F-16 Fighting Falcon News

September 23, 2005 (by Anonymous) - The Royal Thai Air Force hopes to buy sixteen F-16 jets which the USAF has been using in Afghanistan, under a barter trade agreement, incoming air force chief ACM Chalit Pukpasook said yesterday.
He said the sale of the F-16 C/Ds would be at a friendly price of 20 billion baht. Thailand would offer premium agricultural produce in return. ''The planes have not been used much and still have many flying hours left,'' he said.

The air force needed the fighters to replace its 30 year-old F-5 A/B jets.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had discussed the deal with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, he said.

Singapore recently donated its F-16A/B fleet to Thailand at the start of 2005. Those F-16s are used by the RTAF to supplement the assets already in service with its Air Force.

Thailand has received 36 new and 16 refurbished F-16A/Bs in four previous buys delivered between 1988 and 2003. With the latest Peace Naresuan IV order, the Thai AF also ordered two F-16s for spare parts reclamation.

Thailand's has been operating F-16 for over 17 years now.

Related article:

• Thailand considers acquisition of F-16C/D aircraft - Sunday, June 12, 2005
• Thailand to receive Singapore F-16A/B's - Monday, December 13, 2004
• Royal Thai Air Force receives final delivery of Lockheed Martin F-16s - Thursday, July 17, 2003