
The Defence Ministry supports the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) decision to choose the Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets over the F-16 aircraft from the United States, says Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
Mr Phumtham, also Deputy Prime Minister, provided an update on the 19-billion-baht plan to acquire four new fighter jets. He said the RTAF selected the Gripen fighter jet for another squadron of the Air Force.
"The RTAF currently has two types of fighter jets in service: the Gripen and the F-16. Both types can protect the nation's sovereignty.
"As the RTAF wants to acquire another squadron, I let the Air Force select the model they prefer as they know best which fighter jet is most suitable to defend our country," he said after observing both models perform in flight during Children's Day at the Air Force base in Bangkok on Saturday.
"The procurement should be completed by the end of this year," said Mr Phumtham.
He had spoken to a Gripen fighter pilot who said he had flown both models and the performance of both aircraft was similar.
He expressed confidence in the RTAF's decision. "I will approve the RTAF's purchase of Gripen fighter jets if the price does not exceed our budget and a technological transfer is involved," he said.
The decision to purchase a new squadron has been postponed for several years because of budget cuts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, RTAF formed two panels to wrap up a review of bids from Saab AB, maker of the Gripen, and Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the F-16.
Prior to the decision, the US government suggested a low-interest loan to the government for the purchase of US-made aircraft. However, the RTAF opted for the Gripen model.
Mr Phumtham also said he had spoken to the US Ambassador to inform him the government does not have a policy of borrowing to buy weapons and equipment.
Meanwhile, a source of RTAF said the airforce plans to test the Gripen's capabilities on a highway in February.
The test is to find out how the fighter jet can take off or land in case an airport is destroyed and cannot be used. He said the Gripen fighter plane uses a short runway of less than 800 metres.
According to the Swedish Air Force's test of the Gripen's takeoff and landing on the road, the landing requires a distance of only 500 metres, and the takeoff distance was 400 metres. This is one of the aircraft's great assets, said the source.