Navy launches exercise in Bay

Prime Minister’s defence adviser, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui, has said that Bangladesh will buy more submarines to strengthen the capacity of the Navy.

“The submarine base in Cox’s Bazar, which is now under construction, can house six to eight submarines. We will procure more submarines gradually,” he said after watching the annual war exercise of the Navy—‘Exercise Safeguard 2017’—in the Bay of Bengal yesterday.

Siddiqui watched the exercise from the modern frigate BNS Bangabandhu as chief guest. “After the introduction of the two submarines recently, the Navy has become a three-dimensional force. We will buy more modern equipment for the naval force,” he said. He also said the Navy will set up a radar for the surveillance of the country’s coastline. “It will help protect our maritime boundary,” he added. The defence adviser further said that world-class frigates will be built at the Navy enterprise Chittagong Dry Doc Ltd very soon. “We have plans to export frigates after building these in cooperation with foreign companies,” he added.

“Some foreign companies have expressed their interest in building frigates, and the chief of naval staff is looking into the matter,” he said.

Siddiqui also said they have no plan to build aircraft carriers right now. He also talked about the country’s blue economy. He said the government will take a number of projects to give it a boost. “We will go for offshore bidding to explore oil and gas and deep-sea fishing,” he added.

After introducing a submarine last year, the Navy has successfully launched an anti-submarine depth charge by two warships of the Navy, BNS Usman and BNS Durjoy, into the deep water.

The Navy also launched surface-to-air missiles from the frigate BNS Bangabandhu in the Bay of Bengal yesterday—the concluding day of its annual exercise. BNS Durjoy also successfully fired a surface-to-surface missile during the exercise. The exercise concluded with the launch of a missile, anti-submarine gun firing, anti-air firing, and the display of various techniques of naval warfare.

The main themes of the exercise were to protect the country’s sovereignty on the maritime boundary, the protection of sea resources, strengthening of the security along the Sea Line of Communication (SLOC), the prevention of piracy, the protection of biodiversity, and ensuring constabulary.

Fifty Navy ships, including frigates, offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), minesweepers, patrol boats, gunboats, torpedo boats, newly-inducted maritime patrol helicopters, fighter aircraft of the Air Force, and a good number of Army units participated in the 18-day-long exercise.

Different techniques of naval ships and operations, such as surveillance in the sea area, search and rescue operations, logistical operations, landing operations, and the protection of maritime establishments in the coastal area, were the events highlighted in the four-phase exercise.

 

Navy launches exercise in Bay

Prime Ministers defence adviser, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui, has said that Bangladesh will buy more submarines to strengthen the capacity of the Navy. The submarine base in Coxs Bazar, which is now under construction, can house six to eight submarines. We will procure more submarines gradually, he said after watching the annual war exercise of the NavyExercise Safeguard 2017in the Bay of Bengal yesterday. Siddiqui watched the exercise from the modern frigate BNS Bangabandhu as chief guest. After the introduction of the two submarines recently, the Navy has become a three-dimensional force. We will buy more modern equipment for the naval force, he said. He also said the Navy will set up a radar for the surveillance of the countrys coastline. It will help protect our maritime boundary, he added. The defence adviser further said that world-class frigates will be built at the Navy enterprise Chittagong Dry Doc Ltd very soon. We have plans to export frigates after building these in cooperation with foreign companies, he added. Some foreign companies have expressed their interest in building frigates, and the chief of naval staff is looking into the matter, he said. Siddiqui also said they have no plan to build aircraft carriers right now. He also talked about the countrys blue economy. He said the government will take a number of projects to give it a boost. We will go for offshore bidding to explore oil and gas and deep-sea fishing, he added. After introducing a submarine last year, the Navy has successfully launched an anti-submarine depth charge by two warships of the Navy, BNS Usman and BNS Durjoy, into the deep water. The Navy also launched surface-to-air missiles from the frigate BNS Bangabandhu in the Bay of Bengal yesterdaythe concluding day of its annual exercise. BNS Durjoy also successfully fired a surface-to-surface missile during the exercise. The exercise concluded with the launch of a missile, anti-submarine gun firing, anti-air firing, and the display of various techniques of naval warfare. The main themes of the exercise were to protect the countrys sovereignty on the maritime boundary, the protection of sea resources, strengthening of the security along the Sea Line of Communication (SLOC), the prevention of piracy, the protection of biodiversity, and ensuring constabulary. Fifty Navy ships, including frigates, offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), minesweepers, patrol boats, gunboats, torpedo boats, newly-inducted maritime patrol helicopters, fighter aircraft of the Air Force, and a good number of Army units participated in the 18-day-long exercise. Different techniques of naval ships and operations, such as surveillance in the sea area, search and rescue operations, logistical operations, landing operations, and the protection of maritime establishments in the coastal area, were the events highlighted in the four-phase exercise.