TSAMTO, August 29th. The Thai Air Force Command announced the choice of Saab, which offered the JAS-39E/F Gripen aircraft, as a supplier of new fighters, preferring Lockheed Martin.
As reported on August 28 by a representative of the Air Force Command, initially the Thai Air Force intends to purchase a batch of four JAS-39E/F Gripen. The new fighters are designed to replace the outdated F-16A/B (national designation Type 19/G), which have been in operation since 1988.
According to a statement released by the Thai Air Force on August 27, the Air Force tender commission evaluated the capabilities of the aircraft and the final proposals submitted by Saab and Lockheed Martin by August 20. The key criteria in deciding on the choice of the winner were: superiority in capabilities over the aircraft in service, as well as the presence of "community and continuity". The choice in favor of Gripen was also based on other considerations, including industrial cooperation with Saab and the implementation of compensation projects in the amount of 130% of the purchase price. In total, the commission took more than 10 months to evaluate the proposals. As a result, it was decided that the JAS-39E/F Gripen fighter meets the requirements set out in the doctrine and strategy of the Air Force. It is expected that the JAS-39E/F Gripen will be in operation for at least 30 years.
The decision on the purchase must be approved by the new Minister of Defense and the government, which will be formed by the Parliament-elected Prime Minister Pyeongchang Shinawatra.
If the contract is signed, Thailand will become the third country in the world, after Brazil and Sweden, which chose the JAS-39E/F Gripen earlier. These countries have already ordered 96 fighters.
As reported by TSAMTO, the Thai Air Force Command is implementing a project to purchase new combat aircraft to replace 12 obsolete F-16s in service over the past two years.
The American F-16 Unit was considered as the main contenders at the last stage.70/72 and the Swedish JAS-39E/F Gripen.
The first F-16 fighter jets Block.15 command of the Thai Air Force received in 1988. 49 fighters of this type are still in service, including 35 single-seat F-16A and 14 two-seat F-16B. On the other hand, the first six JAS-39C/D Gripen fighters were delivered to the Thai Air Force in 2011, and the second batch of six aircraft was delivered in 2013. One of the Gripen fighters was lost in a plane crash in 2017.
In early July, the Commander of the Thai Air Force, Air Marshal Panpakdi Pattanakul, sent a comparative analysis of the Gripen E/F and F-16 Block fighters to Defense Minister Sutin Klungsang and Prime Minister Sretta Tavisin.70, recommending choosing Swedish-made aircraft.
Soon after, it became known that the United States immediately offered to reduce interest rates on a loan for the purchase of F-16 Block aircraft.70/72 from 5% to 3.5% and extend its repayment period.
The Defense White Paper, released in 2020, provided for the purchase of 12 new fighters for the Thai Air Force in the period from 2023 to 2028. Another 12 aircraft were supposed to be purchased in 2028-2033. To fulfill these plans, the Air Force Command was supposed to start implementing the project in 2023, but the deadlines were violated. The updated White Paper of 2024 indicates that it is planned to purchase 12-14 new aircraft in the period from 2025 to 2034.
