Thailand’s Gripen fighter jets join Singapore Airshow 2024
Two Gripen fighter jets from the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) took part in the Singapore Airshow 2024, Asia’s largest event of its kind.
RTAF commander-in-chief Air Chief Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul has also travelled to the island state to attend this year’s airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday and continues until Sunday.
Two RTAF pilots flew their Swedish-made Gripen fighters from Wing 7 air force base in southern Surat Thani province. They said it took them about 90 minutes to reach Singapore's Changi Airport. The two Thai fighter jets were then moved to the airshow venue at the Changi Exhibition Centre, which is located about a 10-minute drive from the airport.
The pilots said that they were proud to represent Thailand at the Singapore Airshow, where the Gripens displayed the Thai national flag alongside military aircraft from neighbouring countries.
They said the Thai fighter jets’ presence at the event drew much attention from visitors, particularly media people.
Hosted by Singapore’s air force, the biennial event is billed as the largest aerospace and defence event in Asia, attracting exhibitors and visitors from around the world.
The Singapore Airshow 2024 is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions.
Among the participating exhibitors are Western industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as their Chinese competitors such as COMAC and AVIC. Israeli companies Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are also attending.
There are also flying displays featuring military aircraft from many countries, including Singapore, Australia, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and the United States. Commercial aircraft, such as COMAC C919 from China and Airbus A350-1000, are also on display at the airshow.
