SAAB Unveils Thai Air Defence Solutions

[+Erik 1,812]

 

SAAB Unveils Thai Air Defence Solutions

 

Air Force News — By Saab on August 19, 2010 at 1:49 am

 

At a ceremony at Saab’s factory in Linköping today, Saab unveiled the Thai integrated air defence system for its Thai customer. The ceremony was held to celebrate the contract between Sweden and Thailand.

 

Many prominent guests attended the event including Commander in Chief, ACM Itthaporn Subhawong from the Royal Thai Air force, Gunnar Holmgen, General Director for the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Åke Svensson, CEO, for Saab.

 

The Royal Thai Air Force has procured an integrated air defence system with Gripen C/D, the ERIEYE airborne early warning system and a Command and Control C2 system including data link communication. In combination with bilateral Co-operation mainly focused on technology transfer, this will provide Thailand with the foundation for an advanced network based defence system.

 

The Royal Thai Air Force will receive six of the latest version Gripen C/D multirole fighter aircraft at the beginning of 2011. One ERIEYE Airborne Early Warning radar system aboard a Saab 340 aircraft and one additional Saab 340 aircraft will be delivered in December 2010. One Command and Control C2 system including equipment for three ground based Radio sites will be delivered in March 2011.

 

The first Thai Gripen aircraft made its maiden flight on 16 September 2009 and Thai pilots, technicians and aviation mechanics responsible for maintenance and support of the aircraft have started their training at the Armed Force Technical School (Air Force) in Halmstad and at F7 Såtenäs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Air Force News

[JediMaster 451]

IIRC, they first ordered Super Hornets but cancelled due to lack of funding many years ago...

Gripens are far more cost-effective for the area Thai forces cover.

[xclusiv8 35]

They should order like 200 gripens. I just cant figure it out, why isnt anyone buying the gripen. Its a hell of a jet.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

They have a hell of a time maintaining 10 fighters, let alone 200! lol

 

You're right though, however, it has to compete with the F-16. And given that everyone and his dog has one, lack of cost and availability of parts and so on, it's hard to compete with.

[JediMaster 451]

The Gripen is a gen 4.5 fighter for the price of a gen 4. However, I think it's safe to say with the Blk 60 E/F upgrade the F-16 is also gen 4.5 now.

The other negative is it has US -sourced parts in it, so if you're in for a penny go in for a pound. In other words, if you can get a Gripen you can also likely qualify to get the F-16 and it has a proven combat rep that the Gripen does not.

[+daddyairplanes 10,248]

just a thought Gripen would make a helluva bird for 1990+ merc campaigns

[JediMaster 451]

Oh, certainly. I remember the first time I flew one was in NATO Fighters I think, one of EA's Jane's titles in the early 90s. Nimble little thing!

[xclusiv8 35]

Well it would be unrealistic, Sweden is "neutral" and would not have been in a war like that. Although i do not agree with my countries neutrality, i think we should join NATO. But in a way Sweden has been working with NATO since the beginning just not as openly as all the other members.