[🇧🇩-Navy] Bangladesh Navy news/views

[Saif]

BNS Somudra Avijan is a training ship (frigate) and is probably the highest displacement ship ( 3250 Tonnes ) in Bangladesh Navy.

It is ideal for having spaces to mount VLS tubes. Don't know if that will ever be done, being how old it is.

This particular ship belonged to USCG. I don't think BN has any plan to arm this ship with missiles. In my humble opinion, BN should buy Type 23 Duke class frigates from Royal navy. Type 23 frigates will be decommissioned by the Royal navy soon. BN can buy a few of these frigates at scrap price.

 

[Bilal9]

This particular ship belonged to USCG. I don't think BN has any plan to arm this ship with missiles. In my humble opinion, BN should buy Type 23 Duke class frigates from Royal navy. Type 23 frigates will be decommissioned by the Royal navy soon. BN can buy a few of these frigates at scrap price.

My thoughts exactly, I thought about this even a couple of years ago when they were planning replacements for the Duke Class...excellent choice (especially these having Anti-air VLS tubes)! I see in Wiki they have four ready for disposal already, HMS Monmouth, Montrose, Westminster and Northumberland.

The only problem is we have to become dependent on Harpoons if we keep the existing fitment. However there is an excellent alternative - Turkish Atmaca which we may soon be using and standardizing on for both Naval and Army use. Turkey and Bangladesh Signed 6th Cooperation Agreement | TURDEF

@LegionnairE brother - could Atmaca be a great replacement for Harpoons? Meaning could the missiles fit into existing Harpoon launch tubes?

 

[Bilal9]

@Saif bhai, I feel that our existing Durjoy class LPCs essentially have no teeth. Equipped with ineffective missiles like the C704 (only 35 KM range).

When Azmat Class FACs in Pakistan are equipped with Harbah cruise missiles with 290 KM range. Here is one of the Azmat class vessels (PNS Himmat) firing a Harbah missile (courtesy Quwa.org).

We should equip our existing and future Durjoy class (roughly same size as Azmat class) with that missile (two Durjoy class were already built at Khulna Shipyard and I believe there were further plans to build another four).

I am sure Pakistan will transfer the Harbah missile technology to Bangladesh too as they did to Qatar. @PakistanProud bhai your thoughts on the matter.

290 KM range of Harbah is just shy of MTCR limits of 300 KM.

 

[Saif]

My thoughts exactly, I thought about this even a couple of years ago when they were planning replacements for the Duke Class...excellent choice (especially these having Anti-air VLS tubes)! I see in Wiki they have four ready for disposal already, HMS Monmouth, Montrose, Westminster and Northumberland.

View attachment 16015

View attachment 16016

The only problem is we have to become dependent on Harpoons if we keep the existing fitment. However there is an excellent alternative - Turkish Atmaca which we may soon be using and standardizing on for both Naval and Army use. Turkey and Bangladesh Signed 6th Cooperation Agreement | TURDEF

@LegionnairE brother - could Atmaca be a great replacement for Harpoons? Meaning could the missiles fit into existing Harpoon launch tubes?

View attachment 16017

Bangladesh navy should procure the four available Duke Class frigates at the soonest. Duke Class will give us the capabilities to protect our EEZ from IN's Nilgiri class frigates. We should not buy 2nd hand Chinese frigates because they lack the capabilities to match IN's Nilgiri and Talwar class frigates. By the by, don't worry about Harpoon because we can replace it with Chinese CM-302. Replacing missile tubes is no big deal. Hope you agree with me.

 

[Bilal9]

Hope you agree with me.

Yes of course. Agreed. By the way - Eid Mubarak in advance to you and your family. Have a splendid Eid!

 

[Saif]

Yes of course. Agreed. By the way - Eid Mubarak in advance to you and your family. Have a splendid Eid!

Eid Mubarak to you too, Bilal bhai

 

[Saif]

A frigate of Bangladesh Navy is returning from Bay of Bengal after completing a naval exercise.

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh navy has cancelled an agreement with India to construct an Ocean going Tug boat. The deal valued $21 million.

Bangladesh cancels $21 million deal with Indian shipbuilding firm: Reports

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) signed the contract with the Bangladesh Navy in July 2024, a month before a mass uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina from power

www.tbsnews.net

Bangladesh cancels $21 million deal with Indian shipbuilding firm: Reports

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) signed the contract with the Bangladesh Navy in July 2024, a month before a mass uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina from power

Bangladesh has cancelled a $21 million deal with a Kolkata-based state-run shipbuilding firm of India for the construction of an advanced ocean-going tugboat, according to Indian media reports.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) signed a contract for a tugboat with the Bangladesh Navy in July 2024, a month before a mass uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina from power.

It says the contract was signed as India and Bangladesh agreed to strengthen defence cooperation with a long-term perspective during Hasina's visit to India in June 2024.

In a filing to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited on Wednesday (21 May), GRSE said, "...In terms of Regulation 30 and other applicable provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, as amended (the 'SEBI Listing Regulations'), we wish to inform you that the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has cancelled the order."

Several Indian media outlets, including Times of India, published stories on the matter quoting the stock market filing.

BBC Bangla also quoted GRSE's letter in its report on the matter.

The deal with the GRSE for an 800-tonne ocean-going tugboat was the first major contract under India's $500 million line of credit for defence purchases, the Hindustan Times report further reads.

The media also referred to "strained relations" between the two sides and India restricting imports of ready-made garments from Bangladesh only to Kolkata and Nhava Sheva ports.

Meanwhile, the Times of India called it a "nose-dive in bilateral ties."

According to a BBC Bangla report, the stock prices of GRSE were hit hard yesterday (22 May) morning as the news of the deal cancellation was made public. The company later recovered from the initial plunging.

The Bangladesh Navy or the Ministry of Defence has not made any statement yet regarding why the order was cancelled.

A high-ranking source in the Bangladesh government, seeking anonymity, told BBC Bangla that they have also learned about the order cancellation but could not say why or when this decision was taken.

The Indian company has also not provided any information regarding why Bangladesh cancelled the order.​