Bangladesh has taken a significant step toward modernizing its air force by signing a Letter of Intent to negotiate the purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, potentially becoming the first nation outside Europe and the Middle East to operate the aircraft. The Bangladesh Air Force confirmed that it will begin formal talks with Italy's Leonardo, which leads the Eurofighter marketing effort in the country.
While the final number of aircraft has not been determined, local reports suggest Bangladesh may seek up to 16 Typhoons. The LOI was signed at Air Force headquarters in the presence of Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Italian ambassador Antonio Alessandro, marking a notable milestone in Dhaka's shift toward Western defense technology.
Bangladesh's largest Western fighter acquisition to date
If completed, the purchase would represent Bangladesh's largest Western fighter acquisition to date, competing directly with China's J-10C, another contender under consideration. Earlier this year, Bangladeshi pilots visited Leonardo's Turin facility to test-fly the Eurofighter, signaling strong interest and momentum behind the program.
Bangladesh already operates Leonardo-built AW109 and AW139 helicopters, giving the two sides an established industrial relationship. Leonardo is also pursuing Eurofighter sales in the Philippines and Poland as part of a broader push to expand the aircraft's global footprint. With 769 jets ordered so far and ten nations currently flying the Typhoon, Bangladesh now appears poised to join that list, pending successful negotiations.