Dhaka could be boosting its air power with the reported acquisition of a JF-17 flight simulator
3-MIN READ3-MINSeong Hyeon ChoiPublished: 6:00am, 24 May 2026Bangladesh’s potential purchase of a Sino-Pakistani fighter jet could raise tensions in India’s sensitive northeast, as relations between Dhaka and New Delhi remain tense, analysts said.According to Pakistani media reports, the country has transferred a fully operational simulator of a JF-17 Thunder Block III combat aircraft to Bangladesh.Fighter jet simulators replicate the experience of flying an aircraft and are used to train pilots in combat tactics and systems management.
Pakistan’s reported transfer of the simulator follows a meeting between the two countries’ air force chiefs in Islamabad in January which included “detailed discussions” on potential procurement of the jet, according to the Pakistani military.
If confirmed, the purchase would boost Dhaka’s air combat capabilities, replacing its ageing Russian-made MiG-29s and Chinese-made F-7s, also known as J-7s.
