Turkish Bayraktar Operator, Chinese Clone Producer: Bangladesh’s Drone Paradox

Bangladesh has demonstrated a staggering lack of diplomatic and strategic shame by pursuing a technology transfer agreement for the Chinese CETC XY-I Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). 

Despite being an established operator of the world-renowned Turkish Bayraktar TB2, Dhaka has chosen to integrate a Chinese platform that is regarded as direct imitation of the Turkish original Bayraktar TB2 UCAV.

China’s CETC XY-I is a copy design, whose abilities have been attempted to be replicated but failed, and whose combat success has not been proven.

This move is not merely a diversification of supply; it is a calculated insult to its existing partnership with Türkiye, prioritizing clones over established defense relationships. 

The XY-I, developed by CETC Wuhu Diamond Aircraft Manufacture Co., Ltd., is marketed as a "Low-Cost Multi-Purpose UAS" specifically designed to meet "urgent demand" in modern warfare. 

By adopting this system, Bangladesh is actively facilitating the proliferation of intellectual property theft under the guise of "national defense”.

The CETC XY-I mimics the Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) profile of the TB2, featuring a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 730 kg and a wingspan of 12.5 meters. 

While the Turkish TB2 has proven its lethality in multiple global conflicts, China’s XY-I relies on "General Aircraft technologies" and "aviation shelf products".

The Chinese system boasts an endurance of 28 hours in reconnaissance mode, dropping to 10 hours when carrying a 160 kg strike payload. 

It is equipped with four hardpoints—two under each wing—capable of launching guided missiles and bombs below 50 kg from altitudes exceeding 5,000 meters.

Bangladesh’s decision to pursue a "whole production line export" and "joint R&D" for this clone suggests a desperate attempt to build a domestic industry on the back of stolen designs.

The cooperation agreement between Bangladesh and China includes a "Whole production line export" model, where CETC provides design and manufacturing technical data to establish a composite factory and avionics workshops within the customer country. 

This level of technology transfer is designed to allow Bangladesh to produce the whole UAS locally. 

This development follows the 2023 delivery of Bayraktar TB2s from Türkiye to the Bangladesh Army, a deal meant to modernize Dhaka’s surveillance and strike capabilities with battle-tested technology.

By simultaneously courting a Chinese copy, Bangladesh has abandoned any pretense of loyalty, choosing to exploit clone manufacturing of the XY-I while still benefiting from the prestige and performance of its Turkish-made fleet.