According to a report by "defencesecurityasia" on July 11, General Major Muazam Hussain, the commander of the 7th Infantry Division of Bangladesh, led a high-ranking officer delegation on a four-day visit to China, focusing on the inspection of the SH-15 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by China North Industries Group.

This export-type artillery has been deployed in countries such as Pakistan and Ethiopia, and is known as the long-range "God of Fire" for poor countries.

According to the report, the Bangladeshi delegation not only visited the factory assembly line of this gun, but also observed the full process of live-fire demonstration of the SH-15, showing great interest in its digital fire control, long-range strike capability, and rapid mobility.

It has been reported that China and Bangladesh are currently conducting technical and contractual negotiations regarding procurement, and the Bangladesh Army may finalize the first procurement agreement by the end of 2025.

If the deal is finalized, the SH-15 will become the first modern artillery system in Bangladesh with true long-range precision strike capabilities, marking a qualitative leap in Bangladesh's army firepower projection.

The flag of China and the flag of Bangladesh

In recent years, Bangladesh has shown an increasingly obvious tendency in weapons procurement, following Pakistan. Wherever Pakistan buys, Bangladesh follows.

First came the VT-1A main battle tanks, then the K-8 trainer aircraft, FM-90 air defense missile systems, C-802 anti-ship missiles, and even in the latest round of air force modernization, Bangladesh has been advancing the introduction of 16 J-10C fighter jets through cooperation with Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.

Now, the SH-15 artillery has also become the latest member of the "group buying" trend.

As to why they directly follow Pakistan's example, one reason is convenience. Pakistan has already fought wars, knowing which weapons are truly useful and effective. Bangladesh has no fear of making mistakes, saving the cost of trial and error.

This approach is exactly what China welcomes — existing customers continuously attract new ones.

SH-15 Artillery

Taking the SH-15 artillery as an example, it is a 155mm/52-caliber howitzer based on a 6×6 truck chassis, with a maximum range of up to 53 kilometers. It can fire various types of ammunition, including laser-guided projectiles, GPS-guided shells, base-bleed shells, and rocket-assisted projectiles, when combined with the Beidou navigation system and a digital fire control computer.

It can fire 4–6 rounds per minute, with 27 rounds of ammunition on board, and a semi-automatic loading mechanism, requiring only a few crew members to operate.

The deployment time is about one minute, and after firing, it can quickly move to a new position, effectively avoiding enemy counter-battery radar retaliation.

More importantly, the entire system weighs around 22 tons, can be air-dropped by a medium transport aircraft, and costs only half or even a third of Western counterparts, making it very suitable for countries with limited budgets but high security pressures.

For Bangladesh, facing a large number of artillery and tank units deployed by India along the eastern border, the SH-15 can gain a flexible and proactive asymmetric firepower advantage in sudden conflicts.

J-10CE

Certainly, Bangladesh purchasing Chinese weapons is not just copying others' steps.

Previously, the relationship between Bangladesh and China mainly focused on trade and civil infrastructure. Now, Bangladesh obviously intends to imitate Pakistan, turning itself into China's "Bangladesh Ironclad."

From army artillery to air force fighter jets, from anti-ship missiles to drone systems, Bangladesh is building an entire Chinese joint operational system, which follows the same strategy as Pakistan, directly deepening integration.

For China, Pakistan is a reliable ally on the western front. If Bangladesh becomes an ally on the eastern front, it forms a three-front printing pattern, exerting a substantive constraint on India's geopolitical space.

Therefore, this is the strategic intention behind the SH-15 — it is not just a single piece of artillery, but a new strategic path.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526008883110822435/

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