Strategic Acquisition of U.S. Excess Defence Hardware to Accelerate Bangladesh’s Military Modernisation

Reading Time: 3 minutes As Bangladesh navigates a complex and evolving regional security environment, coupled with fiscal constraints, it is strongly recommended that Dhaka pursue a focused procurement strategy leveraging the United States’ Excess Defence Articles (EDA) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programmes. This approach offers a unique opportunity to acquire battle-tested, technologically advanced platforms at substantially reduced costs and accelerated delivery timelines, thereby maximising operational capability and budget efficiency. Air Power Enhancement The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) should prioritise the acquisition of multirole F-16 Block 50/52 Fighting Falcons and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Approximately two squadron of F-16s, available through FMS or EDA channels, would substantially upgrade Dhaka’s air combat and deterrence posture, bringing capabilities on par with regional air forces such as Myanmar and potentially narrowing gaps with Indian neighbours. The AH-64E’s advanced targeting and weaponry systems would complement existing rotary-wing assets, filling a critical capability gap in