Bangladesh Buys Additional K-8W Trainers from China

Bangladesh has signed a government to government contract with China to buy an additional batch of K-8W jet trainers for its Air Force.

The contract was signed between the Bangladesh Air Force and China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC, part of the Chinese state corporation AVIC) on Wednesday.

The number of aircraft ordered and financial details of the contract have not been disclosed.

The Bangladesh Air Force had announced the need to purchase additional 23 K-8 aircraft early this year. Bangladesh has nine K-8 trainers in service.

The Air Force plans to use the K-8Ws in combination with Russian Yak-130 advanced combat trainers to train its pilots to operate Chengdu J-7 and MiG-29 fighter aircraft.

Bangaldesh has six Yak-130 combat trainers it bought in 2015 from Russia and is expected to buy an additional batch later this year.