The Royal Thai Air Force is looking to procure either Swedish-built Gripen E-series or US-made F-16 Block 70 fighter jets starting later this year, according to ACM Phanpakdee Pattanakul, the RTAF chief.
He revealed the shortlist during an address to high-level air force officials attending executive training at the RTAF headquarters yesterday.
Since it is impossible to acquire US F-35 fighter jets as initially planned, the choices have been narrowed down to the Gripen E-series and the F-16 Block 70, he said.
Out of the RTAF's seven existing squadrons, the air force is looking to decommission three fighter squadrons due to the age of their jets, adding each squadron consists of 12 aircraft.
The air force still needs to maintain the same number of fighters to not only support training and operations but also to keep up with the amount maintained by Thailand's neighbours, he said.
The new jets will replace the decommissioned ones, he added.
A committee has been formed to decide which of the two types of fighter jets will offer better value for money, he noted.
According to a source, the air force has requested 19 billion baht in the fiscal year 2025, which starts in October, to procure the first four new fighter jets. If the request is approved by the cabinet, the jet procurement plan should begin between May and June this year.
The jet procurement initiative is part of the air force's white paper outlining its development goals for the years to come.
Other important areas of air force development include a research and development master plan to utilise quantum AI technology, which merges quantum computing with advanced machine learning in data analysis, problem-solving and decision making, AMC Phanpakdee said.
This R&D plan will be implemented as the air force downsizes personnel while maximising its capacity, he said.