Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
THAILAND HAS ISSUED a formal letter of request (LoR) for an initial eight McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-18C/Ds, with the proviso that the deal includes the Hughes AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM).
The US Navy's foreign-military sales (FMS) office is now understood to be preparing a letter of offer and acceptance, with pricing and a delivery schedule, for Thai signature. The US Congress will first have to be given a 50-day notification of the proposed sale.
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has already secured, 10 billion baht ($400 million) from the 1995/6 defence budget, to fund the purchase. It plans to seek additional funds in 1996 for a second batch of eight fighters and spares and support package.
The F-18 had been facing strong competition from the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D, but was recently given a strong boost by the confirmation that Air Chief Marshal Siripong Thongyai will remain head of the Royal Thai Air Force for another year. Siripong is known to be a strong supporter of the F-18.
The AMRAAM, however, has yet to be officially cleared by the US State Department for sale to Thailand. Further talks between the US Government and Thailand are due to be held this month. The Thai LoR is understood to have included a cover note making the deal conditional on the release of the missile.
The RTAF has already threatened to turn to other non-US fighter manufacturers, such as Dassault or Sukhoi, if the AMRAAM is not supplied. The purchase of Russian R-77 (AA-12 Adder) active-guided missiles by Malaysia and Vietnam has strengthened Thailand's case (Flight International, 20-26 September, P18).
Other items to be included in the proposed F-18 FMS package include MDC AGM-84 Harpoon and Raytheon AIM-9 missiles, the Hughes AAR-50 forward-looking infra-red pod, the Loral AAS-38 laser-targeting pod, an electronic-counter-measures system - believed to be the ITT/Westinghouse ALQ-165 internal jammer - training, support equipment and initial spares.
The F-18s will also be equipped for air-to-air refueling, although the RTAF does not yet possess any tanker aircraft.
An earlier proposal to convert three surplus Thai Airways International MDC DC-10-30ERs had been vetoed by the US Government.
Air force attention is now understood to focus on modified Lockheed Martin C-130s.
Source: Flight International
