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MILITARY

Thailand to delay Gripen purchase: report

The difficult economic situation in Thailand may scuttle the country’s planned purchase of Saab JAS Gripen fighter planes.

Thailand to delay Gripen purchase: report

The Thai government has now decided to delay the purchase of six aircraft, according to the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Thailand has already ordered six Gripens which are set for delivery in 2011.

In placing the order, Thailand added that they intended to purchase an additional six aircraft. But not the second order has been postponed, writes the newspaper.

However the news appears to not yet have reached officials in the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), an agency involved with Sweden’s military exports.

“We haven’t received any information as of yet,” said FMV spokesperson Ulf Lindström to the TT news agency.

He added that work continues on fulfilling the orders which have already been placed.

Saab spokesperson Ulrika Fager said that the news stems in part from information in the media, and in part to the fact that Saab hasn’t yet received Thailand’s second order of six planes.

“As a result, there’s nothing to comment on,” she said.

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MILITARY

Sweden and UK strike deal to get more artillery to Ukraine

Sweden on Thursday announced a deal to sell its Archer mobile cannon system to the United Kingdom, allowing London to donate its older AS90 artillery system to Ukraine.

Sweden and UK strike deal to get more artillery to Ukraine

The Swedish government said in a statement that the UK would purchase 14 Archer units.

Stockholm announced in January it would also be sending the Archer system directly to Ukraine without specifying an amount, and on Thursday it said it would send eight pieces.

The Swedish-developed Archer system is a fully-automated howitzer mounted on an all-terrain vehicle, which allows the gun to be remotely operated by the crew sitting in the armoured cab.

“Artillery such as the Archer, together with armoured vehicles and tanks, increases Ukraine’s defence capability and enables them to retake territory,” Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said.

Britain said the 14 Archer systems would serve as “an interim replacement for the 32 AS90 artillery systems the UK gifted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

London announced it was sending the AS90 to Ukraine in January. Sweden’s government said it had so far pledged 16.9 billion kronor ($1.6 billion) worth of military support for Ukraine.

In February, Sweden joined a slew of Western nations pledging heavier weapons for Ukraine, by promising “around 10” of its Leopard 2 A5 tanks, as well as the IRIS-T and HAWK anti-air missile systems.

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