• 
• 

Published on October 18, 2007

Chulalongkorn University's Associate Professor Panitan Wattanayagorn said the procurement of the Swedish fighters marked a "major departure" from the Air Force's standard practice to reduce the diversity of its hardware.

Panitan said Thailand has traditionally purchased fighters from the United States and suggested the armed forces may be better off buying more F-16s.

In a press conference yesterday, Air Chief Marshall Chalit justified the Bt34.4-billion deal on the grounds that "Thailand has an urgent need to replace our ageing F-5 fighters, which will be decommissioned by 2009."

"The new fighters will be deployed in Surat Thani to protect the skies over the South, the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea," he said.

He said the JAS-39/CD Gripens jet fighters would be deployed in two batches, starting with the first six in 2009.

Chalit said the Swedish supplier agreed to a technology transfer that would enable the Air Force to further develop its aviation capability. Moreover, the Swedish fighters were also compatible with existing command and control systems, he said.

The Air Force started to review various fighters in 2003, before picking the Gripens over US-made F-16s and Russian SU-30s.

Chalit said the time consuming process was the main reason why he ruled out the F-16s and that Gripen fighters were designed to counter Russian jets deployed in the region.

"Aircraft purchase is very complicated. Sometimes a supplier cannot sell or refuse the weaponry needed, even if you have the money, and it is not wise to deploy aircraft similar to your neighbours," he said.

Negotiations for F-16s would take at least four years, making it impossible for deployment in time for decommissioned F-5 fighters, he added.

Included in the Gripen deal is one year's free training for pilots, two-years' worth of spare parts, two air-borne early warning aircraft (AWACs) and air-launched missiles.

Meanwhile in Stockholm, Owe Wagermark, a spokesman for Gripen International - part of Sweden's Saab AB - said the deal was "incredibly valuable for Gripen's market position", Associated Press reported.

"This is the sixth country we enter. We're keeping a tight position after a long and competitive process, winning against both the Russians and the Americans. Secondly, this is a whole new region for us in the world, which means that this could open up for new customers."

The payments for the first batch of six fighters will be spread over five years.

Panya Thiewsangwan,

 Don Pathan

 The Nation