News Forum - Why does Thailand need F-35 fighter jets? [video]

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s attempts to beg the new F-35 Fifth Generation fighter jet from the Americans have progressed at a snails pace. The acquisition has been questioned on all sides since its inception, and continues to be. The issues standing Thailand’s way seem to amount to three main things. The US certainly doesn’t want its shiny (actually …

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[Rookiescot]

Might as well just sell them directly to China.

[socal]

This article is just a puff piece for the F-35. Basically, the F-35 is so great, and too high tech for Thailand. 

Thailand was the first large customer of China's new tank

Thailand probably wants to order Chinese J-35's. They just want to get a refusal on the F-35 from the US so that the US cant get too mad when they get the J-35's

https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/J-35-Fighter-China-PLANAF-770x410.jpg

Edited January 19, 2023 by socal

[Soidog]

  On 1/19/2023 at 7:26 AM, socal said:

Thailand probably wants to order Chinese J-35's. They just want to get a refusal on the F-35 from the US so that the US cant get too mad when they get the J-35's

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Yes that’s possibly true. Having a large political fence post up your ass and wearing multiple faces to the outside world must be uncomfortable for the Thai  Junta. 
 

It’s good to see the Chinese hackers have stolen enough date on US military aircraft to make a decent copy they can sell. Not unlike a quality fake Rolex you buy in Bangkok. As was once said:

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.

Personally I wouldn’t sell any military hardware to any country that has pseudo democracy like Thailand. The problem is, money talks! 
 

[Grumpish]

Chinese have already stolen and copied everything to make the J-35, so that is not an issue. But Thailand is going to have to stop brown-nosing China and get off the fence on Russia before the US even bothers to look at the request, let alone think about it. 

[Rookiescot]

  On 1/19/2023 at 9:09 AM, Grumpish said:

Chinese have already stolen and copied everything to make the J-35, so that is not an issue. But Thailand is going to have to stop brown-nosing China and get off the fence on Russia before the US even bothers to look at the request, let alone think about it. 

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The Chinese can build a plane that looks like the F35 but what they cannot do is copy the stuff inside it.

[Rookiescot]

  On 1/19/2023 at 7:26 AM, socal said:

This article is just a puff piece for the F-35. Basically, the F-35 is so great, and too high tech for Thailand. 

Thailand was the first large customer of China's new tank

Thailand probably wants to order Chinese J-35's. They just want to get a refusal on the F-35 from the US so that the US cant get too mad when they get the J-35's

https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/J-35-Fighter-China-PLANAF-770x410.jpg

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There is no way China would sell the J35 to Thailand. They would not want the US to laugh at them for presenting a bucket of bolts as a 5th generation fighter.

[Soidog]

  On 1/19/2023 at 9:56 AM, Rookiescot said:

The Chinese can build a plane that looks like the F35 but what they cannot do is copy the stuff inside it.

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Agreed. Along with all the other integrated support systems they haven’t stolen and, not to forget, the highly skilled pilots inside the cockpit. 
 

A similar thing happened in the Falklands war. The Argentinians had modern French fighter Jets, most cleared off back to the mainland once the Brits arrived and starting taking them out. Argentina lost around 70 aircraft compared to 30 British. 

[EdwardV]

  On 1/19/2023 at 7:26 AM, socal said:

Thailand probably wants to order Chinese J-35's.

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What a wonderful idea. Let's buy planes that require us to completely overhaul our pilot training regime, mechanic training regime, spare parts logistics, and require a completely different set of weapons systems. All for a plane that the Chinese Army Air Force refused to buy, that is completely unproven, and is still in development. 

There is a reason almost no country buys Chinese fighter jets. 

I'm not pimping the F-35 for Thailand, I still think it would be a mistake for them. If they do need new fighters, they are much better off buying the Swedish Gripen E, or the US F-16V Block70/72. They already fly older variants of both these jets. It would make the modernization so much easier and cheaper while still getting top of the line fighters. 

[MrStretch]

The Thai Armed Forces want F-35s for the same reason they want submarines.

Overcompensation for a distinct lack in a certain physical stature.