Thai Air Force seeks U.S. expertise to operate F-35 fighter jets

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RTAF commander ACM Napadej Dhupatemiya informed the media that the U.S. experts might visit Thailand as early as the end of 2022, while thanking the House committee vetting the 2023 budget bill for accepting the air force’s appeal for the necessary funding to proceed with the procurement of the advanced fighter jets.

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has requested that its U.S. counterpart provide aircraft operational expertise pending Congressional approval of the sale of F-35A fighter jets to Thailand.

RTAF commander ACM Napadej Dhupatemiya recently informed the media that the U.S. experts might visit Thailand as early as the end of 2022.



ACM Napadej also thanked the House committee vetting the 2023 budget bill for accepting the air force’s appeal for the necessary funding to proceed with the procurement of the advanced fighter jets.

The House committee last week approved 369 million baht of the 738 million requested by the RTAF to purchase two F-35A fighter jets from the U.S.



ACM Napadej noted that it is now up to the U.S. Congress to determine whether to approve the sale, adding that he expects his successor to pursue the F-35A procurement program after he retires on September 30. (NNT)