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    Air force to get Gripen jet fighters

    Air force to get Gripen jet fighters
    Cabinet okays B34bn purchase from Sweden



    WASSANA NANUAM

    The cabinet yesterday agreed the air force could buy 12 Gripen multi-role fighters from Sweden at a cost of 34.4 billion baht.

    The procurement plan has been kept low-profile, with air force chief ACM Chalit Phukphasuk refusing to comment.


    Government spokesman Chiya Yimwilai said details would be announced by ACM Chalit today.


    The new Gripen-JAS 39C/D aircraft will replace the air force's ageing American-made F-5E fighters.




    It is the second major arms procurement approved by the cabinet recently. On Sept 25 it endorsed the Defence Ministry's 7.7-billion-baht plan to buy 96 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from Ukraine and 15,000 TAR-21 assault rifles from Israel for the army, C-802 surface-to-surface missiles and launch systems for the navy from China, and new avionics for the six C-130H aircraft operated by the air force.


    An air force source said the Swedish purchase will be made in two batches.


    The first six jets, including spare parts and training programmes, will be bought with a five-year budget of 19 billion baht starting this fiscal year. The 15.4 billion baht cost of the other six planes will be met from the 2013-2017 budget.




    The decision to go for the Swedish fighters was made by a committee led by air force chief-of-staff ACM Ittaporn Subhawong, the source said. Air force officials briefed the cabinet on the capabilities of the Gripen yesterday and compared it with other planes on offer.


    ACM Chavalit had met Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Sept 29 and convinced him to back the purchase. He cited the need for new combat aircraft to match the Russian-made SU-30 MKM fighters now deployed by Malaysia.




    The Gripen jets were in the public spotlight when Thaksin Shinawatra was in power. He talked of bartering, paying some of the cost with chickens instead of cash. The idea went nowhere.




    Later he ordered then air force chief ACM Kongsak Wantana to switch to the SU-30s. ACM Chalit rejected the plane as unsuited to Thailand's needs when he became the new air force chief.


    The source said the Swedish offer was sweetened with the offer of two radar surveillance planes for free.


    Meanwhile, army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda said the army would accept any decision made by Defence Minister Gen Boonrawd Somtas on the controversial plan to buy the APCs from Ukraine.




    Gen Boonrawd is the person who will make the final decision on whether to ahead with the 3.89-billion-baht APC purchase.




    ''I can accept any decision by Gen Boonrawd. If he wants to put a stop to it, the purchase will be stopped,'' Gen Anupong said.




    The purchase has been frozen by the Defence Ministry despite getting approval from the cabinet. The ministry set up a committee to re-examine the deal and clear up all doubts.




    The Office of the Auditor-General also demanded answers from the ministry about the deal. Key questions were why NGV Enterprise, which represented Ukraine, won the contract even though it failed to tender a bid within the specified deadline.


    State auditors also questioned the quality of the products.




    Gen Anupong said the army had already answered the state auditor's questions and explained to the minister why the Ukrainian vehicles were needed.




    He said arms dealers and critics did not know everything. The vehicles from the Ukraine came with German-made engines and were most suited to the army's needs and budget.

    ปล. ภาพชุดนี้ เป็นทีมของกองทัพอากาศไทยที่ไปเยี่ยมชม Gripen Center ณ F7 Wing ประเทศสวีเดน ซึ่งเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของการทดสอบและประเมินค่าเครื่องบินขับไล่รุ่นนี้ครับ ไปเมื่อ 18 พ.ค. 2549

    แก้ไขเมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 50 07:47:33

     
     

    จากคุณ : Analayo - [ 17 ต.ค. 50 07:20:17 ]

 
 

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