THAILAND HAS LINKED the purchase of any new US-built fighter aircraft to the supply of the Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM active-radar-guided air-to-air missile, and is threatening to turn to other foreign manufacturers if necessary.
The Thai air force has a requirement for a third squadron of front-line fighters to supplement 36 Lockheed F-16A/Bs in service or on order.
An order for the more advanced F-16C/D or McDonnell Douglas F-18C/D is considered to be Thailand's most likely option (Flight International, 1-7 March).
According to Thai sources, however, the selection of either aircraft hinges on the US Government releasing the AMRAAM for sale. The missile has not yet been cleared for use in Southeast Asia. The USA is proposing instead the less capable semi-active radar-guided Raytheon AIM-7M Sparrow.
Thailand has indicated that, unless the AMRAAM is made available, it will look at alternative aircraft, including the Dassault Mirage 2000-5, which is being offered with the active-radar-guided Matra MICA missile.
US manufacturers also face competition from the Mikoyan MiG-29. The Russian fighter is capable of carrying the medium-range semi-active Vympel R-27 (AA-10) or new fully active RVV-AE (AA-12) missiles.
Malaysia, taking delivery of 18 MiG-29 fighters, will be the first export customer for the RVV-AE, say Russian sources, (Flight International, 29 March-4 April).
Malaysia's acquisition has strengthened Thailand's determination to get a beyond-visual-range missile capability with its next fighter purchase.
"Fighter platforms are essentially equal, but avionics and weapon systems will be the determining factors," says a Western defence official.
It is unclear whether the AMRAAM will be released for sale in the region before 1997/8. An earlier Thai request to the US Government for a detailed briefing on the McDonnell Douglas F-15 has been met with a "non-positive verbal response", says a Bangkok-based diplomat.
The F-15 is understood to have been the Thai air force's preferred first choice of fighter. It was interested in a "T" variant, similar to the F-15S ordered by Saudi Arabia, with downgraded radar and conformal fuel-tank hard-points removed.
Source: Flight International
