The Royal Thai Air Force has confirmed that it would buy 12 Gripen E/F aircraft as part of an offset package. According to the terms of a deal for less than 600 million dollars, the first four will be delivered by the year 2029.

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) decided to purchase the Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F from Sweden as its next-generation multirole fighter aircraft.

The decision means that the company will start buying 12 planes in stages. The first four planes will be delivered by 2029, and the total cost would be around 19.5 billion baht (about US$596 million).

Strategic Rationale & Offset Benefits

After a thorough evaluation, including consideration of the F‑16 Block 70/72, the RTAF concluded that the Gripen E/F best satisfies Thailand’s strategic and operational needs. Key factors include Sweden’s generous offset package—valued at over 150% of the aircraft’s cost—encompassing tech transfer, domestic maintenance, local industry integration, and infrastructure upgrades .

This package also covers the intellectual property transfer of the Link‑T datalink, upgrades to two Saab 340 Erieye early-warning platforms, and the establishment of a local maintenance, repair & overhaul hub.

Operational Upgrade & Fleet Renewal

The Gripen E/F will gradually replace the ageing F‑16 A/B fleet (in service since the late 1980s), enhancing the RTAF’s capabilities with improved AESA radar, advanced EW systems, Meteor BVR missiles, and STOL performance .

Thailand’s existing fleet of 11 legacy Gripen C/D will dovetail with the new models, maintaining continuity while upgrading total airpower .

The procurement plan is structured in three phases across a 10-year timeframe. The first stage—cabinet approval and contract signing—is expected by August 2025, with pilot and technical training to begin in parallel .

Author:  Özgür Ekşi