The Royal Thai Air Force said on Tuesday that it has chosen to acquire Gripen fighter jets from Sweden over US-made F-16s.
An air force selection committee made the decision after studying additional details submitted by both contenders on Aug 20, said ACM Phanphakdee Phattanakul, the air force commander.
Those details dealt mainly with so-called offsets, such as technology transfer and training, to which the Thai military has been giving greater emphasis when it carries out procurements.
After reviewing all of the factors, the panel chose the Gripen E/F over the F-16 Block 70/72 jets, ACM Phanphakdee was quoted as saying in a statement.
He said the air force would now prepare documents to explain the details provided by the two manufacturers — Saab from Sweden and Lockheed Martin from the US — to the public and his superiors.
The air force has been seeking to buy four new fighter jets to start replacing a dozen old F-16s that are due to be decommissioned in the near future. It had earlier expressed a preference for the Gripen, according to sources.
The procurement now awaits final approval by the new defence minister and the cabinet, which is expected to be formed in the next few days following the recent election of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
ACM Phanphakdee expressed confidence about the air force’s choice, saying the new aircraft would play an important role in developing the capacity of the air force.
As well, the fighter jets would deliver maximum benefits in terms of the nation’s security and protecting its sovereignty, the statement said.