BANGKOK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's air force is modifying 14 of its F-5 E/F jet fighters following 40 years of service, said air force chief ACM Jom Rungsawang on Wednesday.
Of a fleet of 46 F-5 E/F Tiger fighters, deployed by the Thai air force since 1978, fourteen are being modified and will be renamed as Super Tigris, ACM Jom said.
Of those 14 F-5 E/F fighters, two are being modified as exemplary models by Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli defense electronics firm, and 12 others will be modified by Thai air force engineers, the air force chief said.
The new version of the jet fighter will be fitted with updated avionic systems and equipped with IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missiles, which are of the same type as those fitted with JAS 39 Gripen fighters, currently deployed by the Thai air force.
The F-5 E/F modification project is currently carried out and scheduled to be completed by 2020.
ACM Jom made his comments on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Tiger fighters for which a ceremony was organized at Air Wing 21, home of most of that type of combat aircraft, in Ubon Ratchathani province, about 600 km northeast of Bangkok.
