The defence minister has eyed on spending 3.2 billion baht more for buy new fighter jets
On 1 August 2017, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, the Deputy junta head and Defence Minister, told media before the cabinet meeting that the ministry will inform the cabinet about the plan to spend 3.2 billion baht to buy four F-5 Mod fighter jets.
The procurement is the second phase of plan to upgrade the F-5 Mod jets of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), increasing the number of the F-5 Mod aircrafts to 14 in total over a three year period from 2017-2020.
The first phase of the procurement was proposed in 2014.
Last month, the ministry submit a proposal to the cabinet meeting to procure eight T-50TH fighter jets from South Korea for the RTAF. The deal will cost the country about 8.8 billion baht.
The ministry argued that the new fighter jets will replace the already obsolete L-39 aircraft, adding that two years ago the cabinet approved Ministry’s proposal to buy a total of 16 T-50TH fighter jets over a three year period.