In a possible setback to the Chinese J-10C fighter jet, a close ally of Beijing seems to be drifting towards the Eurofighter Typhoon after considering the Chinese 4.5-generation aircraft for several months.
Bangladesh signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to initiate talks on purchasing the Eurofighter jet.
According to local media reports, the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is interested in acquiring 12-16 Eurofighter Typhoons. If a deal is finalized, Bangladesh will become the 11th country to operate the 4.5-generation fighter jet, jointly developed by a consortium of Italy, Spain, the UK, and Germany.
Notably, Bangladesh will also become the first South Asian country to operate the Eurofighter Typhoon, as well as the first country outside Europe and the Middle East to do so.
Though the J-10C remains in the running for Bangladesh’s multirole fighter jet deal, the LoI for the Eurofighter Typhoon is a worrying development for Beijing, which is aggressively promoting the aircraft, banking on the alleged success against Rafale jets during the India-Pakistan clash in May.
Pakistan claimed that it shot down as many as eight Indian fighter jets, including 3-4 Rafales, with its Chinese J-10C fighter jets and Chinese BVR air-to-air missile, the PL-15. India did admit the loss of one Rafale aircraft, but not due to an enemy shootdown, but to a technical glitch.
Despite these tall claims and aggressive marketing pitching the J-10C as ‘Rafale Killer,’ and even though the Chinese jet costs nearly half the price of the Rafale or Eurofighter Typhoon, Beijing has been unable to secure new orders for the aircraft, despite a massive PR campaign.
Bangladesh adds to the long list of countries that, despite being on friendly terms with Beijing and despite evaluating the J-10C for months, have not yet finalized a deal with China.
Countries like Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Colombia, and Iran have all evaluated and negotiated deals with Beijing for the J-10C fighter jet; however, China has yet to win a confirmed second export customer for its flagship fighter jet.
Notably, in October, reports emerged that Indonesia had finalized a deal to buy 42 J-10C jets from China for USD 9 billion. However, Beijing’s celebration was short-lived, as within days, Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense denied the reports, saying that the evaluation of Chinese, Western, and regional aircraft continues and that no final decision has been made.
“It’s still being analysed and reviewed. At the moment, we are considering all platforms that can fulfil our need to help guard our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” ministry spokesman Brigadier General Frega Wenas Inkiriwang said.
Bangladesh Signs LoI For Eurofighter Typhoon
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) has decided to formally sign a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Italian aerospace powerhouse Leonardo S.p.A for the acquisition of multi-role combat aircraft, Eurofighter Typhoon.
The LoI was signed at the BAF headquarters, with Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and the Italian ambassador to Bangladesh in attendance. The BAF is negotiating with Leonardo, the company responsible for marketing the Eurofighter in Asia.
“Leonardo will supply Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to the Bangladesh Air Force under this letter of intent… The aircraft are expected to significantly enhance the force’s next-generation multirole combat capabilities and strengthen its operational readiness,” the BAF said in a statement.
Earlier this year, a group from the BAF visited Leonardo’s facility in Turin, Italy, to test-fly the Eurofighter.
If the deal is finalized, Bangladesh will become the first country outside Europe and the Middle East to operate the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Eurofighter’s Rising Export Profile
So far, apart from the four original partner nations that developed the Eurofighter Typhoon – the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain – six other countries have ordered Eurofighters: Austria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Turkey.
In total, 769 Eurofighter Typhoons have been ordered.
In October this year, Turkey became the 10th country to place an order for Eurofighter and the sixth export customer of the aircraft.
Ankara signed a deal to buy 20 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Britain for 8 billion pounds (US$10.7 billion), which also includes a comprehensive weapons package, including MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles and Brimstone ground-attack missiles.
Leonardo is also pitching the Eurofighter Typhoon to the Philippines, where it has proposed a sale of 32 jets, and in Poland.
In November, Tommaso Pani, Leonardo Aeronautics Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Sales, said in an interview, “We began engaging with the Philippines authorities around two years ago, and have maintained a continuous dialogue with the objective to fully describe how the Eurofighter Typhoon can best meet their operational requirements.”
“After two years of extensive discussions and evaluations, we’re even more convinced that the Eurofighter would deliver unparalleled advantages in meeting the Philippines’ national defence needs,” he said.
According to reports, the Philippines is considering an order of 32 Tranche 5 fighters.
Has Bangladesh Ditched J-10C?
In October, Bangladesh revealed that a deal for 20 J-1OCE fighter jets could cost US$1.2 billion for the airframes alone. The complete package, including weapons, spares, and training, could cost US$2.2 billion.
Until last month, it was understood that Bangladesh’s J-10CE deal was nearly done, and Dhaka and Beijing were in the final stages of negotiating the price.
Following the India-Pakistan aerial clash in May, China was marketing the J-10CE as a ‘Rafale Killer.’ Notably, India operates Rafale fighter jets, Bangladesh’s larger neighbor with whom Dhaka has an increasingly rough relationship.
Besides, the Chinese J-10CE costs nearly half as much as the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Rafale. Furthermore, Dhaka and Beijing are on extremely friendly terms. Bangladesh is one of the largest buyers of Chinese weapons.
However, by signing the LoI for Eurofighter Typhoon, it seems that Dhaka is keeping its options open.
If Bangladesh indeed selects the Eurofighter Typhoon, it will join a long list of countries that, after months of evaluating the J-10C, did not finalize a deal.
For instance, Colombia was reportedly considering buying 24 J-10CE fighters in early 2025 as part of Belt and Road Initiative ties; however, in the end, Colombia picked Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F (12 aircraft, US$4.5 billion deal) from Sweden.
Similarly, Brazil was offered the Chinese J-10C fighter jet; however, after months of evaluation, it is now negotiating to buy used F-16s from the US. Earlier, Argentina also decided to buy used Danish F-16s over new Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets.
Till now, Pakistan is the only country to operate the J-10C fighter jet outside China.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
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