Tuesday 25 February, six out of twelve Gripen jet fighters were welcomed in the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) at a great ceremony at Wing 7, RTAF's military air base in Surat Thani in Southern Thailand.
The whole Thai press corps was invited and was in military style freighted to Surat Thani, by a Hercules aircraft, along with VIP's from the Air Force.

The ceremony was opened by Air Chief Marshall Itthaporn Subhawong's arrival on the runway at Wing 7 Tuesday afternoon flying himself one of the two Gripen 39 C/D jet fighters. Air Chief Marshall Itthaporn Subhawong sat naturally in the first seat.

The Gripen was developed in the 1980’s by SAAB and in 1987 the first machine was in the air. Gripen 39 C/D is equipped with a Volvo Flygmotor RM12. In some of the weaponry includes a 27mm. Mauser BK27 gun, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and laser guided bombs.

While RTAF is waiting for the next six planes coming next year, they will be upgrading their skills and teached by the Swedish fighter pilots who have moved to Thailand for the next two years. The Thai jet fighter pilots have already been in Sweden for nine months to be trained, but must add additional two years more to be fully trained to manage the Gripen 39 C/D.

On top of all there was a delicious thai dinner with food from the south region, music and gift exchanges between the Thai and Swedish partners.