Thai JAS39 Gripen Fighters Successfully Execute Highway Takeoff and Landing in Songkhla

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) –The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) successfully executed takeoff and landing maneuvers with its JAS39 Gripen fighter jets on a highway in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand, on Wednesday.

Under tight security, residents of the region gathered along the roadside to witness the Swedish-built aircraft operate from the improvised runway.

The exercise was part of an ongoing evaluation to assess the operational capabilities of the Gripen fighter jets, which are under consideration for acquisition by the RTAF.

Thailand’s Ministry of Defence has previously outlined plans to acquire the JAS39 Gripen E/F from Sweden’s Saab Group. However, before finalizing the procurement, the country is conducting a final assessment of the aircraft’s operational capabilities.

This evaluation specifically examines the Gripen E/F’s ability to operate from highways, marking the first such trial undertaken by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), according to sources cited by Thai media last month.

As part of the test, the fighter jets were required to execute takeoff and landing maneuvers within an 800-meter stretch of highway.

Thai media reported that the test aims to verify Saab Group’s claims regarding the Gripen fighter’s capability to operate effectively from highways.

According to sources, Saab has asserted that the Gripen can execute takeoffs and landings on highways as short as 800 meters in scenarios where air bases are rendered inoperable. The Swedish Air Force has previously demonstrated this capability, successfully operating Gripen fighters on highways as short as 400 to 500 meters.

Despite these precedents, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) sought to independently validate the aircraft’s operational flexibility before finalizing its procurement decision.

Confirming this capability is expected to reinforce the RTAF’s preference for the Gripen over the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 from the United States.

Recently, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence officially endorsed the RTAF’s decision to favor the Swedish-built JAS39 Gripen over the American-made F-16.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed that the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to acquire an additional squadron of JAS39 Gripen fighters, supplementing the 11 aircraft currently in service.

“The Royal Thai Air Force operates two fighter aircraft models: the Gripen and the F-16, both of which are capable of safeguarding national sovereignty.

“As the RTAF seeks to procure another squadron, I am entrusting the Air Force with the decision to select the model that best aligns with the country’s defense requirements, as they possess the expertise to determine the most suitable option,” he stated.

Phumtham further noted that the procurement process is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

Expressing confidence in the RTAF’s preference for the Gripen over its American counterpart, he affirmed: “I will approve the acquisition of the Gripen, provided that the cost remains within our budget and includes provisions for technology transfer.”

Currently, the RTAF operates approximately 50 F-16 fighter jets alongside its fleet of 11 JAS39 Gripens.

Previously, Gripen campaign director for Thailand, Robert Bjorklund, was quoted by a leading Thai newspaper as saying that Saab is offering Thailand an advanced networked sensor fusion system along with three cutting-edge radar technologies.

The radars proposed for the Thai Gripen E/F fleet include the Raven ES-05 AESA, Skyward G IRST, and Mode 5 IFF.

Regarding data link capabilities, Bjorklund noted that the Gripen E/F offered to Thailand is compatible with the Link-16 system, as well as the RTAF’s domestically developed Link-TH data link system.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA