Griping about the GripenThe House armed services committee has the air force's newest fighter squarely in its sights, writes Surasak Tumcharoen
Although the military has already signed the 19-billion-baht deal to buy six JAS 39C/D Gripen combat aircraft from Sweden, a group of civilian MPs are arguing the contract should be cancelled. They say the ageing US-made F-5 Tiger fighters which the Gripens will replace could be refurbished and upgraded for far less, and continue to do an adequate job.
The House armed services committee chairman Somchai Phetprasert raised the issue.
He said the the public was aware of the purchase of the first six of the multi-role jets, with the first scheduled for delivery in 2011.
The order was placed and signed for by air force commander-in-chief ACM Chalit Phukpasuk, he said.
But it was not so well known that the air force planned the gradual procurement of a dozen of the Gripen jets, not just six, with the additional planes due to arrive after 2013.
Under the government-to-government agreement, the Swedish manufacturer, Saab, will initially deliver four one-seat and two two-seat fighters under the 19-billion-baht deal. The budget had been approved over a five-year period, with 10% to be paid in the current fiscal year.
The JAS 39C/D aircraft have a 27mm Mauser cannon and can carry US-made Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and Maverick air-to-surface missiles. They reach a speed of Mach 2 and have a combat radius of 800 kilometres.
They were destined for deployment at Air Base 71 in Surat Thani province, where they would replace the F-5 fighters.
The House committee chairman, who was a police colonel before he entered the political arena a decade ago, said his committee might bring up the Gripen jet purchase for debate.
They would not concentrate on the earlier question of whether the deal breached Article 190 of the constitution because it did not receive prior approval from the House of Representatives.
Mr Somchai said his committee would focus on whether the Swedish jets were compatible with current air force facilities, equipment and personnel.
Did the deal include maintenance and spare parts for the planes after 2013, when the five-year purchase deal was complete, he asked.
Mr Somchai said it also remained to be seen how cost-effective the Gripen fighters would ultimately be, given the incredibly high price of US$93 million each.
That compared with only $42 million for each of 26 Gripen fighters ordered by South Africa.
Mr Somchai said most air force pilots and crew were trained in the use of American weapon systems, software and aviation technology. Many had undergone intensive training courses in the United States so they fly the US-made aircraft deployed at various air bases nationwide.
Besides the ageing F-5 jets, there were the F-16 Falcon fighters which, according to the House committee chairman, many senior air force officers believed were even more reliable than the Gripen fighters.
He called for the rebuilding of the existing F-5s, especially the squadron deployed at Air Base 71 in Surat Thani province, which is to be decommissioned.
He said other aircraft throughout the country would also gradually be taken out of service because of lack of funds for maintenance and repairs.
Mr Somchai feared the cost of maintaining the airworthiness of the Swedish aircraft would be a far bigger drain on the tax purse.
When testifying before Mr Somchai's panel at parliament, air force officers had admitted that existing repair and maintenance programmes for the F-5s would have to be terminated to meet the costly payments for the Gripen aircraft, along with some logistic support projects.
Support programmes for the F-16 fighters, the most modern combat-ready planes in service with the air force, might also have to be downsized.
Mr Somchai said the US was not happy with the decision to buy the Gripens, and he doubted the Americans would continue to supply missiles and other weaponry for the Swedish jets in the years ahead.
Air force chief Chalit Phukphasuk, however, has rejected all criticism of the Swedish jets and the plan to buy them.
The Gripen jets use shorter runways for landing and takeoff than the American planes, ACM Chalit told Bangkok Post earlier this year.
''Gripens are more suitable for operations over the sea,'' said ACM Chalit.
The fighters would be the frontline protector of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. They would also be available for use in the far southern provinces where an insurgency has raged since 2004.
''The Gripens will provide air cover for the Thai navy,'' he said.
''They will not be here as part of an arms race. They will be here for defence purposes.''
Source
http://www.bangkokpost.com/260808_News/26Aug2008_news30.php
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