Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force ( " Bangladesh Biman Bahini " ) , is the aerial warfare arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces . Being the first line of defence of Bangladesh , the air force revealed their long - term advancement and procurement plan in Defence IQ 2011 International Fighter Aircraft Conference in London . The Bangladesh Air Force currently employs more than 25 , 000 personnel including 750 + pilots and navigators . History . The Bangladesh Air Force was officially formed at the Sector Commanders Conference during its independence war from Pakistan in 1971 . Its official date of formation has been established as 28 September 1971 and it was launched formally by the Government on 8 October 1971 . Out of 11 BDF Sectors , the most tactically significant sector , the Central Sector - BDF Sector 11 , was in command of a BAF officer including Sector 6 . A significant number of BAF personnel participated in the Bangladesh Liberation War . Initially , BAF was formed with all officers and airmen of Bengali origin serving in the Pakistan Air Force prior to the war . At that time , the embryo of Bangladesh Air Force ( BAF ) was formed with less than hundred officers and a quite good number of airmen and warrant officers . During the independence war , officers of the BAF attached to the Z - Force were then BD Gov ' t Representative to Chakulia Guerilla Trng . Camp Squadron Leader M . Hamidullah Khan , later Sub - Sector Commander and as Commander - Sector 11 , Flight Lieutenant Liaqat as Battalion Adjutant , Flying Officer Rouf , Flying Officer Ashraf and Flight Sergeant Shafiqullah as company commanders . Squadron Leader Sadruddin Hossain , Squadron Leader Wahidur Rahim , Squadron Leader Nurul Qader , Squadron Leader Shamsur Rahman and Air Commodore Ataur Rahman as sub sector company commanders . Squadron Leader Khademul Bashar participated in the war as Commander - Sector 6 . Near the end of the war , a symbolic flight known as ' Kilo Flight ' was flown to establish the Bangladesh Air Force . Initially , ' Kilo Flight ' consisted of three old and malfunctioning aircraft left by the Indian authorities . Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud was appointed as the commander of the ' Kilo Flight ' with one helicopter . Technically efficient airmen after being able to repair the only helicopter , the Alouette , into some operational form , ' Kilo Flight ' successfully began its maiden operational flight as part of the new air force . During the war , Pakistan transferred a huge amount of essential war materials , equipment including precious raw materials and items to then West Pakistan that was originally assigned and appropriated for the eastern zone and the rest taken to India . Surrendered war machinery , ammunition , infrastructure materials , cash and historical including archaeological artefacts were taken by India . After independence , BAF received a significant donation from the former USSR and later from China . Among the aircraft delivered were Ten single - seat MiG - 21MF and two twin - seat MiG - 21UM . In 1972 , three aircraft : 1 C - 47 Dakota , 1 de Havilland Canada DHC - 3 Otter and a French Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopter were left to Bangladesh by India . The Pakistan Air Force prior to 1971 had a large number of Bengali pilots , air traffic controllers , technicians and administrative officers . Many of them distinguished themselves during the Bangladesh Liberation War , thus despite the lack of aircraft , they provided the nascent Bangladesh Air Force with a good number of trained personnel . Air Force personnel in 1971 . During the independence war of 1971 , many career Pakistan Air Force officers and airmen participated in different sectors in Bangladesh and also at the headquarters . Below are a list of some notable participants . Military ranks are not necessarily representative of actual rank during the period of conflict : PAF - BAF - Retired PAF - BAF - Retired PAF - BAF – Retired PAF - BAF – Retired Non - combatant staff . Group Captain A K Khandker PAF - BAF – Was assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the end of July 1971 under Lieutenant Colonel Abdur Rab who remained in Comilla during the war . His primary responsibility consisted of liaison with local Indian officials and defence personnel at Kalyani , Calcutta . Organizational structure . The Bangladesh Air Force ( BAF ) has its HQ at Dhaka Cantonment . HQ has 3 branches , Operations & Training ( Ops . & Trng . ) , Administration and Special Duties ( Admin . & SD ) and Material & Maintenance ( M & Mte ) . Each branch is headed by officers who are considered as Principal Staff Officer ( PSO ) and known as Assistant Chief of Air Staff , e . g . ACAS ( Ops & Trng ) . Under each PSO there are various Directorates headed by Directors of Group Captain Rank . Under each Director there are Deputy Directors ( DD ) headed by Wing Commanders and Staff Officers ( SO ) with rank of Squadron Leader and below . Branches ( officer ) . Branches of Bangladesh Air Force are : Trades ( airmen ) . Trades of Bangladesh Air Force are : Installations . BAF Headquarters is located in Dhaka Cantonment . There are numerous bases set up all over the country . BAF Base Khademul Bashar Dhaka , BAF Base Bangabandhu Dhaka , BAF Base Zahurul Haque Chittagong and BAF Base Matiur Rahman Jessore are named after National as well as Air Force heroes . Other major bases are BAF Base Pahar Kanchanpur Tangail and Forward Operations Base at Cox ' s Bazar . There are also several independent units and detachments in places like Moulavibazar Radar Unit ( MRU ) , Bogra Radar Unit ( BRU ) , No . 74 Squadron Bangladesh Air Force at Chittagong & No . 71 Squadron Bangladesh Air Force at Dhaka & Shamshernagar . < br > Bangladesh Air Force Academy is the commissioned officer training academy for all branches of Bangladesh Air Force . It is located at BAF Base Matiur Rahman in Jessore . Ranks . Officer ranks . Bangladesh Air Force Junior Commissioned Officer , Non Commissioned Officer and Ordinary Airman ranks . Bangladesh Air Force Future modernization program . The BAF has an ongoing modernization program that includes plans to introduce 3 - 4 squadrons of 4 . 5 generation fighter aircraft . In Defence IQ 2011 International Fighter Aircraft Conference in London , Chief of air staff of the Bangladesh Air Force ( 2007 - 2012 ) , Air Marshal Shah Mohammad Ziaur Rahman revealed Bangladesh Air Force ' s long - term procurement and modernization plan . According to his statement , the aircraft that are being evaluated are for the procurement are Mig - 29SMT and Su - 30MK2 . While the Mig - 29SMT and the Su - 30MK2 are the primary aircraft under consideration , the air force is also evaluating JAS 39 Gripen and Lockheed Martin F - 16 . The order should materialize within 5 – 10 years according to him . On the mean time , one squadron of stop - gap light fighter Chengdu F - 7BGI have been delivered in 2013 . These aircraft are based on the Chengdu J - 7G in service with PLAAF and are equipped with advanced avionics that includes HOTAS Control , three MFD displays and a HUD . The aircraft is also equipped with both air - to - air and GPS guided munitions . Three Mi - 171SH attack helicopters were also received in 2013 . Meanwhile , the existing MiG - 29 fleet will also be upgraded to Mig - 29SMT standard for operational use for another 15 – 20 years . Bangladesh Govt . is negotiating for a total of 24 Yakovlev Yak - 130 Lead - in fighter trainer and 5 Mi - 171SH attack helicopters from Russia . Bangladesh is also negotiating with US government for the regeneration , overhaul , modifications and logistics support for 4 off - the - shelf Lockheed Martin C - 130E , 20 engines and associated parts , equipment , and training for an estimated cost of $ 180 million . UN mission deployment . More than 600 + BAF personnel , including officers and airmen , 10 BAF helicopters and are currently deployed to various UN Missions . Another C - 130 transport aircraft is providing support to UN Mission in Africa . With the deployment of C - 130 aircraft and its personnel , Bangladesh became the largest troops contributing country in UN Peace Keeping Missions . Markings . The basic dimensions of the Bangladesh Air Force badge , motto , ensign , and roundel are similar to that of the Commonwealth nations . Their basic colours are blue , green and red .