The government has planned to procure eight Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) fighter aircraft for the Air Force in the current fiscal year (2016-‘17), Law Minister Anisul Huq told Parliament yesterday, reports UNB. The minister, who is in charge of the Defence Ministry in the House, said this replying to a starred question from Mohammad Abdullah, MP (Laxmipur-4).
Besides, he said, procurement deals were signed in the 2015-‘16 fiscal year to procure two training helicopters, one Short Range Air Defence Radar (SHORAD) system, one Long Range Air Defence Radar and 11 PT-6 Basic Trainer planes for making the Bangladesh Air Force more dynamic.
In the current fiscal year, a plan was taken to procure six MI-171 SH Helicopters, two Maritime Search and Rescue (MSAR) helicopters, one Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MSAM) system and one UAV System. There is also a plan to procure more MRCA, medium lift helicopter and Mobile Pulse Doppler Radar (MPDR) in the future, the minister said.