PUBLISHED: 17 Jun 2024 at 04: 39
Sweden’s Gripen fighter jet are a potential replacement for Thailand’s older F-16s, according to the Swedish Aeroplane Corporation’s new office in Stockholm.
Investigators from Thailand were able to take a trip of the SAAB offices in Stockholm and the House of Gripen for a media tour of the services.
The Bangkok Post was shown the Gripen E/F production line at the House of Gripen to see how the fighter planes are made.
A Gripen E flight simulator with appropriate representations of the warrior jet’s contemporary nautical control technology was featured on the website.
The Royal Thai Air Force’s 19 billion rmb fighter jet procurement plan included the Gripen E/F model, according to a source who previously stated that it was the force’s preferred alternative to the F-16 from the United States.
ACM Phanphakdee Phatthanakul, the head of the RTAF, and another defense-related representatives traveled to Sweden earlier this month to meet with SAAB to explore a deal.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, head of the House Committee on the Armed Forces, at the end of next month even visited the dealer for the same purpose.
The Finnish Aeroplane Corporation plans to add additional features to the RTAF’s Gripen, including a fully connected device integration and three different types of advanced radars, according to Robert Björklund, Gripen Thailand plan director.
These include the Raven ES- 05- AESA, Skyward G- IRST and Mode 5- IFF, he said.
Regarding the military information website systems, Mr. Björklund stated that the Gripen E/F is compatible with both the Link 16 data link structure and the Link TH system developed by the Royal Thai Air Force.
SAAB had intended to suggest that the RTAF create its own regional datalinks, a radio communication system for the flight, so that people of the fighter plane could have more freedom while preventing any sensitive information from being leaked to other countries.
” SAAB will deliver resilient air power for the RTAF to be the state of global air power collectively”, said Mr Björklund.
The Gripen procurement plan, according to Frans Unosson, Director Industrial Cooperation Gripen Marketing and Sales Business Area Aeronautics at SAAB, attracted the attention of the general public both in Thailand and Sweden.
He stated that Sweden’s procurement plan is now a priority, which further increases the government’s support for Swedish industry investments in Thailand.
He claimed that an investment through its extensive offset package could help the military become more self-sufficient, which would benefit national security.
According to Mr. Unosson,” Gripen for Thailand will further strengthen the long-term cooperation between our countries and Thailand’s independence.”
Mr. Unosson said he thought the procurement would be a long-term investment that would support both a nation’s economic growth and its defense.
Sweden has consistently invested in Thailand, with at least 128 billion baht in export values contributing to the economy, he said.
In January, Marcus Wallenberg, CEO of SAAB, and Mr Unosson met Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin during the World Economic Forum to discuss investments in Thailand.
For RTAF’s Thailand Aviation Industry, a technology transfer plan was also included for the maintenance of the SAAB aircraft.
” The values produced will at least fully satisfy the Thai Defence Offset Policy of at least 100 % of the Thai investment in Gripen,” said Mr. Unosson.