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Bangladesh Navy could acquire Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft.
According to information published by Defseca on January 7, 2022, the Bangladesh Navy can look into purchasing the Japanese-made Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft.
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Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft (Picture source: Aleem Yousaf)
The Kawasaki P-1 (previously P-X, XP-1) is a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Aerospace Company.
It has the distinction of being the first operational aircraft in the world to make use of a fly-by-optics control system.
The P-1 has entered service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) as a replacement for the P-3C Orion. On 26 March 2013, the JMSDF took delivery of the first two operational P-1 aircraft.
Export customers are also being sought for the type as part of a general loosening of Japanese military export restrictions.
The Kawasaki P-1 is a purpose-built maritime patrol aircraft equipped with four engines. The P-1 is powered by four podded IHI F7-10 turbofan engines underneath the low-set wings.
The P-1 is equipped with various sensors to enable the aircraft to perform its primary purpose of detecting submarines and surface vessels; these include the Toshiba HPS-106 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar which uses a total of four antennas to provide 360-degree coverage and Infrared/Light detection systems for surface detection.