Thailand “Close” to Selecting SAAB’s Gripen E/F Fighter Jets for Its Air Force
SAAB Group of Sweden is intensifying its efforts to persuade the Thai government to purchase its latest varian, JAS39 Gripen E/F fighter jets for its air force.
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SAAB Group of Sweden is intensifying its efforts to persuade the Thai government to purchase its latest varian, JAS39 Gripen E/F fighter jets for its air force.
The JAS39 Gripen fighter jets of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) have reportedly demonstrated excellent performance when faced with China’s Shenyang J-11 aircraft (a variant of the Su-27) during the joint air exercise “Falcon Strike” in 2015.
Several days ago, the Philippines and Sweden signed a significant agreement to support the procurement of fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force.
Recently, during a military exercise in Gothenburg, Sweden, highways were utilized as makeshift runways for the Swedish Air Force’s Gripen fighter jets to take off and land.
n 2021, the United States approved the potential sale of 12 latest variants of F-16 fighter jets to its close ally, the Philippines — however, the proposed purchase has been delayed due to financial constraints faced by Manila, which deems the offered price by Washington as “too pricey” and beyond its financial capability.
Disappointed by a decade of failing to attract any buyers, Swedish company Saab, which manufactures the JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft, now pins its hopes on three countries—India, Thailand, and the Philippines—to select the fighter aircraft for their air forces.
Swedish company Saab has refuted claims of extending a submarine acquisition option to Thailand should the Southeast Asian nation opt for the JAS39 Gripen fighter aircraft to bolster its air force.
After failing to procure fifth-generation fighter jets, specifically the F-35, from the United States, Thailand is now in the final stages of deliberation before deciding on its new fighter aircraft to replace its aging fleet of F-16 fighters.
In 2021, the United States approved the potential sale of 12 latest variants of F-16 fighter jets to its close ally, the Philippines — however, the proposed purchase has been delayed due to financial constraints faced by Manila, which deems the offered price by Washington as “too pricey” and beyond its financial capability.
Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) JAS39 Gripen fighter jets have reportedly demonstrated exceptional performance against Chinese Shenyang J-11 aircraft (a variant of the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27) during the “Falcon Strike” joint air exercise in 2015.