Army Aviation Wing
Bangladesh Army Insignia
Founded1 January 1978
Country Bangladesh
BranchBangladesh Army
TypeArmy aviation
RoleAerial support and transport
HeadquartersTejgaon Airport, Dhaka Cantonment
EngagementsChittagong Hill Tracts conflict
DecorationsSee Medals of the Bangladesh Armed Forces
Commanders
Group CommanderMajor General IKM Mostahsenul Baki
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Trainer helicopterBell 206
Utility helicopterEurocopter AS365 Dauphin
TrainerCessna 152, Diamond DA40 NG
TransportC-295W, Cessna 208 Caravan, Mi-171Sh

The Army Aviation Group is the army aviation unit of the Bangladesh Army. The AAG conducts military air operations and is responsible for doctrine, manning and configuration for all aviation resources in the Army.

History

Origin

The unit started its journey on 1 January 1978 as Army Aviation Flight. At that time, the army had no pilot training facilities of its own. Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh took up the responsibility of pilot training. Initially, the unit had no aircraft. The first aircraft in the army aviation unit were two Bell 205 helicopters gifted by Iran government in 1978. On 7 September 1979, the unit was upgraded to Army Aviation Squadron. On 15 July 1980, the unit got regiment strength and named Army Air Regiment. In 1982, four Cessna 152 were procured for the regiment. These were the first fixed-wing aircraft of the army aviation. In 1983, one Piper PA-31T Cheyenne aircraft was procured which was used for VIP transport purpose. On 27 November 1995, the unit was named Army Aviation. Three Bell 206 L4 helicopters and one Cessna 208 Caravan were procured later to strengthen the Aviation Group. On 20 March 2012, the unit was finally named Army Aviation Group.

Present

The strength of the unit is more than 204 with 30+ pilots. Members from all the corps of Bangladesh Army can join this unit with proper qualification and training. The unit is headquartered at the Tejgaon Airport, Dhaka. After the formulation of Forces Goal 2030, the modernisation and expansion of army aviation is going on in accordance with this goal. Following the goal, modern aircraft like 2 Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopters, 2 C-295W transport aircraft and 12 Mi-171Sh combat and transport helicopters have been added to this unit. Recently six Diamond DA40 aircraft have been procured to slowly phase out the old Cessna 152s and increase training facilities. Four of these aircraft have been already added to the fleet while the rest two will join soon.[1]

A new base for AAG was set up at Lalmonirhat Airport on 2 March 2020. This base will have the dedicated infrastructure for the Army Aviation Training School.[2]

Army aviation maintenance workshop

This unit is responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft of the army aviation group. Previously, personnel from Bangladesh Air Force did all the maintenance task of army aviation. Later on, army came up with its own maintenance unit with its own personnel.

Aircraft

Current inventory

An Army CN-295W
Bangladesh Army Aviation Bell 206-L4 LongRanger
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Fixed wing
Cessna 152 Aerobat United States Light aircraft 5[3] A152 Aerobat variant
Cessna 208 United States transport / utility 1[3]
CASA C-295 Spain transport 2[4]
Diamond DA40 Austria training 4[5]
Helicopters
Bell 206 United States training 206L 1[3] 1 Crashed.
Bell 407 United States training 407GXi 2 [6]
Mil Mi-17 Russia transport Mi-171Sh 6 6 on order[3]
Eurocopter AS365 France utility 2[3]
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Baykar Bayraktar TB2 Turkey Unmanned combat aerial vehicle 6[7][8]
Bramor C4EYE Slovenia Small unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle Bramor C4EYE 36 [9]
Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack United States Unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle on order[10]
RQ-12B Wasp AE United States Miniature UAV RQ-12B on order[11]

Future modernisation plans

Bangladesh government has adopted a total restructuring plan for the Army Aviation Group. As per the plan, the Army Aviation Group will be renamed as the Army aviation. The total manpower of the unit will be raised from 204 to 704 personnel. By 2021, the number of aircraft operated by army aviation will be twenty-six. The army aviation maintenance workshop with 147 personnel will be re-structured to army aviation engineering workshop with 490 personnel. An aviation directorate will also be formed in the army.[12]

They also have a plan to add fixed wing aircraft, transport aircraft, attack helicopters to the fleet in the process.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Trade Register 1971-2019". SIPRI. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "Army chief inaugurates Army Aviation School base in Lalmonirhat". New Age. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "World Air Forces 2021". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  4. ↑ বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনীর আর্মি এভিয়েশন গ্রুপের বিমান বহরে যুক্ত হলো দ্বিতীয় কাসা-সি ২৯৫ ডব্লিউ সামরিক বিমান. Inter-Services Public Relations. 25 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Training Aircraft Inducted In Bangladesh Army". ISPR. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  6. ↑ Herk, Hans van. "Bangladesh Army Bell 407". www.scramble.nl. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  7. ↑ GDC (4 December 2023). "Bangladesh Army takes delivery of six Bayraktar TB2 drones". Global Defense Corp. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bangladesh gets Bayraktar TB2". December 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bramor C4EYE". C-Astral. Archived from the original on 30 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  10. ↑ "Bangladesh Army to receive US-made Boeing Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack UAVs". Air Recognition. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  11. ↑ Gareth Jennings (11 October 2020). "Bangladesh to receive Wasp UASs". Jane's Information Group. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  12. ↑ সেনাবাহিনীর জন্য নতুন এভিয়েশন পরিদপ্তর হচ্ছে. Daily BD News (in Bengali). 5 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  13. ↑ মিয়ানমারকে বলেছি রোহিঙ্গাদের ফিরিয়ে নেয়ার সব ব্যবস্থা তাদেরকে করতে হবে. Manab Zamin (in Bengali). 13 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
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