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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