Sweden denies halting Gripen jet sales to Thailand

The Swedish Embassy in Thailand posted a statement on its Facebook page on Friday (August 1), in response to rumours regarding the Royal Thai Air Force's purchase of Gripen fighter jets. 

The embassy clarified that there has been no decision to suspend further Gripen sales to Thailand.

Earlier the same day, a Cambodian media outlet claimed that the use of Gripen jets by the Royal Thai Air Force would cause issues in the process of purchasing a new fleet of Gripen aircraft after the Thai Air Force used its Gripen jets to conduct operations along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Air Chief Marshal Phanphakdee Phatthanakul, the Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force, is scheduled to sign a contract for the purchase of four additional Gripen fighter jets between August 23 and 27.

The Gripen jets have been used in the battlefield for the first time by Thailand since their debut in Sweden in 1988, during the border dispute with Cambodia at the end of last month. Swedish-made fighter jets have carried out several operations as part of this conflict.

The Royal Thai Air Force has continued to support the Thai Army's operations along the Cambodia border, using both Gripen and F-16 jets over five days of clashes before the temporary ceasefire took effect.

A spokesperson for the Air Force also confirmed that the Gripen jets successfully carried out precise strikes on military targets considered a threat to Thailand’s security.

Stefan Wilson, a Swedish defense analyst and former fighter pilot who led Swedish operations in NATO’s 2011 Libya mission, said that the use of Gripen jets against Cambodia, a country without its own fighter jets, seemed straightforward, based on reports from Thailand.

He noted that if the jets deployed precision weapons, they would likely be laser-guided bombs or GPS-guided bombs, and in an uncontested environment, without interference from radios, radars, or other disruptions, it would not be a particularly advanced operation, but rather a basic capability of the Gripen.

Currently, Thailand has 11 Swedish Gripen C/D jets and is negotiating the purchase of more from Saab.

Wilson stated that such airstrikes, if carried out as described by the Thai Air Force, should not hinder Thailand's process of acquiring more Gripen jets.

“If you follow the laws of war, I don’t think I would support or oppose it. Sweden has not signed any agreement that says ‘if you use this system, we must buy it back.’ Once you purchase a system, you can use it at your discretion.”