Air force to finally receive early warning eyes in the sky
Specialised aircraft to be deployed in 2010

By Wassana Nanuam

It took a decade to fulfil its dream, but the air force is now set to equip its fleet with an airborne early warning (AEW) plane, although it will be a second-hand one. The first AEW aircraft built by Saab of Sweden will be deployed in 2010, about a year ahead of delivery of the first batch of Gripen C/D jets, according to an air force source.

The AEW plane comes as part of a 19-billion-baht aircraft procurement package, which includes six Gripen fighters, a used plane for transport and logistic support and training in Sweden for Thai pilots to get familiar with the multi-role Swedish Gripen.

Both the AEW and transport planes are the same model _ the two-engined Saab 340. They have been in operation for about 10 years, but will be refurbished before delivery to Thailand.

President and chief executive officer of Saab Ake Svansson said at the Saab manufacturing base in Linkoping in Sweden last month that Thailand will get a complete early warning system under a contract signed between Sweden and air force chief ACM Chalit Phukphasuk in February.

The AEW is an eye and ear in the sky for air force surveillance and operations. The radar on the aircraft can detect other planes and coordinate with the ground control system to direct fighters to their targets.

Although the AEW aircraft [Thailand will get] is a used one, it is still worthwhile for us to have this kind of technology. It will be a big change in the history of the Thai air force, Air Support commander Sutthirat Kasemsant na Ayutthaya said.

The air forces desire to have an AEW plane started about a decade ago. It planned to modify one of its C-130 transport planes for this purpose in 1997 and 1998 to use with the F-16 fighters and probably the F-18 fighters to be bought from the United States.

But the plan, which required about three million baht for modifications, was shelved due to budgetary problems. The dream of having F-18 jets was also shot down by Washington, which refused to sell them to Thailand. (:eek: This is not true. Because it’s RTAF that asked USMC to buy back the contact for 8 F/A-18C/D due to the budget shortage in Asian Financial Crisis 1997)

The AEW aircraft will be the air command to link all ground and air data with pilots in the Gripen jet fighters, according to ACM Sutthirat.

It will boost the capability of the air force in finding targets in the air, ground and sea in the southern region. The Gripen fighters and the AEW plane will be stationed at Wing 7 in Surat Thani.

The air force plans to develop data links with the US-made F-16 and Gripen fighters in the future, he added.

Now the data link with the F-16 jets can only come by radio from a ground station or by pilots making decisions themselves in urgent circumstances.

An air force source said the facilities and maintenance system at the Surat Thani air base will be improved this year to prepare for the arrival of the Gripen jets.

The first three fighters will be delivered in January 2011, and another three will arrive about two months later.

They will replace the F5 B/E jets based in the southern province, which will be decommissioned in 2011.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/25May2008_news05.php

AIR FORCE GRIPENS

Saab: Jets won’t be out of date
WASSANA NANUAM

LINKOPING, SWEDEN : The Gripen jet fighters to be delivered to the Thai air force will still be state of the art, despite the roll-out of a demonstration model of a new version, the Swedish manufacturer says. On Wednesday, Gripen revealed a demonstration model of its new generation jet fighter in the Swedish city of Linkoping and celebrated the sale of its planes to four countries, including Thailand.

The next generation of Gripen jets will have a more advanced radar system, a new engine and new avionics architecture, said the president and chief executive officer of Saab, Ake Svansson. Saab is the manufacturer of Gripen jets.

Saab test pilot Magnus Olisson said Thailand should not be concerned that its fighters will be out of date because the new version is still in the development process and will not be available until about 2015.

The air force signed a deal in February with the company to buy six Gripen multirole aircraft of the latest C and D version (four two-seat Gripen D and two single-seat Gripen C fighters), a Saab aerial surveillance system and one Saab 340 aircraft for training and transport, logistics support, the training of pilots and technicians and scholarships.

The total value of the deal is 19 billion baht, according to a statement from Gripen. Delivery is set for 2011.

Mr Svansson said there will be no delays delivering the six aircraft and the technology to the air force. He also dismissed rumours that the fighters destined for Thailand will be old ones refurbished.

”We will build new Gripen fighter aircraft for Thailand,” he said.

He described the Thai purchase as ”a big change for the Thai air force” and for the firm. Thailand is the first Asian country to buy Gripen jets, which will replace its ageing F-5 fighters made in the US.

Swedish Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors said the deal with Thailand underlined the close ties between the two countries and a long-term commitment to logistic support for the air force.

The air force plans to buy six more fighters of the same type from Sweden. But the decision on the next purchase has not been finalised.

Mr Svansson said he hoped Thai politics will not hamper that plan.

The air force will station the Swedish fighters at a base in Surat Thani

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/25Apr2008_news14.php

————————-

Logo of Gripen User’s Group. 🙂