Thailand's Queen Suthida completes first solo flight in Gripen fighter

Queen Suthida of Thailand has flown a Saab JAS 39C Gripen solo for the first time. The 41-minute training flight left Wing 7 airbase in the southern province of Surat Thani on 8 October 2026.

It was her first sortie without an instructor on board. According to Nation Thailand, she had roughly ten hours of instruction in the two-seat Saab JAS 39D Gripen and simulator training beforehand. The queen, 48, has logged more than 1,188 flying hours on various aircraft types, the outlet reported.

Thai media gave a detailed account of the flight. Before departure the queen received a briefing on the flight plan and inspected the single-seat aircraft herself. She taxied to runway 22 and took off at 10:06 local time, returning to base after 41 minutes.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who marks his tenth year on the throne this year, watched from the ground. After landing he presented her with flowers and a golden Gripen pin.

The flight is described as the first by a woman in the Royal Thai Air Force to fly a Gripen solo. Thailand added to its Gripen order in 2025. The aircraft is a multirole fighter designed for air defence, strikes against ground and sea targets, and reconnaissance missions.

No further details of the flight or of Thailand's Gripen fleet were given in the source material.