On Monday, August 25, 2025, the Swedish company Saab Defence and Security announced an intergovernmental agreement between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of Thailand for the sale of the first batch of JAS 39E/F Gripen multirole aircraft.
Photo: Saab Defence and Security
The agreement, valued at 5.3 billion SEK, provides for the delivery of four aircraft between 2025 and 2030, including three single-seat E variants and one two-seat F variant, along with accompanying ground equipment, a technical and logistical support package, and training for six pilots and 20 ground crew members.
It was signed by Air Marshal Phanphakdee Phattanaku, Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force (Kong Thab Akat Thai, RTAF), during his visit to Sweden from August 23–27, as well as by Mikael Granholm, Director General of the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) under the Swedish Ministry of Defence, and Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
The Thai government approved the agreement on August 5 of this year, and negotiations entered their final stage on June 4. Plans also include the purchase of an additional eight units, with contracts for these expected to be concluded in 2028 and 2030.
“We welcome Thailand as the latest customer for Gripen E/F. Thailand is already a well-established Gripen user and familiar with the strengths that Gripen brings to the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Thailand has chosen the most modern fighter on the market with which to build its next generation of strategic, independent capabilities,” says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
The authorities in Bangkok had been seeking a replacement for 12 aging F-16A/B Block 10/15 aircraft of the 102nd Squadron. The procurement process was announced in November 2023, after the collapse of negotiations over the purchase of eight F-35A Lightning II aircraft. At the time, the obstacle was reportedly Thailand’s close military ties with China.
On July 10, 2024, the local daily The Bangkok Post reported that the Royal Thai Air Force (Kong Thab Akat Thai) command had recommended to the Ministry of Defence the purchase of Gripen E/F aircraft from Sweden, rather than the latest Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70s offered by the United States. On August 27, 2024, the Swedish bid was ultimately selected after a ten-month consideration period.
Saab Defence and Security also signed an agreement with the Royal Thai Air Force command for the implementation of a long-term offset package for Thailand as part of the aircraft procurement plan. This includes a significant transfer of defense technologies, industrial cooperation with Thailand, and new investments in various sectors of the national economy. Earlier this year, on February 7, Saab and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand industrial cooperation on the Saab 340B AEW early warning aircraft and the JAS 39E/F Gripen.
Since 2011, Thailand has also operated 11 JAS 39C/D Gripen aircraft (the twelfth crashed on January 14, 2017). On July 26 of this year, they made their debut in combat operations against Cambodia.
The fleet also includes 48 F-16s in various versions: 12 F-16A ADF, 1 F-16B ADF, 10 F-16A OCU, 7 F-16B OCU, 12 F-16AM MLU, and 6 F-16BM MLU. Among them, the ADF/OCU variants are to be partially replaced by the new-generation Gripens by 2031, although not on a one-to-one basis under the current budgetary plans.
Saab Successes
Recently, the Swedish government and Saab submitted an offer to sell 12 JAS 39E/F Gripen aircraft to Peru, while neighboring Colombia announced plans to purchase, most likely, 16 of these aircraft. Currently, the Gripen E/F is also a frontrunner in the Philippines’ tender (alongside the F-16C/D Block 70/72).
Earlier, Sweden decided to procure them (60 JAS 39E ordered + 10 more as an option; the first three have been delivered), as well as Brazil (36 JAS 39E/F ordered, designated F-39E/F, with partial local production, of which 8 have been delivered, and plans to acquire 8 more under an option for up to 72 aircraft).
Previously, the latest Gripens had been unsuccessfully offered in other foreign markets, including Canada, Finland, Indonesia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Switzerland. It is not excluded that the subject may resurface in Canada, due to political implications surrounding the purchase of 88 F-35A Lightning II aircraft (the Czech Republic has accepted Sweden’s offer to extend its Gripen lease, while Hungary will be increasing its Gripen fleet).
RELEASE: Saab receives Gripen E/F order for Thailandhttps://t.co/5rYrNaiRpr
— Saab (@Saab) August 25, 2025