The Thai air force says its proposed order for about 18 ex-US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs has been approved by the US Congress.
The air force is still considering its budget projections for funding the purchase. Partial financing is expected to come from a refund programme on Boeing F/A-18 spares purchased by Thailand as part of its cancelled F/A-18 procurement programme (Flight International, 18-24 January).
Estimates of the cost of the purchase vary from $135 million to $154 million, and Thailand is understood to be trying to pay $35 million of this in spares. The aircraft to be bought are expected to have flown between 2,000h and 3,000h, and will have 4,000h airframe life left, giving them 20 years remaining service life.
Source: Flight International
