T129 ATAK attack helicopter is based on the Italian Agusta A129 Mangusta

Bangladesh stands on the cusp of a transformative defence procurement from Turkey, encompassing six T129 ATAK attack helicopters alongside the Hisar air defence system within a comprehensive $600 million package.

This deal, now in its finalisation phase, aligns directly with Dhaka's Forces Goal 2030 modernisation blueprint, prioritising tactical aviation upgrades and mobile medium-range air defence capabilities.

A dedicated procurement committee oversees the process, with Dhaka recently dispatching a draft Bangladesh-Türkiye Defence Cooperation Framework Agreement to Ankara for approval. The six T129 ATAK helicopters mark an initial tranche, with potential for additional units based on operational performance and sustainment results.

These Italian-Turkish designed platforms, already operational in nations like Somalia, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Turkey, offer Bangladesh Air Force enhanced close air support and anti-armour punch.

Dhaka aims to seal the agreement within the 2025-26 fiscal year, synchronising deliveries with incoming Eurofighter Typhoon fighters by 2027 to bolster overall air power.

The Hisar-O+ medium-range surface-to-air missile system forms the package's defensive core, developed by Aselsan and Roketsan with TÜBİTAK SAGE input.

Featuring active radar homing and imaging infrared guidance, Hisar-O+ delivers 360-degree coverage, engaging targets beyond 25 kilometres at altitudes up to 15 kilometres. Mounted on 8x8 tactical trucks for rapid deployment across floodplains, borders, and coasts, each battery integrates 3D phased array radars, fire control, and command vehicles.

Bangladesh Army Air Defence Artillery plans deployments safeguarding Dhaka, Chittagong, and Cox’s Bazar, filling gaps in current Chinese and Russian assets.

High-level impetus came from Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan's October 2025 Turkey visit, touring Turkish Aerospace Industries, Aselsan, and Roketsan amid talks on drones and missiles. This reflects deepening military ties, with Turkey positioning as an ITAR-free exporter challenging Russian, Western, and Chinese dominance in South Asia.

The package extends beyond hardware to include training, logistics, radars, command infrastructure, and maintenance, adopting Turkey's 'turnkey' Steel Dome model for integrated operations.

Siper long-range SAMs may follow Hisar-O+, offering over 100-kilometre reach and 20-kilometre altitude intercepts against aircraft, drones, and ballistic threats. Such layered defences promise Bangladesh its first unified national network, blending ground interceptors with UAV reconnaissance under a common grid.

Strategic dividends loom large: diversification dilutes China's arms monopoly, enhances deterrence versus neighbours, and complicates Indian air superiority in eastern theatres.

For India, the shift raises tactical concerns near Bay of Bengal borders, while Myanmar may accelerate its own upgrades. Turkey gains a foothold in South Asia, advancing top-ten exporter ambitions through affordable, sanction-proof systems and cultural affinity.

Industrial offsets entice Dhaka, with prospects for technology transfer, joint assembly at Bangladesh Ordnance Factories, and technician training to seed self-reliance. Challenges persist in integrating NATO-standard Turkish gear with heterogeneous Chinese, Russian, and European holdings amid humid terrain and data-link hurdles.

Ankara pledges software interfaces, advisors, and tailored configurations, plus officer courses at Turkish academies on radar ops and electronic warfare. Geopolitically, the pact fits Turkey's outreach across Muslim states, leveraging drones, missiles, and ships as diplomatic tools without great-power entanglements.

Dhaka's pragmatic balancing—China for volume, Turkey for innovation, West for interoperability—maximises capabilities under fiscal constraints. First Hisar-O+ batteries could arrive by late 2026, Siper by 2027-28, cementing a new defence corridor from Middle East to Southeast Asia.

This procurement not only modernises Bangladesh's skies but reconfigures regional power dynamics, underscoring Ankara's ascent and Dhaka's astute diversification.

​Agencies