Bangladesh Air Force

A BAF F-86 Sabre in the BAF Museum

The Bangladesh Air Force was officially formed on 28 September 1971 consisting of the revolting Bengali officers and airmen of the Pakistan Air Force at Dimapur Airport in the Indian state of Nagaland[7] and it was launched formally by flying three repaired vintage aircraft on 8 October 1971.[8] BAF's initial personnel were around a 1000 Bengali members of the Pakistan Air Force who were stationed in East Pakistan at the outbreak of the war and who deserted to the Bangladeshi side.[8] At that time, the embryo of Bangladesh Air Force BAF was formed with less than a hundred officers and around 900 airmen and warrant officers. These numbers were gradually strengthened by the slow but steady defection from among the around 3000 Bengali officers and airmen stationed and grounded in West Pakistan. By the first week of December a total of 700 Bengali officers and airmen had defected from the Western border. A significant number of BAF personnel participated in the Ground Warfare roles in the Bangladesh War of Independence. During the independence war, initially, officers of the BAF attached to the then Bangladesh Government were Chief Representative to Chakulia Guerrilla Training Camp Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan, Group Captain A. K. Khandekar, DCOS Army(Liaison) later Sub-Sector Commander and as Commander - Sector 11, Flight Lieutenant Liaqat as Battalion Adjutant, Flying Officer Rouf, Flying Officer Ashraf and Flight Sergeant Shafiqullah as company commanders. Squadron Leader Sadruddin Hossain, Squadron Leader Wahidur Rahim, Squadron Leader Nurul Qader, Squadron Leader Shamsur Rahman and Squadron Leader Ataur Rahman as sub sector company commanders. Squadron Leader Khademul Bashar participated in the war as Commander-Sector 6.[9]

Indian civilian authorities and the IAF donated 1 DC-3 Dakota (gifted by the Maharaja of Jodhpor), 1 Twin Otter plane, and 1 Alouette III helicopter for the newborn Bangladesh Air Force.[10][7] The Bengali rank and file fixed up the World War II vintage runway at Dimapur Airport, then began rigging the aircraft for combat duty. The Dakota was modified to carry 500 pound bombs, but for technical reasons it was only used to ferry Bangladesh government personnel. The Alouette III helicopter was rigged to fire 14 rockets from pylons attached to its side and had .303 Browning machine guns installed, in addition to having 1-inch (25 mm) steel plate welded to its floor for extra protection. The Twin Otter boasted 7 rockets under each of its wings and could deliver ten 25 pound bombs, which were rolled out of the aircraft by hand through a makeshift door. This tiny force was dubbed Kilo Flight, the first fighting formation of the nascent Bangladesh Air force. Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud was appointed as the commander of the 'Kilo Flight'.[11][12]

Bangladesh Air Force first went in action on 3 December 1971 and attacked the Chattogram-based Oil tank depot and oil tank depot was totally destroyed by that air attack. The Air attack was conducted by Capt. Akram Ahmed.[13] The second Bangladesh Air Force attack was on 6 December 1971 at Moulvibazar Pakistani Army barracks under the command of Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud, where Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed was co-pilot.[13]

After the surrender of Pakistan, all personnel reported to Bangladesh Forces commander-in-chief, Col. M. A. G. Osmani. On 7 April 1972, the post of the chief of air staff went into effect by order of the President of Bangladesh. The combined command of Bangladesh Forces had been abolished with effect from 7 April 1972 and replaced by three separate commands for the three services with acting chiefs of staff. The Bangladesh air force gradually began to reoccupy the reform all the airbase structures throughout the country, HQ administrative buildings, fuel and weapons depots.

The Alouette III was the first helicopter used by the Air Force, providing close air support during the Bangladesh Liberation War

After independence, in November–December 1972 the BAF received a significant donation from the former USSR. Among the aircraft delivered were ten single-seat Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MFs, two twin-seat Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UMs, and twelve Mil Mi-8 utility helicopters. Later China also supplied some equipment.[10]

Apart from the aircraft of Kilo Flight which were donated by India, most Pakistan Air Force aircraft grounded in Dhaka due to runway cratering by the Indian Air Force during the liberation war, were sabotaged before surrender. Of these, four Canadair Sabres were also returned to service by Bangladeshi ground technicians in 1972. The Pakistan Air Force prior to 1971 had many Bengali pilots, air traffic controllers, technicians and administrative officers and the general Bengali representation in the Pakistan Air Force was around 15% (and 18% in the officer corps) of the 25,000 odd manpower of the Pakistan Air Force in 1971, which although lower than their share in the population (50%) was much higher than the 6% numbers in the Army. Many of them distinguished themselves during the Bangladesh Liberation War, they provided the nascent Bangladesh Air Force with a good number of trained personnel. It had grown with the repatriation of the around 2000 Air Force personnel from Pakistan in 1973 after the Simla Agreement.[8]

In 1977 some personnel of Bangladesh Air Force, led by Sergeant Afsar,[14] attempted to stage a coup, which resulted in the deaths of 11 air force officers.[15] After the mutiny was put down by the then Provost marshal Wing Commander M. Hamidullah Khan, TJ, SH, BP, President Ziaur Rahman even considered disbanding the Bangladesh Air Force, in favour of an army aviation wing.[15] However, this plan did not go ahead. President Ziaur Rahman placed Hamidullah in charge of Command and Communication Control at the old Parliamentary building, present day Prine Ministers office. Hamidullah reorganized the Forces intelligence to directorate general level under the authority of the President. Hence the DGFI was born.

Defence co-operation improved with Pakistan considerably under the government of Ziaur Rahman and the military regime of Hossain Mohammad Ershad in Bangladesh, which had grown more distant from its war ally, India. Common concerns over India's regional meddling have influenced strategic co-operation leading to a gift of several squadrons of refurbished Shenyang F-6 fighter aircraft from Pakistan to the Bangladesh Air Force in the late 1980s.[10] Bangladesh bought 8 Mig-29 from Russia in 1999 under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[16] Bangladesh Air Force Academy (BAFA) received National colours in 2003 by the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The Recruits' Training School (RTS) has been awarded with BAF Colours by ex-Chief of Air Staff (AVM Fakhrul Azam) in 2004. In 2017 Bangladesh Air Force was awarded the Independence Day Award.[17]

Bangladesh Air Force was very active during COVID-19 pandemic . BAF provided emergency Medivac for many critical COVID-19 patients by their helicopters. BAF also evacuated immigrants, migrants workers and airlifted tons of relief materials for home and abroad by their C-130B and C-130J cargo aircraft.[18][19]

The Bangladesh Air Force has an ambitious modernisation plan to be implemented in upcoming years under Forces Goal 2030. As per the goal, air force is to be a strong deterrent force to well protect the sky of Bangladesh. Plans are made to strengthen both air power and land based air defence capabilities. Since the formulation of the forces goal 2030, the BAF has developed in many folds.

The Air Force has set up an advanced training unit named 105 Advance Jet Training Unit which is a dedicated fighter pilot training unit of BAF. The unit consists of three training squadrons which will provide advanced training to the pilots selected for operating the fighter jets.[20]

Since 2010, BAF has taken the delivery of sixteen Chengdu F-7BGI fighter aircraft, sixteen Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced jet trainers, two C-130J transport aircraft,[21] nine K-8W jet trainer aircraft, three Let L-410 Turbolet transport trainer aircraft[22] and twenty three CJ-6 basic trainers.[23] Process is going on for the procurement of sixteen multirole combat aircraft.[24]

A Yakovlev Yak-130 on final approach

BAF has also taken the delivery of 21 Mi-171Sh combat transport helicopters, four AgustaWestland AW139 maritime SAR helicopters and two AW 119KX training helicopters since 2010. Procurement process of eight attack helicopters is going on.[24]

BAF earned the Surface to Air Missile capability by introducing FM-90 short range air defence missile in 2011.[25] Till date, BAF Has taken the delivery of two regiments of FM-90 systems. Bangladesh air force received an Italian origin long range Selex RAT-31DL air defence radar in 2019.[26]

Bangladesh has signed a government to government contract with the United Kingdom for the supply of two off-the-shelf C-130J aircraft currently in service with the Royal Air Force.[27] In June 2019, another contract was signed for the procurement of additional three off-the-shelf C-130J aircraft from UK.[28] As of September 2020, three of the aircraft have been delivered.[29]

On 20 June 2018, the Bangladesh Air Force signed a contract with China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) for the procurement of seven K-8 jet training aircraft.[30][31] On 15 October 2020 BAF received those seven procured K-8 jet training aircraft.[32]

More than 600+ BAF personnel, including officers and airmen, 10 BAF helicopters and are currently deployed to various UN Missions. Another C-130 transport aircraft is providing support to UN Mission in Africa. With the deployment of C-130 aircraft and its personnel, Bangladesh became the largest troops contributing country in UN peacekeeping missions.

Female helicopter pilots of the Bangladesh Air Force, serving with MONUSCO

On 25 November 2020, 64 female recruits completed airmens recruit training in Recruits Training School, Shamshernagar; this was the first time that the air force took females as airwomen.[33] As officers, women can join since the early 2000s but women were not allowed to become pilots till 2014, in 2014 two females received pilots training. Now female pilots of BAF have flown Mi-17s, Bell-206s, L-410s and recently C-130Js.[34]

Branches of officers of Bangladesh Air Force are:

• General Duties (Pilot), abbreviation: GD(P)
• General Duties (Navigator), abbreviation: GD(N)
• Engineering
• Air Defense Weapons Controlling (ADWC)
• Air Traffic control (ATC)
• Meteorology
• Logistics
• Administration
• Finance/Accounts
• Education
• Legal
• Medical (officers are seconded from army)

Trade Groups of airmen are:[37]

See also: List of active Bangladesh military aircraft & List of historic Bangladesh Air Force aircraft

Bangladesh Air Force MIG-29UB fly over

A BAF AW139 Maritime search and rescue helicopter

BAF Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules