EXCLUSIVE: Deadly Missile Inventory of Bangladesh Navy

Bangladesh Navy has an inventory of various anti-ship missile of Chinese & Italian origins. These weapon systems are installed on BN warships of various class and sizes. And some of them can be fired from Bangladesh’s upcoming Leonardo Company’s AW159 ASW helicopters too. There are news that latest Chinese C-803 AShM will be featured on BN’s next heavy frigates and stealth corvettes.

Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles are the guided weapons system of any potent navy. To maintain credible presence and protect its EEZ in the Bay of Bengal Bangladesh sought to procure many weapons for her naval force. Along with this aspiration Chinese systems are made their way into our navy which form the main share of such capabilities to date.

Bangladesh Navy’s main long-range anti-ship missile is the Italian Otomat Mk.2 Block-IV which can hit targets at 200km distance. Another long-range AShM is the Chinese C-802A which has been complemented by the Chinese short-range AShM C-704 for littoral operations. Previously China’s SY-1A was the main long-range attacking weapon of BN. It’s been upgraded with modern sensors and radars, but not in “main” weapons of attack in Bangladesh Navy now. It is being hoped that BN’s new Leonardo AW159 Wildcat ASW helicopters will be featured with Otomat Mk.2 Block-IV missiles too. For shorter use weapon Thales Martlet will also come along with the two AW159 Wildcat.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Navy’s anti-air weapons systems are too poor to date. It consists of only Chinese FM-90N which has been derived from the HQ-7A, has very low range and has been installed on few of BN warships. FL-3000N is a CIWS surface-to-air missile with very very low range-altitude. It is came along with the Shadhinota Class corvettes.

However, Italian WASS manufactured A-244S fire-&-forget torpedo system is a decent ASW+ASuW weapon. It is really a weapon of choice with highly advanced technologies.

In the coming years, Bangladesh Navy going to build its latest warships (stealth frigates & corvettes) in home which will feature modern VLS system and naval SAM systems. Experts hoping that those warships’ missile capabilities will be boosted towards an incredible level before this BN doesn’t have. Until then, we must wait to see which systems Bangladesh choose to be installed on her next warships.