The cabinet has backed a plan to buy four fighter jets starting in the next fiscal year, an air force spokesman said on Wednesday, with a budget of 13.8 billion baht set aside for the procurement.
The approval follows a recent expression of interest by the air force chief, Air Chief Marshal Napadej Dhupatemiya, in procuring eight F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp of the United States.
The cabinet has agreed the budget for a four-year period starting in the 2023 fiscal year, to replace some of the country's aging F-16 jets, air force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee told reporters.
Thailand currently has 12 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets made by Sweden's Saab and dozens of American F-16 and F-5 jets, some of which have been in operation since the late 1980s.
AVM Prapas, the air force spokesman, said the type of aircraft to buy would be decided by two committees tasked with assessing the suitability of different aircraft.
"The air force will next lay out its procurement plan and be willing to answer all questions that may be raised over the project," AVM Prapas said.
He stressed that no decision has yet been made whether the fighter jets to be purchased will be F-35s. The two committees set up to study which model of fighters are best suited for Thailand's procurement plan are still conducting their evaluations.
The spokesman said the first committee is headed by ACM Thanasak Metanan, a deputy air force chief who is expected to be a strong contender for the air force’s top job in the future, while the other committee is being led by ACM Phanphakdi Phatthanakun, the air force chief of staff.
AVM Prapas also confirmed that the new squadron of eight jets will replace the F-16 ADF (Air Defence Fighter) jets that were decommissioned from Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima in 2021.
Air force chief ACM Napadej Dhupatemiya previously expressed a strong interest in US-made F-35 stealth jets.
Last month, ACM Napadej said F-35s, manufactured by US defence giant Lockheed Martin, would be the best choice because their price tag has fallen considerably from the US$142 million (4.7 billion baht) when they first came on the market. Now, an F-35 can be purchased for $82 million, or just over half the earlier asking price.