Thailand’s Interest in F-35s: Denied for Now
So…… Anyone remember when it was announced that Thailand was interested in buying F-35s from the U.S.? Well, it seems they were quite serious about the buy….. But they have been denied. For now….
U.S. Suggests Alternatives to F-35 for Thailand
In a recent press release, the Royal Thai Air Force had said that their request to acquire the Multi-Role aircraft was denied by the United States. Rather, U.S. authorities have suggested that the RTAF focus on upgrading their current fleet of F-16s and, interestingly enough, they have even offered to sell F-15E Strike Eagles instead.
But the real kicker is that the idea of Thailand operating the F-35 is not completely out of the realm of possibility. The same press release stated that the U.S. has expressed its intent to hold talks regarding acquiring and operating the Fifth Generation fighters in the future.
Reasons for the Initial Denial
According to reports, the reason for this initial denial is because the RTAF just does not currently have the infrastructure to support the F-35. There is also the fact that the U.S. would not be able to deliver the aircraft in the timeframe the Thai Air Force wants them. Hence, the reason the U.S. has offered both the F-16 Block 70 and the F-15E as a suitable replacement for Thailand’s current fleet of aircraft and could be delivered in a timely manner.
~NC
