Otokar Cobra II armored vehicles of Bangladeshi army in UN peacekeeping mission


Defence and Technology has tweeted a picture showing a convoy of Otokar Cobra II 4x4 Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles operated by the Bangladeshi army in a UN peacekeeping mission, without providing details on where and when this picture was taken.
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Otokar Cobra II in Bangladeshi service (Picture source: Twitter account of Defence and Technology)


Bangladesh is recorded as having received 22 Cobra I in 2007–2008, 22 in 2013, and 67 Cobra II MRAP in 2017–2018. From an unofficial statement, the army plans to procure 600 units of LAVs within 2030.

Otokar's Cobra II (the enhanced variant of Cobra I) offers a high level of protection, payload capacity, and large internal volume. It can accommodate 10 personnel including the driver and commander, to whom it offers high protection against ballistic, mine, and IED threats. Delivering high performance in the toughest terrain and climate conditions with high power to weight ratio, the vehicle is tested rigorously in different parts of the world, on the toughest terrain and climate conditions.

Cobra II is in service as an ambulance, command &control, reconnaissance, border protection, and signal vehicle as well as internal security and peacekeeping missions. The modular structure also makes the vehicle a flexible platform for a personnel carrier, weapons platform, ground surveillance radar, and CBRN reconnaissance vehicle.

According to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister's office, Armed Forces Division, 6,359 UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force are currently deployed in 8 ongoing UNPKOs (UN Peacekeeping Operations) in 8 countries. Within that more than 5,500 personnel from Bangladesh Army are now deployed in various contingents or as Staff Officers/Military Observers in 9 peacekeeping missions. Bangladesh Navy has its ships and watercrafts deployed in UNIFIL (Lebanon) and UNMISS (South Sudan). The Air Force has its helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in MONUSCO (DR Congo). Officers from Bangladesh Armed Forces are also working in UNDPKO as well.


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Cobra II LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) of the Bangladeshi army in UN livery (Picture source: Twitter account of Defense Technology of Bangladesh-DTB)


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Otokar Cobra II at DSA 2022 (Picture source: Army Recognition)


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Ongoing peacekeeping missions participated by Bangladesh (Source: Bangladeshi Prime Minister's office)