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Accounts vary as to the details of the navy plan, but one source reported it included purchase of three frigates, three large patrol aircraft, 12 patrol craft, two landing craft utility (LCU), one hydrographic unit, one salvage vessel, four missile boats and installation of new missiles in some ships to strengthen its surface fleet. It proposed introducing its own aviation fleet to consolidate combat capability of the surface fleet by purchasing three maritime patrol aircraft and four helicopters in the coming 10 years.
The navy also discloses a plan for purchasing a submarine by 2019 for the flotilla. It said the government has approved in principle this proposed purchase. “Before purchasing the submarine, steps have already been taken to build infrastructure and train up personnel. When the preparatory work is completed, it will be possible to initiate steps to purchase a submarine by 2019,” the navy report added.
The navy said based on the possible allocation of funds every year, the process of purchasing and building surface and aviation platforms to achieve three-dimensional ability will continue. Off-the-shelf purchase process will also continue simultaneously that would cost less and save time, it adds. “Additional allocation of Tk 1,200 crore will be required for purchasing submarine, the hydrographic unit and the salvage ship,” the navy said, adding, “An estimated allocation of Tk 5,000 will be required for principal purchase and development in the next 10 years.”
The principal purchase excludes the submarine, hydrographic unit and the salvage ship. As per the plan, three large patrol craft and 12 patrol craft will be built at the navy’s own shipyards. Purchase of two helicopters and two maritime patrol aircraft were under process as of 2009.
In defence for replacing three frigates — Abu Bakar, Omar Faruk and Ali Haider — the navy said the ships were built in 1953, 1953 and 1957 and Tk 300 crore will be required to upgrade those. Upgrading the old vessels was not viable, the navy claimed. The navy also proposes replacing four out of the eight missile boats — Durbar, Duranto, Uttal and Durdanto. Those were commissioned in 1983, 1983, 1992 and 1988. It said Tk 200 crore would be required to upgrade the missile boats.
The report says as many as 82 ships, small and large, were in the navy’s fleet. Most of the ships were older that 25 years. Only 15 ships/craft are aged under 25 years. Combat capability of the old ships has decreased and their maintenance and operation cost is high as well as risky, the navy adds. “With the old ships and present infrastructures, it is becoming difficult to discharge [the navy's] crucial duties.”
During the three years 2009-2011, a total of 2 OPV, 1 survey ship, 8 high-speedboats, helicopter handling system, early warning radar system and 2 marine helicopters were added to the Bangladesh Navy. Process for purchasing C-704 missile system, QW-2 SAM, OTOMAT MK-II missiles, 2 large patrol craft, 5 patrol craft and 1 oil tanker had been completed. The survey ship newly purchased for Bangladesh Navy has been commissioned.
The Navy attained double capability through addition of 2 newly purchased marine helicopters. In February 2010 AgustaWestland announced the award of a contract by the Bangladesh Navy for two AW109 Power maritime helicopters. The helicopters will be used for a wide range of naval missions including search and rescue, economic zone protection, surface surveillance and maritime security. The two Agusta AW 109E helicopters on 14 June 2011 were delivered in 2011 and were capable of being operated from the frigate BNS Bangabandhu.
In 2010 BN signed a contract with China Shipbuilding and Offshore Company (CSOC) to built two Large Patrol Craft in Wuchang Shipyard in China. The ships will be of 600 tons and will be armed with 4 x C-704 SSM, 1 x 76.2 mm gun with FCS and RDC. In another contract with CSOC, BN will construct 5 units of 350-ton patrol craft at Khulna Shipyard under Chinese technical assistance.
On 12 April 2010 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said soon two more frigates will be included to BangladeshNavy fleet. Sheikh Hasina said during her recent China visit, she had requested the Chinese government to provide Bangladesh Naval Force with two newly-constructed frigates including helicopters, and the Chinese government gave consent in this regard. Besides, naval ship Bangabandhu, decommissioned during the last BNP-Jamaat government on political ground, will be made fully operational again.
On 21 June 2010 it was reported that the Bangladesh Navy planned to expand cooperation with China's national defense industry in the framework of the activities of two frigates, making the Navy to a total number of frigates to seven. The relevant supply agreement was reached in March 2010. At that time it was reported that, in addition to procurement of two frigates from China, the Bangladesh Navy will receive three British warships. The UK Disposal Services Authority (DSA) successfully negotiated the sale and handover of HM Ships LEEDS CASTLE and DUMBARTON CASTLE (Castle Class Offshore Patrol Vessels) for £2.45m and HMS ROEBUCK offshore hydrographic launch for £4.4m, to the Bangladesh Navy. All 3 vessels have since sailed to Bangladesh and were delivered in June 2010. Maintenance and improvement work had been started in the UK on two patrol boats of the Bangladesh Navy.
On 29 December 2010 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government had plans to include submarine with base facility in Bangladesh Navy by 2019 to build it as an effective 'deterrent force'. As of 2005 the plan was to acquire 4 subs within 2012, although by 2012 Bangladesh appeared no closer to acquiring submarines than it had seven years previously. It is said that Bangladesh is prepared to spend Tk.1,200 crore [ie, Tk.12,000,000,000, or about US$150,000,000] on 4 submarines. The amount of money Bangladesh might spend on submarines would probably not be enough to buy new ones. The Scorpene submarine comes in at US$300-$400,000,000, and the Agosta-90B Submarine (from DCN) is also US$300-$400,000,000 apiece. So possibly Bangaldesh would buy used U-209s for Italy or some other European country which is replacing them with the new U-212 from Germany. Even an "old" Upholder cost around $200 million a piece.
In June 2011 Army Chief General Mohammad Abdul Mubeen inaugurated the building of a LCVP Type C landing craft vessel personnel (LCVP) at Khulna Shipyard. The 19.75-meter long and 7-meter wide craft was built for Bangladesh Army. The army will use the LCVP for transportation of soldiers and equipment when needed. The vessel was expected to be handed over to the Army within a year. Khulna Shipyard already built modern firefighting boats for the Fire Service, ferries for the BIWTC and a speedy patrol boat for Bangladesh Coast Guard. LCVP-012 was delivered on 2010-04-17.
A contract was signed on 23 June 2011 with Ruag Germany for the supply of two Dornier 228 NG MPA within 24 months. Following customers in Japan, Norway and Germany, in July 2011 the Bangladesh Navy purchased two modern Do 228NG (New Generation) turboprop aircraft. The aircraft will be used for maritime air patrol and rescue mission along the countries’ coastline. Delivery of both aircraft was scheduled for early summer 2013.
In October 2011 Bangladesh’s state-owned Khulna Shipyard signed a contract with China’s Shanghai-based Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard and the China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Ltd (CSOC) for licence-building five inshore patrol vessels (IPV) and seven guided-missile corvettes. While the IPVs are based on the 80-ton Huang Pu-class vessel, the guided-missile corvettes, to be built to a brand-new design, will each have a displacement of 260 tons, length of 46 meters, beamwidth of 7.4 meters, and have a top speed of 30 Knots. While the CSOC would supply the first two guided-missile corvettes off-the-shelf, the remaining five will be licence-built by Khulna Shipyard. Each such vessel will be armed with up to four CPMIEC-built C-802A anti-ship cruise missiles.
As of 2012 it was reported that the Navy was planning to purchase two corvettes and two frigates. According to unofficial information, Bangladesh Navy was seeking two "Jiang Wei II" class (Type 053H3) frigates from China. The Turkish Navy will be retiring four early MEKO 200 class frigates, which reportedly have been offered to Bangladesh. Those warship's combat systems would be upgraded to BN requirement before delivery.
The second-hand submarine that Bangladesh was seeking in order to further safeguard its offshore assets is likely to be sourced from China. Despite an interest in contributing more fully to international peace-keeping missions, the protection of offshore energy resources in the face of competition from India and Burma is Bangladesh’s prime motivation.
The first-ever warship, BNS PADMA built in Bangladesh by Khulna Shipyard Limited (KSY) was commissioned in Bangladesh Navy on 24 January 2013 by Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It may be mentioned that the 2nd Patrol Craft has also been launched on 23 January 2013 which is expected to deliver 2 (two) months ahead of the schedule. The rest 3 (Three) will be delivered within December 2013.
On December 20, 2013 Bangladesh finalized a deal to purchase two Ming-class submarines from China. The deal for the two submarines, which was waiting for final approval from the Finance Ministry, was worth $203.3 million. The type 035G diesel-electric run submarines are scheduled to be delivered in 2019. Government officials hinted that there was a plan to purchase at least three submarines in the next few years. Besides submarines, Dhaka was also negotiating with Beijing to buy two frigates under a state-to-state purchase deal. Beijing offered two of its old 053H2 frigates at a very low rate on the condition that Dhaka would bear the refurbishment and defence equipment costs for the off-the-shelf ships. An estimated Tk 6.55 billion will be needed to add two frigates to the country's existing frigate fleet of six.
Source:www.globalsecurity.org
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