Bangladesh Approves Turkish ATAK Helicopter Acquisition

Bangladesh has reportedly approved the acquisition of six T129 ATAK attack helicopters for the Bangladesh Air Force under an intergovernmental agreement with Turkey.

The approval followed a courtesy meeting on January 13 at Dhaka Cantonment between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Flight Test Director Arif Ateş and Major General S. M. Kamrul Hassan, head of the Armed Forces Division.

Sources confirmed the procurement to BDMILITARY.COM, saying deliveries are expected in 2027. They added that the delivery timeline will be shaped by production schedules and aircrew and maintenance training plans agreed with TAI.

The T129 ATAK is a twin-engine attack helicopter developed by Turkey and derived from the AW129 design. It is operated by a two-person crew seated in tandem and powered by two LHTEC CTS800-4A turboshaft engines.

Configured for attack and armed reconnaissance missions, the helicopter is equipped with a 20 mm three-barrel cannon and four external hardpoints. These can carry 70 mm rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, and air-to-air missiles, including UMTAS, Spike-ER, Hellfire, Stinger, and Cirit. Optional gun pods can also be fitted.

The platform includes night-fighting sensors, helmet-mounted displays, advanced target tracking, and an integrated electronic warfare suite. It has a maximum speed of about 280 km/h, a range of roughly 560 km, and a service ceiling of 6,096 meters.