Royal Thai Air Force moves forward with Gripen E/F selection
Saab’s Gripen E/F aircraft will replace the RTAF’s ageing F-16 A/Bs. (Photo: Saab)
The deal has a Phase 1 budget of US$596 million for the acquisition of four Gripen E/F aircraft, according to the RTAF.
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed its long-awaited selection of Saab’s Gripen E/F aircraft, following several suggestions over the last year that it favoured the jet above that of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block 70.
The deal for the aircraft would start with an initial procurement phase of four aircraft, three Gripen E and one Gripen F, with a budget of THB19.5 billion.
The Gripen E/F jets will replace the ageing F-16A/Bs in the RTAF’s 102 Squadron and Thailand plans to acquire a total of 12 aircraft over 10 years, in line with the RTAF’s 2024 Defence White Paper.
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