BANGKOK: Thailand needs to resume its fleet of fight plane with Gripen fighter jets, the air drive mentioned, favouring the Swedish-made planes over American F-16s.
A procurement committee weighed the selection for 10 months earlier than deciding the JAS 39 Gripen E/F was essentially the most appropriate, the Royal Thai Air Drive mentioned in a press release issued on Tuesday (Aug 27).
“We’ve thought-about this buy very fastidiously in order that we will take advantage of out of it to defend our nation for no less than one other 30 years,” it mentioned.
The Gripen “can reply to the Thai air drive’s strategic ideas and collaborate with different safety forces”, the assertion added.
Lockheed Martin’s newest F-16s are nonetheless into account, with the ultimate determination resting with the Thai authorities.
The Gripens would exchange F-16 A/B jets purchased within the late Nineteen Eighties.
No particulars got on what number of Gripens Thailand would possibly purchase, however reviews in specialist defence media shops earlier this yr urged the dominion was eyeing round a dozen.
Thailand at the moment operates 11 older Gripens in addition to dozens of F-16s.
Gripen producer Saab welcomed the assertion.
“We are able to affirm the truth that the Thai Air Drive has publicly confirmed that they wish to buy the Gripen. It is a very constructive information for Saab and Sweden,” Mattias Radstrom, press supervisor for Saab, advised AFP.
“At this stage, there isn’t any contract or order. We’re trying ahead to persevering with the dialogue with the Thai Air Drive and the Thai authorities.”
