Defense Update Bangladesh

Special Warfare Diving And Salvage (SWADS) is the elite commando unit of Bangladesh Navy. SWADS receives various training from USA, South Korea & Turkey. SWADS operating dozens of special warfare small arms, assault rifles, sniper weapons systems, grenade launchers etc. Every SWADS member have to get trained almost all those weapons.  Here is a short list of the weapons SWADS members operating currently: Colt M4A1 SOPMOD: primary weapon of SWADS Daewoo K2 assault rifle Type 56 assault rifle BD-08 assault rifle M24 Sniper Weapon System Heckler & Koch HK416 Squad automatic weapon M16 assault rifle M203 grenade launcher MK 19 automatic grenade launcher Heckler & Koch MP5 9mm submachine gun Close Quarter Battle Receiver (CQBR) Carbine, used by SEAL operatives only; Accuracy International AS50 Sniper Weapon System Besides these there are some other arms too SWADS can operate if needed. Bangladesh Navy (BN) SWADS ...

Bangladesh Navy started to form its special warfare team SWADS (Special Warfare Diving And Salvage) in later of the last decade with the direct help of U.S. Navy SEALs. The then U.S. Ambassador Dan Mozena actively helped a lot. Formation and training process started in 2008 by the USN SEALs and in 2009 raising of the SWADS team has been announced with 150 naval commandos and 200 divers. Since then the SWADS teams growing. Screening and training processes are as US Navy Naval Special Warfare Center’s guidelines. Besides United States, Turkey & South Korea also assisting Bangladesh Navy in training of SWADS members. SWADS’ main tasks are special reconnaissance, direct action, foreign internal defense & unconventional warfare; meanwhile anti-piracy, counter insurgency, counter narcotics, counter terrorism. Covert insertions/extractions. Hostage rescue and personnel recovery. Hydro-graphic reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, raid & underwater demolition jobs also...

Bangladesh Army choose chinese A-300 guided multiple launch rocket system to buy as the BA needs a new long-range rocket artillery system. For the contract China offered its various models but Bangladesh may only buy China ALIT A-300 GMLRS which is a 300mm rocket artillery system with 290km range.  A-300 GMLRS is very much capable of hitting targets well behind the enemy lines of upto 290km. it is mainly designed to hit large area targets. Bridges, armored corps or large concentration of enemy troops, artillery and air defense batteries, command posts, ammunition depot and other military support facilities.  Recently burmese army’s aggressive maneuvers near Bangladesh’s border in the southern parts of the country rattled the military planners in Dhaka. Bangladesh resorting to increase her artillery firepower to a new height with massiveness. Due to the hilly terrain of the Cox’s Bazaar, Bandarban and Teknaf districts Bangladesh Army needs very nimble, shoot & ...

Bangladesh Army going to buy Chinese C-802A land based anti-ship missile system to secure mainland. Senabahini sought to work together with Bangladesh Navy to protect the country and her interests. Bangladesh Army always keeping country’s security top of all concerns. Bangladesh Navy already deployed C-802 AShMs in various surface warships. Besides C-802 Bangladesh also has an inventory of C-704 and Otomat Mk.II anti-ship missiles. For anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare Bangladesh Navy will get two Leonardo AW159 Wildcat ASW/ASuW helicopters end of this year and hoping to order more 10 examples. Recent Bangladeshi airspace violations by burmese army provokes anger among the nation but government and higher military leadership restrained from retaliation regarding stability causes in the region. Bangladesh is a peace loving country and don’t want war, though, Army wants to be fully prepared for any future situation. Primary threats could be burmese navy’s surface ships f...

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is the first line of border patrolling force of Bangladesh. They’re trained and organized by Bangladesh Army. BGB Bangladesh buying two Mi-17 series helicopters from Russia.  Recently government decided to upgrade the force into a three-dimension form to surveillance properly the country’s border areas. Two are ordered and total 10 helicopters will be bought within years. For handling these aircrafts four aviation wings being established across the country. When, the first aviation wing has been raised in Baitul Ijjat, Bandarban. Construction works for 70 heli-support border observation posts are going on in the southern districts of Bandarban, Rangamati, Cox’s Bazaar and Teknaf.  Initially air Force pilots will fly them, meanwhile BGB will have their own pilots trained. Currently Bangladesh Air Force given one of BGB’s Bell-212 chopper back. Aircrafts are very effective way to patrol borders.  Bangladesh need to stop illegal...

Chinese VT5 light main battle tank has been finalized by Bangladesh Army. 2 to 3 regiments will be bought in short-term acquisition process. This tank is designed and manufactured by the NORINCO, China.  As sources confirmed, Bangladesh Army will buy more light tanks from Europe too. VT5 light MBT is a very nimble, has maximum fire power and can operate in mountainous & marshy lands, jungle, riverine areas.  Weapons are a 105mm rifled-main gun, a 12.7mm & a 7.62 mm machine gun. There are a 40mm automatic grenade launcher, too, in the remotely-controlled weapons station.  Bangladesh implementing “Forces Goal -2030” modernization program to upgrade Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force. Under this upgrade process all three main armed forces will be equipped with high-tech advanced military equipment.