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| Sweden, US compete for jet deal; on a barter trade basis | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 8 2005, 06:02 PM (382 Views) | |
| spiderweb6969 | Jun 8 2005, 06:02 PM Post #1 |
 
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Sweden, US compete for jet deal WASSANA NANUAM The United States and Sweden have both expressed interest in selling fighter jets to the air force on a barter trade basis, an air force source said. The Swedish government has offered to supply 16 JAS 39 Gripen jets at a friendship price of 600 million baht each, the source said. The Gripen is an advanced light-weight multi-role combat aircraft and the air force is said to be interested. During his visit to Sweden early this year, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra proposed payment in the form of Thai agricultural products to protect Thailand's current account. Swedish officials have arrived to discuss the possibility of a deal, the source said. To counter the Swedish offer, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offered F16 jets with a ''special condition'' during talks Defence Minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya in Bangkok on Monday. Mr Rumsfeld suggested the US jets would be more convenient because the air force already has F16s. He did not elaborate on the ''special condition''. The air force is looking for high-capacity fighters which are not too expensive to replace its decommissioned OV-10 fighters and the F5 A/B jets to be decommissioned this year. Russian SU-30 jets are also among the potential choices. Air force commander-in-chief ACM Kongsak Wantana inspected the SU-30 during a visit to Russia, but there are logistical concerns since the air force has never had Russian fighters before. Air force deputy chief-of-staff AM Sukampol Suwannathat confirmed consideration was being given to fighter from several countries. No decision would be made until all proposals had been presented and considered. The US had not detailed its proposal yet, he said. The Commerce Ministry was considering making payment in the form of agricultural products such as chicken or rice as the prime minister had discussed such barter trade with potential supplier countries, he said. ''We have a condition they must be bartered for agricultural products in instalments,'' AM Sukampol said. It was a buyers' market for arms at the moment. The air force was waiting for a budget from the government for brand-new fighters, he said. |
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3:12 PM Jul 13