#gripenthai #nato #usairforce #thaiairways #tahiairfirce #saab93 #swedenairforce #gripenhigway #fhilippinesairforce #
Swedish Saab Gripen-39 Fighter Jets Go Wild In Thailand, Enemies Panic
Watch Thai Gripen take off, land on road with crew in action
On February 27, 2025, Thailand’s Highway 41, a sunbaked ribbon of asphalt cutting through the lush plains near Surat Thani, briefly shed its civilian skin to become an impromptu runway for the Royal Thai Air Force’s JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet.
In a video that rippled across online platforms—most notably shared by user @lfx160219 on X—the Swedish-built aircraft taxied with purpose along the four-lane stretch, its Volvo RM12 engine growling as it surged into the hazy tropical sky, only to return minutes later, touching down with the screech of tires and a faint plume of dust.
This wasn’t a mere publicity stunt but a calculated showcase of the Gripen’s rare ability to operate from unconventional airstrips, a feat captured in vivid detail: air-to-air shots of the jet slicing through wisps of cloud, cockpit views of the pilot’s steady hands on the controls, and ground-level footage of a swarm of Thai crews descending post-landing.
They refueled the aircraft from a truck-mounted bowser, inspected its airframe for stress fractures, swapped pilots in a fluid handoff, and bolted on munitions for another sortie—all in a matter of minutes.