While Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen was initially designed to operate in Nordic conditions, it has increasingly found favor with countries that rarely (if ever) see snow.
Swedish aerospace firm Saab has concluded a deal with the country’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) that will allow it to sell four JAS Gripen 39 multirole fighters to Thailand. According to the terms of the contract, signed on Monday, Bangkok will receive three single-seat Gripen E models and one two-seat Gripen F trainer, along with spare parts, support, and training. The deal was reported to be valued at 5.3 billion Swedish kronor ($556 million), with deliveries set to begin later this year and continuing through 2030.
The Saab JAS-39 Gripen’s Specifications
- Year Introduced: 1996
- Number Built: ~300
- Length: 14.9 m (48 ft 11 in) JAS 39C/E / 15.6 m (51 ft) JAS 39D/F
- Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: Approximately 8.4 m (27 ft 6 in)
- Weight:
- Empty: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
- Maximum takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
- Engines: GE F414G in the E/F variants
- Top Speed: Mach 2
- Range: 800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi)
- Service Ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
- Loadout: 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon (omitted on the two-seat variants), including air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, air-to-ground missiles such as the AGM-65 Maverick, and anti-ship missiles such as the RBS-15
- Aircrew: 1-2
Thailand Already Has a Handful of Gripens—and Likes Them
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) currently operates one squadron of Gripen fighters, consisting of seven single-seat JAS 39C and four two-seat JAS 39D aircraft. The Southeast Asian nation first adopted a full dozen in 2016, but one of the C models was lost in a crash.
It was a year ago, in August 2024, that Bangkok announced it had selected the Saab fighter over the US-made F-16 Block 70/72 Fighting Falcons to replace its aging fleet of F-16A/B aircraft.
“We welcome Thailand as the latest customer for Gripen E/F,” said Saab President and CEO Micael Johansson in a statement. “Thailand has chosen the most modern fighter on the market with which to build its next generation of strategic, independent capabilities.”
America Wins, Too: GE Builds the Gripen’s Engines
Although Thailand opted not to adopt the American-made Fighting Falcon, the Gripens will nonetheless aid the US defense industrial base. Gripen fighters are powered by the GE Aerospace F414-GE-39E engines, which are produced in Lynn, Massachusetts, with additional co-production in India and South Korea.
The engines are currently used to power the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Indian HAL Tejas Mk 2, the KAI KF-21 Boramae, and the JAS 39E/F Gripen.
“The F414-GE-39E delivers the power, reliability, and adaptability needed for next-generation combat capability, and we’re honored to support Thailand as it expands its Gripen fleet,” said Shawn Warren, vice president and general manager, Combat and Trainer Engines at GE Aerospace. “This agreement continues a longstanding collaboration between GE Aerospace, Saab, and international air forces around the world.”
According to GE Aerospace, Thailand will be the third country to adopt the Saab JAS 39E/F powered by the F414-GE-39E engines.
More than 1,600 of the F414 powerplants have been produced, amassing more than five million total flight hours.
Swedish Fighters Are Surprisingly Well-Adapted for the Jungle
While Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen was initially designed to operate in Nordic conditions, it has increasingly found favor with countries that rarely (if ever) see snow. Beyond Thailand’s interest, Brazil adopted the JAS-39 in a 2014 deal and received the first of a planned 36 aircraft in 2019. As part of that deal, Saab opened a factory in the South American country to support the production of the JAS 39.
Other nations in Latin America have also considered the aircraft, including Colombia and Peru—though both of these countries have regular snowfall in the Andes. A selling point for the Saab fighter is its rugged airframe, which enables it to operate from austere facilities, including remote roads that have been converted into temporary runways. It was also developed with low maintenance requirements and a lower operating cost than competing fighters such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
