Fully Armed Thai Gripen C/D Fighter Jet Seen at 2025 Tactical Air Operations Test and Evaluation

04 Januari 2025

Fully armed Thai Gripen C/D fighter jet (photos: Defense Info)

The highlight of the opening ceremony of the 2025 Tactical Air Operations Test and Evaluation at the Chai Badan Air Weapons Training Range, Lopburi Province on December 12, 2024, was the Royal Thai Air Force's launch of the 8th attack aircraft, B.J.8 Beechcraft AT-6TH Wolverine, Squadron 411, Wing 41, Chiang Mai, armed with a combat reconnaissance demonstration flight for the first time, even though no live weapons were used.

As Squadron 411 is scheduled to receive a total of 8 AT-6TH attack aircraft by February 2025, the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is likely to follow and we will likely see the AT-6TH firing the HMP-400 .50cal air gun pod and the LAU-131/A 7-round rocket pod for the Hydra 70 air-to-surface missile in the next demonstration.

The air force demonstration at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Tactical Air Operations Test and Evaluation was also a rare opportunity to see a fully armed Gripen C/D fighter jet, as well as see the use of Thai-made weapons by the Royal Thai Air Force Ordnance Department, ranging from the Mk82 500lb multi-purpose bomb, CRV7 and Mk66 (Hydra 70) air-to-surface missiles, to Formula 1 wildfire extinguishing agents.

But it can be seen that the air force that demonstrated the use of weapons at the Chaibadan Air Weapons Training Field, including the latest fighter aircraft F-16A/B Squadron 103, Wing 1, Korat, fighter aircraft F-5E/F TH Squadron 211, Wing 21, Ubon Ratchathani, attack aircraft Alpha Jet Squadron 231, Wing 22, Udon Thani, all have been in service for a long time and are getting closer to the decommissioning schedule in the future.

Gripen contract

For the Gripen E/F fighter aircraft procurement project, it is expected that the matter will be submitted to the Cabinet and the Parliament for consideration and approval in May 2025, and the contract will be signed around June 2025. For Phase 1, the first 4 aircraft consist of 3 single-seat Gripen E fighters and 1 two-seat Gripen F fighter, to be delivered to Squadron 102, Wing 1 in 2029.

In addition to the National Children's Day event held on the second Saturday of January, which will feature both ground and air aircraft, the Royal Thai Air Force also plans to hold the 88th Anniversary of the Royal Thai Air Force RTAF88 around March 7-8, 2025, with many armies agreeing to join the event, including the United States, China, Sweden, India, and Singapore, etc.

(AAG)