Four Saab JAS39D and twoJAS39C Gripens arrived at Surat Thani AB in southern Thailand on February 22. The aircraft flew from Sweden via Hungary, Crete, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and India, and have been assigned to Wing 7 of the Royal Thai Air Force. They were ordered in February 2008 as part of a comprehensive air defence package and will be joined in 2012 and 2013 by a second batch of six JAS39Cs ordered in November 2010 (see Thailand Signs for Additional Gripens and an Erieye, January, p22). By March a second group of six Thai former F-16 pilots had arrived at Satenas to undergo conversion and combat readiness training with the Skaraborg Wing (F7). Their training is expected to continue until the end of June.
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