RTAF Chief Said He Wanted the F-35

08 Oktober 2021

F-35 Lightning II (photo : RAF)

Yesterday, the new commander of the Air Force is Air Chief Marshal Naphadej Thupatemi organized a policy announcement event for the troops. Including the announcement of the establishment of several new committees to operate in the next 1 year. And on this occasion, the Air Force Commander held a press conference to the media. The Air Force commander discussed the possibility of acquiring fighter jets. He stated that he was interested in the F-35, but had to look at the budget and public support. Which the Air Force Commander said that it certainly won't be anytime soon. 

The commander of the Air Force said that 4-5 years ago, my father was Air Chief Marshal Praphan Thupatemie, former Air Force Commander said the Air Force should think about having a better machine today. An interesting plane would be the F-35 if it had the budget to maintain it. If supported by the government and the people By saying that the aircraft of the Air Force today, it is modern in this era. But after a few years it will become obsolete. It should be thought to supply more modern aircraft from now on. But I'm afraid that if we offer up Those who do not understand will have resistance. This will result in all the mess. but believe that this era may be an era to start thinking probably not yet supplied But the other Air Force officers to take his place might have a good time to pitch ideas in an era that has public support and funding enough to have dozens of other transcendent planes in use year.

The commander of the Air Force also described the acquisition of planes during his father's days, the result of which was the acquisition of the first F-16A/B in the region. But here we will tell you again in historical terms. But we will get to know and analyze the fifth generation of fighter jets like the F-35 that the Air Force commanders are interested in. And how much is the possibility?

The F-35 is the first fifth-generation aircraft offered by a manufacturing country to foreign customers. The F-35 is a multi-country joint development program that is cooperating to develop a variety of fifth-generation aircraft to replace four- and 4.5-generation aircraft. Asean has Singapore procured 12 F-35s, four of which have been signed, with an option of eight, with Singapore expected to deliver in 2026, five years from now. It states in the arms sales notice to Congress that the price is 230 million US dollars each. which is an advanced price by believing that the actual supply price will be much lower But it should be in the price range of around 140-180 million dollars.

In the past, the Air Force has not expressed an interest in procuring a fifth-generation fighter jet or F-35 any time soon, with Lockheed Martin offering the F-16 Block 70 or F-16V to the Royal Thai Air Force for consideration. Because it is considered more suitable for the Royal Thai Air Force, both in terms of familiarity, and most importantly, the budget must be more.

Actually, the Royal Thai Air Force has a project to procure F-16ADF replacement fighter jets that will start the project around 2023-24 for the 1st lot and 2025 – 26 for the 2nd lot. 6 each lot to receive,  delivered around 2028-2032. But due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus, the TAF predicts that the military budget will not return to the same point until at least 2027, which will block the opportunity to acquire fighter jets to replace the F-16ADF.

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