US declines Thai F-35 fighter request, offers F-15 and F-16
The US has declined Thailand's informal request for F-35 fighter jets, citing infrastructure concerns.
The US has advised the Royal Thai Air Force that the service is not ready to operate the F-35 yet, according to local media reports.
The US DoD has informally declined Thailand's request to purchase F-35 fighter jets, as revealed by a source within the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to local media.
Instead, the US has proposed F-16 Block 70 and F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets as viable alternatives.
The decision from the Pentagon was communicated by Robert F Gordec, the US ambassador to Thailand, during a recent meeting with ACM Alongkorn Wannarot, the RTAF's Commander-in-Chief, at the service's headquarters in Don Mueang.
Ambassador Gordec cited the US Department of State's assessment, which indicated that the RTAF may not currently possess the necessary infrastructure facilities
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