Sweden to sell Gripen fighter jets to Thailand
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A Saab JAS 39 Gripen lands at Såtenäs Air Wing, Sweden, on 9 November 2020. (U.S Army photo by Warrant Officer Patrik Orcutt via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service - DVIDS)
STOCKHOLM - Sweden said on Monday it has signed a deal to sell four Gripen fighter jets produced by Saab to Thailand.
The deal "strengthens the long-term development opportunities for Swedish warplanes," Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) Director-General Mikael Granholm said in a statement.
Saab said in a separate statement that the value of the order, which includes three Gripen E jets and one Gripen F, as well as equipment, support and training, was around 5.3 billion crowns ($556 million) and deliveries would take place in 2025-2030.
Thailand already has one squadron of Gripen C/D fighters.
Shares of Saab were up 3% in late morning trading.
($1 = 9.5271 Swedish crowns)
(Reporting by Simon Johnson, writing by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Stine Jacobsen and Bernadette Baum // REUTERS)
