Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan visits PAF Headquarters, Pakistan ensures speedy 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 of Bangladesh Air Force, held detailed discussions on the possible acquisition during a visit to Air Headquarters Islamabad, where they called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force. The visiting air chief was awarded 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 Rafale jets, during the May 2025 conflict, international interest in Pakistan’s operational assets increased.
This caused the share prices of China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), which manufactures the plane, to rise more than 17%. In December 2025, Libya and Pakistan reached a major multibillion-dollar conventional arms export deal, described as one of the largest arms sales in Pakistan’s history, which included 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and 12 Super Mushshak trainer aircraft.
The meeting between the air chiefs focused on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy, with emphasis on training, capacity development and collaboration on aerospace advances.
Air Chief Marshal Sidhu briefed the visiting delegation on the recent developments of the PAF and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the Bangladesh Air Force through a comprehensive training framework. It also ensured rapid delivery of the Super Mushshak training aircraft, a Pakistani-made basic trainer used for pilot training, along with a complete long-term training and support ecosystem.
Read: Pakistan and Libya close multi-million dollar arms deal
The Bangladesh Air Chief praised the combat record of the PAF and sought assistance in maintaining the aging Bangladesh Air Force fleet and integrating air defense radar systems to improve air surveillance.
The delegation also visited PAF facilities including the National ISR and Integrated Air Operations Centre, PAF Cyber Command and National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, observing capabilities in ISR, cyber, space, electronic warfare and unmanned systems.
The visit underlined the strong historical ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh and reflected a shared determination to deepen defense cooperation and build a long-term strategic partnership.
