Thailand seals Gripen fighter jet deal with offset policy to boost RTAF

At 12.20pm local time in Stockholm, Sweden, Maris witnessed the signing of three agreements:

• Procurement agreement: Thailand signed a contract with Sweden to purchase four Gripen E/F fighter jets in the first phase, worth 19.5 billion baht. The contract was signed by Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Commander-in-Chief Air Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul and Mikael Granholm, Director-General of the Swedish Materiel Administration (FMV), with Swedish Defence Minister Dr Pal Jonson present as witness.
   
• Delegation of authority agreement: The Swedish government authorised FMV, represented by Granholm and Lars Helmrich, Director of the Air and Space Systems Division, along with Saab AB CEO Micael Johansson and executive Lars Tossman, to implement the contract.
   
• Offset policy agreement: Signed between Saab AB, represented by Tossman and Punpakdee.

This signing marked the first phase of procurement—four of a planned 12 aircraft, or one full squadron—to replace ageing F-16s that have been in service for more than 37 years. Sweden will begin deliveries in 2029, with two aircraft per year until the squadron is complete.

Maris stressed that the agreement not only strengthened the Air Force’s “fangs” but also represented a milestone in advancing Thailand’s defence industry under the government’s policy.

He noted that successive governments, from former prime minister Srettha Thavisin to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, had supported the policy to generate lasting benefits for Thailand.

“Our goal is for the government to facilitate, while businesses and entrepreneurs in the defence industry take the lead in absorbing technology transfers, enhancing national defence capability,” Maris said. 

“I have spoken with the RTAF commander and understand that the Air Force has skilled personnel and clear policies to position Thailand as a leading country in this sector.”

He added that the agreement also reassured Sweden and the international community after recent clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border.

“We use Gripen jets in military operations to demonstrate clearly that we have no intention of aggression against our neighbours. Our military objectives, carried out with precision, show the world that Thailand strictly abides by international law,” Maris said.

Citing the RTAF commander, Maris emphasised that Thai operations had not crossed into Cambodian territory, but advanced technology enabled the Air Force to strike military targets accurately, in contrast to Cambodian attacks that targeted civilians.

“In comparison with Cambodia’s use of weapons against us, it is clear that their operations are aimed at aggression and strikes on civilian targets, in stark contrast to our own operations,” he said.

Maris concluded that Thailand, like Sweden and the European Union, is a peace-loving nation, but stressed that strong self-defence capability remains essential. 

He added that the Gripen purchase marks the beginning of Thailand’s cooperation with other peace-oriented nations to enhance the quality of its defence capabilities, thereby strengthening the country’s standing in the international community.