Thai - Cambodia Conflict Thailand's Gripen Fighters Make Combat Debut in Cambodia Clash

[webfact]

Thailand's Gripen Fighters Make Combat Debut in Cambodia Clash

 

YAS 39. File photo courtesy of โดย Tuomo Salonen / SIMFinnish Aviation Museum - commons file, CC BY-SA 4.0

 

Thailand's Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has marked a historic moment by deploying JAS 39C/D Gripen fighter jets in actual combat for the first time. On July 26, these Swedish-built warplanes saw action against Cambodian artillery targeting Thai positions amid a tense border dispute.

 

In a coordinated mission, the Gripens flew alongside Thailand’s older F-16 Fighting Falcons. The operation was a success, with all aircraft successfully returning to base, underscoring the capability of the Gripens in active conflict.

 

The Gripen, developed by Sweden’s Saab AB, is designed under the “Smart Fighter” concept. It excels in network-centric warfare, integrating with radar systems, ground stations, and other aircraft for real-time operations.

 

This was the first time Thai Gripens transitioned from their usual roles in training, air shows, and patrols to an active combat scenario, reported the Bangkok Post.

 

Globally, the Gripen is also used by the Czech Republic, Brazil, Hungary, and South Africa, but this was its debut in actual combat. Thailand selected the Gripen for its state-of-the-art technology, multi-role capabilities, and ability to operate from short runways, offering strategic flexibility in warfare.

 

This first combat outing demonstrates the Gripen's value to Thailand's defence, highlighting its agility and technological advancement. The world will be watching closely to see how other nations currently using or considering the Gripen respond to its proven combat performance.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-07-31

 

 

[JoePai]

underscoring the capability of the Gripens in active conflict

 

... with no opposition  😎

[johng]

Did I read the article correctly  and this is the first time ever that a Gripen aircraft has seen real "combat".....unbelievable !!

[mark5335]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand selected the Gripen for its state-of-the-art technology, multi-role capabilities, and ability to operate from short runways, offering strategic flexibility in warfare.

...not to mention the significantly lower operating costs.

[radjag]

I wonder whether they actually had live munitions loaded? And, if they did, what did they attack, during the supposed "ceasefire"?

[lordgrinz]

Maybe the deal will fall through for the new purchases, as Sweden is holding up approval based on Thailand using them for defense. If I were Thailand I would be worried about purchasing any more Gripens, maybe the F16 deal would be a better option.

[spidermike007]

Thailand is very wise to wean itself from the overpriced military equipment provided by the US. Dependency on America at this moment in time is just not good foreign policy, as they are a highly undependable ally. 

[newbee2022]

And....how many they killed with this one?

[topt]

42 minutes ago, radjag said:

And, if they did, what did they attack, during the supposed "ceasefire"?

From the article -

10 hours ago, webfact said:

On July 26, these Swedish-built warplanes saw action against Cambodian artillery targeting Thai positions amid a tense border dispute.

I believe that was before the ceasefire?

[Sir Dude]

The Gripen is a good and solid fighter by all reports, but the sentence about its capabilities in active combat are stretching it a bit, when Cambodia doesn't have an airforce or any SAMs worthy of mention... just lots of inaccurate rocket launchers from the Soviet times that are a bit of a case of point and hope/spray and pray really. Give some Gripens to Ukraine and let them put them through the paces and we'll see what the real deal is.

[mfd101]

16 minutes ago, topt said:

I believe that was before the ceasefire?

yes.

[mfd101]

6 hours ago, johng said:

Did I read the article correctly  and this is the first time ever that a Gripen aircraft has seen real "combat".....unbelievable !!

Mostly driven by Europeans (other than Ukraine) so not surprising.

[chickenslegs]

30 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

And....how many they killed with this one?

As their mission was to destroy Cambodian artillery, which was targeting Thai positions, one could suggest that Thai lives were saved.

[newbee2022]

Just now, chickenslegs said:

The job of the Thai military is to protect Thailand and Thai lives. Foreign artillery, sending missiles into Thailand, are legitimate targets. 

 

I don't want anyone to get killed but self defence is justified.

I actually didn't ask for that.

My question was: how many killed they.

You won't answer, would you?

[chickenslegs]

9 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I actually didn't ask for that.

My question was: how many killed they.

You won't answer, would you?

You will need to read the Cambodian reports for the answer to that question.

[sungod]

13 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I actually didn't ask for that.

My question was: how many killed they.

You won't answer, would you?

Do you like keeping a tally of deaths? 

[sparky666]

56 minutes ago, topt said:

From the article -

I believe that was before the ceasefire?

There are some very foolish people out there commenting on things when they have not read the actual report properly

 

[sungod]

52 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

The Gripen is a good and solid fighter by all reports, but the sentence about its capabilities in active combat are stretching it a bit, when Cambodia doesn't have an airforce or any SAMs worthy of mention... just lots of inaccurate rocket launchers from the Soviet times that are a bit of a case of point and hope/spray and pray really. Give some Gripens to Ukraine and let them put them through the paces and we'll see what the real deal is.

 

They have a Chinese system, HQ 12. 

[Sir Dude]

3 minutes ago, sungod said:

 

They have a Chinese system, HQ 12. 

Maybe, but the Chinese kit has come up short in a few recent clashes like Israeli airstrikes in Iran and Indian strikes on Pakistan, both of which were condifently mouthing-off about their Chinese SAM's capability and numbers etc. but they failed to even work without shooting anything down. The Chinese kit is way over-hyped and the export versions are probably even worse than the ones China keeps for itself.

[PETERTHEEATER]

8 hours ago, JoePai said:

underscoring the capability of the Gripens in active conflict

 

... with no opposition  😎

Shhhhh........

[transam]

8 hours ago, JoePai said:

underscoring the capability of the Gripens in active conflict

 

... with no opposition  😎

Are you saying the Cambodians had nothing to fire at planes.........?  🤔

[newbee2022]

57 minutes ago, sungod said:

Do you like keeping a tally of deaths? 

Okay. I see. Incapable to answer

[sungod]

48 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

Maybe, but the Chinese kit has come up short in a few recent clashes like Israeli airstrikes in Iran and Indian strikes on Pakistan, both of which were condifently mouthing-off about their Chinese SAM's capability and numbers etc. but they failed to even work without shooting anything down. The Chinese kit is way over-hyped and the export versions are probably even worse than the ones China keeps for itself.

I'd agree with that. But they do have just a little more than nothing. It would be interesting to know if they were deployed or not. 

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

You will need to read the Cambodian reports for the answer to that question.

So, you don't and don't want to know

[sungod]

1 minute ago, newbee2022 said:

Okay. I see. Incapable to answer

I asked you the question. Are you confusing me with someone else?

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, sungod said:

I asked you the question. Are you confusing me with someone else?

If so, sorry.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, johng said:

Did I read the article correctly  and this is the first time ever that a Gripen aircraft has seen real "combat".....unbelievable !!

No

It's adequately covered in the first sentence of the post.

[GroveHillWanderer]

3 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Maybe the deal will fall through for the new purchases, as Sweden is holding up approval based on Thailand using them for defense. If I were Thailand I would be worried about purchasing any more Gripens, maybe the F16 deal would be a better option.

I read this. It seems slightly odd. What they seem to be saying is, "We'll sell you fighter jets, but only if you don't use them to fight with."

[JamesPhuket10]

9 hours ago, johng said:

Did I read the article correctly  and this is the first time ever that a Gripen aircraft has seen real "combat".....unbelievable !!

 

Yes it is true, the first generation was developed in the 1980's, I actually wrote some of the software in the UK for the head up display system while at Marconi Avionics, Kent. Also for the A10 Warthog. 

 

See the following article re the first use of the aircraft as an atack aircraft by Thailand. 

 

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/swedens-jas-39-gripen-makes-combat-debu/#:~:text=A Fighter Without a War,Sweden's air force in 1996.

 

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

Maybe, but the Chinese kit has come up short in a few recent clashes like Israeli airstrikes in Iran and Indian strikes on Pakistan, both of which were condifently mouthing-off about their Chinese SAM's capability and numbers etc. but they failed to even work without shooting anything down. The Chinese kit is way over-hyped and the export versions are probably even worse than the ones China keeps for itself.

So this report on the Pakistan V India conflict is not correct.

The Pakistan J-10C, equipped with six Chinese air-to-air PL-15 missiles, identified India’s aircraft from a distance of 200 km. The PL-15s were launched from a distance of 150 km and all six Indian jets were shot down. Pakistan sustained no loss in the encounter. (Alex Krainer - Substack)