Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has picked Saab Gripen NG (E/F) after a 10-month-long evaluation of alternatives.
Reuters has reported that the service preferred the Swedish Gripen NG fighters over the F-16 Block 70. A source from the RTAF, who spoke to the Bangkok Post previously, stated that the RTAF is more inclined towards the Swedish fighter.
After rejecting the F-35A sale, the U.S. recommended the new variants of F-16 and F-15. RTAF is already operating Gripen's C and D variants alongside older F-16 variants.
This shows Thailand steering towards Sweden for the future of its fighter fleet. Despite its army and navy's latest equipment consisting of Chinese and South Korean equipment, Thailand prefers U.S.-made or European platforms for its air force.
Compared to other Western fighter jets, Gripen is known for being easier to maintain and has lower operating costs. The latest NG variant features Raven ES-05 steerable AESA radar and the capability to use MBDA Meteor ramjet-powered BVRAAM. NG variants also have the addition of an IRST sensor to detect air and ground targets.
