Breaking News: Thai Air Force Selects Sweden’s New Saab Gripen E/F to strengthen airpower.

On June 4, 2025, the Royal Thai Air Force confirmed its selection of Sweden’s Saab Gripen E/F as its future multi-role fighter. The decision supports Thailand’s strategy to modernize its air force amid rising regional tensions and technological competition. It also signals a shift toward greater defense autonomy and European industrial partnerships. The selection comes as Southeast Asian air forces race to adopt next-generation air combat capabilities. 
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Thailand’s confirmed selection of the Saab Gripen E/F thus marks a strategic leap for its air force, setting the stage for an operational transformation based on advanced multi-role airpower (Picture source: SAAB)

The Saab Gripen E/F, an advanced multi-role combat aircraft developed by the Swedish aerospace group Saab, represents one of the most modern non-stealth fighter platforms in service today. The Gripen E variant incorporates the Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST), advanced electronic warfare systems, and data fusion capabilities. It is powered by the General Electric F414-GE-39E engine, enabling a maximum speed of Mach 2 and a combat radius of over 1,500 km. The fighter is also designed for full NATO interoperability and advanced datalink operations, with the flexibility to carry a wide array of air-to-air, air-to-ground, and anti-ship munitions. The twin-seat Gripen F variant will complement the fleet with enhanced operational flexibility and training capacity.

The development path of the Gripen E/F builds on Saab’s decades-long experience with lightweight, cost-effective fighter designs. The Gripen C/D has been in Thai service since 2011, forming the backbone of the RTAF’s current air combat capability. The E/F variant stems from a Swedish national program launched in the early 2010s to counter emerging threats from next-generation fighters and sophisticated integrated air defense systems. It incorporates more powerful sensors, greater range, increased payload, and significantly enhanced survivability features compared to its predecessor. The selection by Thailand continues a pattern observed in other air forces such as Brazil’s, which became the Gripen E’s first export customer with its F-X2 program in 2014. This continuity ensures streamlined pilot transition, logistical commonality, and proven reliability.

Compared to other fighter options available to middle-power nations, such as the U.S. F-16 Block 70/72 or the French Rafale F4, the Gripen E/F stands out in several respects. It offers an open-architecture avionics suite that facilitates easier upgrades, lower maintenance costs, and operational autonomy, features highly prized by countries seeking to reduce long-term dependency on external suppliers. While it lacks stealth characteristics of fifth-generation platforms like the F-35, the Gripen E/F delivers an unmatched cost-effectiveness ratio in the 4.5-generation fighter category, with shorter sortie turnaround times and excellent electronic warfare resilience. Historically, its lineage echoes that of the Mirage 2000’s evolution into the Rafale: from a single-role to a flexible multi-role platform, adapted to evolving air combat doctrines.

The strategic implications of Thailand’s decision are substantial. In the immediate military dimension, the Gripen E/F will provide the RTAF with a credible deterrent and regional air superiority tool amid growing tensions in the South China Sea and expanding Chinese airpower in neighboring states. Geopolitically, Thailand is diversifying its defense partnerships, balancing traditional U.S. ties with new European industrial cooperation, as reflected in the long-term offset package included in Saab’s offer. This package is intended to generate jobs, technology transfers, and strategic benefits for Thailand’s defense industry, enhancing national security and autonomy. The move aligns with broader trends in ASEAN where nations are increasingly seeking defense procurement strategies that combine capability with industrial leverage.

From a budgetary standpoint, while Saab has not yet signed a formal contract with Thailand, the Gripen E/F is known for its relatively low acquisition and life-cycle costs compared to Western alternatives. Brazil’s initial Gripen E/F contract was valued at approximately $4.68 billion for 36 aircraft, including technology transfer and local assembly, figures that offer a rough benchmark for estimating potential costs for Thailand’s program. At this stage, no firm numbers have been disclosed, but the inclusion of an offset program suggests a multi-billion-dollar package is being prepared. The last confirmed defense contract for Gripen E/F remains the ongoing Brazilian program, with deliveries in progress.

Thailand’s confirmed selection of the Saab Gripen E/F thus marks a strategic leap for its air force, setting the stage for an operational transformation based on advanced multi-role airpower. It strengthens Thailand’s position within the shifting security architecture of Southeast Asia while reinforcing Europe’s footprint in the regional defense market. As negotiations move toward contract finalization, the coming months will be crucial in shaping the extent of industrial cooperation and strategic outcomes from this landmark procurement.