According to The Bangkok Post, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has selected the Swedish-made Gripen E/F fighter jet over its American-made F-16 Block 70 counterpart. The Saab Gripen and the Lockheed Martin F-16 are two popular fourth-generation multirole fighter jets and are much cheaper and easier for smaller air forces to operate than the advanced fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets.
Thailand to purchase Gripens to replace aging F-16s
The Thai Air Force commander, ACM Phanphakdee Phattanakul, has forwarded details about the F-16 Block 70 and Gripen E/F to the Thai defense minister to make a decision with the recommendation that Gripens be selected. Still, he said, “The Air Force has yet to conclude which type of jet fighters it would choose.”
Thailand already operates a fleet of 50 F-16s of various modifications and 11 Gripen Cs. Thailand recently released a new white paper that calls for the modernization and longtime vision of the Thai Air Force. In 2020, the fighters of the Thai Air Force had an average age of 26 years – with the age trending up.
Thailand needs to replace 12 aging F-16s belonging to the 102 Squadron based at Korat in its air force over the next few years. These jets were procured in the late 1980s and are slated to retire by 2028. According to a Defense News article published in March 2024, the procurement is scheduled from FY25 to FY34.