First Solo Fighter Jet Flight: Thai Queen Suthida Takes the Helm

Fri Oct 09 2026 22:23:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Queen Suthida of Thailand makes her inaugural solo flight in a Gripen fighter jet, marking a historic moment for the monarchy.

Thailand's Queen Suthida embarked on a first‑solo flight in a Gripen fighter jet on 8 October, witnessed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn on a southern Thai airfield. The Royal Household reports she has accumulated over 1,180 flight hours across multiple aircraft types since 2010 and has previously co‑piloted missions with the king. The event underscores the monarchy’s active engagement in aviation and highlights Thailand’s growing defense capabilities.

First Solo Fighter Jet Flight: Thai Queen Suthida Takes the Helm

On 8 October, Thailand’s Queen Suthida boarded a Swedish‑made Gripen fighter jet at an airfield in Surat Thani province. The royal aircraft lifted off under the watchful eyes of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who was positioned on the ground during the flight.

According to the Royal Household, the queen has logged roughly 1,188 flight hours across a range of aircraft since she began flying in 2010. She has also co‑piloted flights that carried the king on official overseas visits, making her a seasoned aviator within the royal entourage.

Her solo mission marks the first of its kind for the Thai monarch and is widely reported as a symbolic signal of the country’s strengthened defense ties with Sweden and its ambitions in air‑power modernization.