The Thai Air Force announced on Thursday that the United States had rejected its request to sell its F-35 stealth fighter jets to Thailand due to problems meeting the country’s technical and training requirements.
The United States recognized Thailand as a major non-NATO ally in 2003, and the country promptly began saving heavily for new jets to replace its aging fleet of mostly U.S.-made F-5 and F-16 fighters.
Up to eight F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) have been singled out as a target for Thailand. However, the United States was unable to offer the sale of the fifth-generation fighters due to conditions such as time constraints, technical requirements, and maintenance compatibility, according to a U.S. Air Force spokesperson.
The United States only sells the F-35 to its closest allies; in the Indo-Pacific, this means countries like Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
The Thai military has used American technology since the Vietnam War, hosting U.S. air force and navy personnel at its bases. For a long time, Thailand has been the site of the annual “Cobra Gold” training exercises with the U.S.
