Future Expansion Plan of Bangladesh Navy

The Government of Bangladesh announced an ambitious defense procurement plan in February 2009 for a major purchase of weaponry, equipment and hardware for its armed forces, including anti-tank and anti-ship missile systems, aircraft for maritime patrol, frigates, tanks and helicopters. The Parliamentary standing committee in principle agreed to a 10-year development program in June 2009, under which the navy is to acquire 3 missile frigates, 3 large offshore patrol vessels with helicopter deck (2 already acquired, with a third in the process), 12 patrol craft, submarines, 2 landing craft (utility), 2 hydro-graphic research ship ( 1 acquired), 1 salvage vessel, 4 Fast Attack Craft (Missile) and install guided weapons systems in some ships to strengthen their combat capability. Following BNS Osman, BNS Bangabandhu, the most modern ship of Bangladesh Navy, is going to be equipped with maritime helicopter, air defence and anti-ship missile. Bangladesh Navy is currently in the process of replacing it's three age-old ex-Royal Navy frigates (BNS Abu Bakar, BNS Ali Haider and BNS Umar Farooq) with modern frigates within the next couple of years and also preparing to add submarines to its fleet by 2019.

As of April,2010 the rapid modernization program of BN involves order of:

1. 2x F-22B guided missile frigate (China),
2. 2x large patrol craft/missile corvette (China),
3. 1x Hydrographic Survey ship (Indigenous),
4. 1x Fleet Replenishment Oil Tanker (Indigenous),
5. 2x LCU (Indigenous),
6. 1x Salvage ship (Indigenous),
7. 12x Patrol boats -Indigenous,
8. 3x Harbin Z-9C Anti-Submarine helicopter (China),
9. C-802 ASM missiles for 3 frigate and 4 missile boats (China),
10. Otomat Mk.2 Blk IV for BNS Bangabandhu (EU),
11. FM-90N SAM for 3 frigates (China).

On discussion:

1. 3x guided missile frigates in addition to the couple ordered from China,
2. 2x King Air MPA (USA),
3. New generation of light and heavy Torpedoes (EU + China),
4. 4x guided missile corvette (Turkey - Milgem),
5. 3x Submarine (Turkey / Germany / South Korea).