Article Posted on : - Feb 24, 2011

A Saab photo

BANGKOK (BNS): The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has now taken delivery of six Gripen C/D fighters.

The Gripen fighters were flown from Sweden to Thailand and arrived to their new home base at Wing 7 in Surat Thani in southern Thailand on Tuesday.

The six Gripen fighters are part of an intergovernmental business transaction where FMV, the Swedish Defence Material Administration, representing the Government of Sweden, supplies an integrated air-defence system based on products manufactured by Saab.

The new air-defence system consists of Gripen, the Airborne Early Warning system Saab 340 Erieye AEW and a command & control system.

In preparation for the delivery of the Gripen fighters, pilots and ground crew from the Royal Thai Air Force have been trained in Sweden during 2010. These aircraft belong to the first batch ordered in 2008. In total, Thailand has ordered 12 Gripen.

As part of the contract, Sweden will transfer the latest technology in advanced military aircraft to Thailand.