Working Group to Asses Thailand Estimated in the End of 2022

17 November 2022

F-35A fighter jet (photo : RAF)

The US Air Force is expected to send a working group to assess the feasibility of operating F-35 fighter jets in Thailand around the end of 2022, where the US government is expected to decide whether to approve the possibility, was it possible to sell the F-35 to Thailand in January 2023?

Budget limit 7,383 million baht ($193,812,610) for the first two F-35A fighter jets will include engines, spare parts, basic equipment, but does not include weapons that most can be used in conjunction with the Royal Thai Air Force, such as air-launched weapon, air-to-air missiles AIM-120C AMRAAM.

However, if the US government decides not to approve the sale of the F-35 to Thailand, the Royal Thai Air Force insists on returning the budget 369,134,500 baht ($10.2 million) in fiscal year 2023 returned to the Ministry of Finance. After that, it will be necessary to study other fighter aircraft that will replace F-16A/B again.

While on October 27, 2012, the Air Force announced air combat readiness training in the western border areas of Thailand. Including the introduction of fighter aircraft F-16 AM/BM ELMU Squadron 403 Squadron 4 to perform an armed air reconnaissance mission.

(AAG)