Royal Thai Air Force to buy 6 Gripens

[Aggie08]

Thai air force to equip by Swedish jet fighters
21:19, October 17, 2007

The Royal Thai Air Force has decided to buy a squadron of six Gripen jet fighters from Sweden for 19 billion baht (about 570 million U.S. dollars) from annual budgets spanning 2008 until 2012, the official Thai News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Air force chief Chalit Phukbasuk was quoted as saying that the Gripen-JAS-39 C/D fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft which the air force has planned to replace the U.S.-made F-5E fighters scheduled for decommissioning in 2011.

The Swedish-made combat aircraft, which has won the air force's nod over the U.S.-made F-16 Fighting Falcon and Russian-made Su-30 fighters will be equipped with state-of-the-art navigational and missile systems.

Chalit said the multi-role Gripen fighters, scheduled to be deployed in a combat ready status for a 20-year period, will help bolster the air force's air defense capabilities and may join combat missions alongside other tactical defense units.

Source: Xinhua

 

[Glider]

It shold be noted that they are also buying a Swedish AWACS platform to work with the Grippen. Its not as sophisticated as the AWACS we know but its a good move on their part.

 

[merlin]

How can 'six' be a squadron? Wouldn't sixteen be a better number!?
Or do the pilots toss a coin to see who flies?

 

[ccheese]

How can 'six' be a squadron? Wouldn't sixteen be a better number!?
Or do the pilots toss a coin to see who flies?

No problem.... only five pilots !

Charles

 

[The Basket]

6 fighters? Why bother. A token at best. Could lose all of them in accidents.