Thai air force seeks to acquire Swedish Gripen 39 fighter jets
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Thailand currently has 11 JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets and dozens of American F-16 and F-5 jets, some of which have been in operation since the late 1980s.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BANGKOK – The Royal Thai Air Force said on Aug 27 that it wanted to acquire Gripen 39 fighter jets built by Sweden’s Saab to replace its ageing jet fighters.
The air force said it had spent 10 months weighing all options before deciding “the JAS 39 Gripen E/F has the capability to match the demand of the military doctrine and the air force’s strategy”, the statement said.
The air force was initially choosing between the Gripen and the US-made Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, with the final decision to buy remaining subject to approval by the Thai Cabinet.
“I can confirm that the Thai air force has communicated its wish to purchase the Gripen fighter jets in the future,” a Saab spokesperson told Reuters.
There is currently no contract or order in place, the spokesperson added.
Thailand currently has 11 JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets and dozens of American F-16 and F-5 jets, some of which have been in operation since the late 1980s.
The air force had already requested a budget of 19 billion baht (S$728 million) for the 2025 fiscal year to purchase four new unspecified fighter jets, which will be acquired between 2025 and 2029.
This is part of its long-term plan to acquire 12 new fighter jets overall by fiscal year 2034 to replace its ageing fighters.
The budget passed a first reading in June, with the second and third readings due to take place early in September. REUTERS
