Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan visits PAF headquarters, Pakistan ensures expedited delivery of Super Mushshak
Bangladesh Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan with PAF Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu
Bangladesh is in talks to acquire JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan, marking a potential defense deal as Islamabad capitalizes on growing international interest in its fighter jets following the May 2025 conflict with India.
A high-level defense delegation led by Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Chief of Air Staff, Bangladesh, held detailed discussions on the potential acquisition during a visit to Air Headquarters, Islamabad, where they called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force. The visiting air chief was given a guard of honor.
The JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, has become a key export success for Pakistan’s defense industry. After reports that the PAF shot down several Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales, during the May 2025 conflict, international interest in Pakistan’s operational assets increased.
This caused the stock price of China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), which makes the plane, to rise by more than 17%. In December 2025, Libya and Pakistan concluded a major multibillion-dollar conventional arms export deal, described as one of the largest arms sales ever to Pakistan, which included 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and 12 Super Mushshak trainer jets.
The meeting between the air chiefs focused on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy, with emphasis on training, capacity building and collaboration in aerospace advancements.
Air Chief Marshal Sidhu briefed the visiting delegation on the recent progress of the PAF and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to support the Bangladesh Air Force through a comprehensive training framework. It also ensured expedited delivery of the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, a Pakistani-made basic trainer aircraft used for pilot training, as well as a comprehensive long-term training and support ecosystem.
Read: Pakistan, Libya reach multi-billion dollar arms deal
The Bangladesh Air Chief praised the PAF’s combat record and sought help to support the maintenance of the Bangladesh Air Force’s aging fleet and to integrate air defense radar systems to improve aerial surveillance.
The delegation also visited PAF facilities including the National ISR and Integrated Air Operations Center, PAF Cyber Command and the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, observing capabilities in ISR, cyber, space, electronic warfare and unmanned systems.
The visit highlighted the strong historical ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh and reflected a shared determination to deepen defense cooperation and build a long-term strategic partnership.
