US declines Thailand’s bid to acquire F-35 fighter jets

Asia-Pacific, News, US May 26, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The United States Department of Defense has declined Thailand’s request to acquire F-35 fighter jets. Thailand was seeking to buy fifth-generation fighter jets to replace the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) aging fleet of F-16 jets.

The United States Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Gordec announced the decision during a meeting with the RTAF Air Chief Marshal Alongkorn Wannarot. Gordec said that the F-35 stealth aircraft are too advanced to be included in the Thai fleet.

According to the U.S. ambassador, RTAF would require certain training and meet certain technical requirements to operate the advanced fighter jets. Gordec explained that if Thailand acquires F-35 fighter jets, it would also have to spend a significant amount of time and budget on developing its infrastructure facilities, airbase modifications, maintenance, as well as training of pilots and other personnel.

The Air Force Spokesperson Air Chief Marshall Prapas Sornchaidee released a statement on the issue saying that “the sale of the fifth-generation fighters was subject to conditions that included time constraints, technical requirements, and maintain compatibility and the United States was therefore unable to offer the sale”

The U.S. has recommended selling F-16 Block 70 and F-15 E Strike Eagle fighter jets to Thailand. F-35 is considered one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets. The U.S. has only sold F-35 jets to its closes allies as it deems its technology as a sensitive export. Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia are the only operators of F-35s in the Indo-Pacific region.

*^{Royal Thai Air Force F-16A fighter jets from the 103rd Squadron painted with the centennial scheme perform a split break for the camera. (Image Credit: Katsuhiko Tokunaga)}*

Thailand is the United States’s close ally and a major non-NATO military partner in the Indo-Pacific region. Military relations between Thailand and the U.S. date back to the Vietnam War era. For many years, Thailand has been hosting annual “Cobra Gold” training exercises with the United States forces. However, the warm ties between the two countries were strained after the Thai military staged coups against elected governments in 2006 and 2014. Thailand’s military-backed government grew closer to Beijing in recent years, rising concerns for Washington.

Thailand’s efforts to acquire fifth-generation F-35 jets started at the beginning of 2022 when the country’s cabinet approved $414 million of funds to upgrade the air force’s aging fleet of fighter jets. Although the U.S. has suggested alternative options, Thailand is also considering buying Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets. In addition to the U.S.-made fighter jets, which have been in service for decades, the Thai air force currently operates 11 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets made by Sweden’s Saab.