.
Fatin Anwar is an Associate Analyst at Bangladesh Defence Journal. He is responsible for in-depth research and analysis in combination with OSINT tools/techniques A gradaute of geography from the University of Dhaka, he had previously spent years working as a freelance writer specializing in research-heavy pieces related to geopolitics and military history.