Air force likely to opt for Swedish jet fighter
Multi-role Gripen favoured over SU-30
WASSANA NANUAM
The air force is set to abandon its preference for Russia's giant, fuel-hungry SU-30 fighters in favour of Sweden's lightweight, multi-role JAS-39 Gripen, a source said yesterday. Purchase of the SU-30 jets was seen as close to a done deal under the ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government.
The cabinet is willing to allow the force to buy six of the 12 jets it has requested over the next five years, the source said. Only after five years will the air force be able to consider buying the rest of the squadron.
The deal would be financed with tied-over fund spreading over five years.
The air force had earlier been upset that its 34-billion baht plan to buy 12 new fighters to replace its ageing fleet had not been considered by the cabinet.
The cabinet cited recommendations by a screening committee that purchasing all 12 jets in one batch would be too big a burden over five years.
The screening panel, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham, had returned the procurement proposal to the air force and attached a suggestion that the tied-over procurement be extended to 10 years.
The panel, however, did not say anything about halving the squadron.
The source said the cabinet yesterday agreed the air force should buy six jets first, using a five-year tied-over budget starting next year.
The source said the air force selection panel favoured the JAS-39 Gripen to replace its old F-16 and F-5 fighters as the Swedish jets fit its requirements.
Last week, air force chief ACM Chalit Phukphasuk said the air force had not yet decided on the type of aircraft.
The force is reportedly hoping for a fast replacement of its present squadron of fighters, which have been in use for over 30 years and are due to be decommissioned next year.
ACM Chalit, also deputy chief of the Council for National Security, said the air force was considering several options, including F-16s and F-18s from the US, the SU-30 from Russia, the Dassault Rafale from France and the JAS-39 Gripen from Sweden.
The air force was under great pressure from the Thaksin government to purchase the Russian SU-30, even though the air chiefs felt it was too big.
The Thaksin government had been keen to barter farm produce, mainly chickens, for the fighters.
In the region, the SU-30 has been bought by China, Malaysia, India and Indonesia.
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