Armée Thailandaise/Royal Thai Armed Forces

Citation :

Royal Thai Army's 21st Cavalry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division and 6th Cavalry Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment,
3rd Cavalry Division, 2nd Army Area hand-on additional 5 and 12 respectively of NORINCO VT4 main battle tanks
for total 17 tanks. (Royal Thai Army)
https://aagth1.blogspot.com/2023/10/vt4.html
https://aagth1.blogspot.com/2023/10/VT4-12.html

Citation :

  LAST UPDATED: 05 FEBRUARY 2024




RTAF retires PC-9

On Friday 2 February 2024, the Kong Thap Akat Thai (RTAF, Royal Thai Air Force) said goodbye to the Pilatus PC-9 single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft during a decommissioning ceremony at the RTAF Flying Training School at Kamphaeng Saen air base.

In service since 1991, the RTAF has operated a fleet of 26 PC-9s. Since 2021 they have gradually been phased out. In 2023 about 12 were still active with Advanced Sq/2 FTS Mustang.

During their service life, five aircraft were lost in accidents. Two PC-9s are kept to be admired by the general public; F19-08/34 is a gate guard at Kamphaeng Saen and F19-06/34 is preserved at the RTAF Museum at Don Muang.

The PC-9s are succeeded by twelve Textron Aviation T-6C Texan II single-engine turboprop training aircraft, locally known as the T-6TH Texan II. The first Texans were delivered in November 2022, with the last one completing the order in August 2023.

Credit photo: Hans Rolink (Scramble Archive)


https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/rtaf-retires-pc-9

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/03/01/thailands-air-force-unveils-new-wish-list-eyeing-jets-and-drones/

Citation :

www.defensenews.com
Thailand’s Air Force unveils new wish list, eyeing jets and drones
Gordon Arthur
6 - 7 minutes

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Royal Thai Air Force has laid out its future aspirations in a document released Feb. 29, with counter-drone systems, new fighter jets and medium-range air defense systems among the most pressing concerns.

The 74-page whitepaper, which the service unveiled during its annual symposium this week and which builds on a similar document published four years ago, details planned procurements out to 2037.

“The Air Force is aware of [the importance of] long-term development planning and spending of the national budget to achieve maximum value,” said the service’s commander, Air Chief Marshal Panpakdee Pattanakul.

Indeed, part of the whitepaper’s raison d’être is to stake claims for long-term funding as its aircraft inventories age. For instance, the 2020 version stated the fighter fleet had an average age of 26 years, a figure that continues to increase.

But the government’s procurement process is disjointed, according to Greg Raymond, an expert in Asia-Pacific affairs at the Australian National University. He cited factors like political instability, inadequate strategic planning, annual rather than multiyear budgeting measures, and weak civil oversight that allows each armed service to makes its own decisions.

In the latest whitepaper, the Air Force gives priority to a medium-range air defense system possessing a minimum 30-nautical-mile range from fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2028. Afterward, from FY33 to FY37, the service plans to carry out a second phase for a medium- or long-range air defense system.

From FY28 to FY32, the force plans to buy a short-range air defense system boasting gun-, missile and laser-based weapons. Credence is given to counter-drone systems, too, and a nine-year project to procure these is to commence in 2025.

The service is also eyeing 12-14 new fighters to replace the F-16 jets of 102 Squadron based at Korat. The procurement is scheduled to take place from FY25 to FY34, two years later than originally planned. The squadron’s F-16s from the late 1980s are to retire by 2028.

Two contenders have emerged for the aircraft requirement: Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block 70/72 and Saab’s Gripen.

“We’re confident the F-16 Block 70/72 will complement the RTAF’s existing F-16 fleet and deliver the advanced 21st century security capabilities and performance needed to address Thailand’s most pressing defense requirements,” a Lockheed spokesperson told Defense News.

Thailand ordered its first Gripen C/D fighters in 2008. Following a January 2021 contract, the aircraft were upgraded to what the manufacturer calls the MS20 configuration.

Thailand currently operates 11 JAS 39C/D Gripen fighters in 701 Squadron as part of a quick-reaction force. (Gordon Arthur/Staff)

Robert Björklund, who markets the Gripen to Thailand for Saab, told Defense News the existing fleet is integrated into the Saab-supplied Link T data system and that the aircraft provides its user with “a very wide range of weapon options, including its highly effective RBS15 anti-ship missile.”

A second fighter replacement project for 12-14 aircraft is slated for FY31 to FY35 to replace F-5E/F jets of 211 Squadron at Ubon that are to retire around the end of the decade. An identical number of fighters are needed to replace F-16A/Bs of 403 Squadron at Takhli from FY37 to FY46.

Thailand tries to maintain relations with several competing nations, including the United States, China, Russia and India, the whitepaper noted. Thailand previously purchase materiel from China, such as armored vehicles, air defense systems and a submarine.

Asked whether the Royal Thai Air Force would consider buying a Chinese fighter like the J-10CE, Raymond said the service values its relationship with the U.S. and likeminded allies too much to do so. He noted that Thai-U.S. relations have “largely stabilized,” despite the latter denying the former’s request to buy F-35A jets last year.

“They wouldn’t want to see themselves placed on the outer [circle] in terms of not getting invitations to things like [exercise] Pitch Black in Australia. I tend to think they’d be perhaps more careful about getting Chinese aircraft than the Thai Navy was about getting a submarine,” he said.

The whitepaper also detailed an effort starting this year to refurbish C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. The 2020 version recommended the service buy 12 replacements, but that idea was dropped.

As for pilot training, last year’s delivery of 12 T-6TH trainers allowed the Air Force to retire its Pilatus PC-9 fleet last month. New Zealand-built CT-4E trainers are to retire in 2031, so basic trainers will be needed from FY33. New lead-in fighter trainers are also sought from FY25, with Thailand already operating the South Korean T-50TH in this role.

Thailand plans to being work to modernize its pair of Saab 340B Erieye airborne early warning aircraft. (Gordon Arthur/Staff)

The new whitepaper also emphasized unmanned technologies. One effort underway is the Thai-developed M Solar X solar-powered drone. Loitering munitions are also schedule for purchase by 2026, as are medium combat drones from FY26 to FY29 and high-altitude pseudo-satellites from FY24 to FY35.

The Air Force also mentioned procurement programs for micro- and nano-drone swarms from FY26, and a research and development effort for weaponized tactical drones from FY29.

And two Saab 340B Erieye airborne early warning aircraft are to receive enhanced command-and-control capabilities, with their dorsal-mounted radars to be replaced. This would take place from FY26 to FY29.

The government’s FY24 defense budget bill calls for a 198 billion baht (U.S. $5.5 billion) fund, of which $1 billion is for the Air Force. The service has already applied for an allocation of approximately $530 million for a first batch of four fighters.

UW4B Remote Control Weapon Station Gunner Terminal Control Station (& Screen) in an exported Thai Army VN-1C Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

UW4B RCWS consists of a 30mm automatic gun, a 7.62mm machine gun, 12 smoke grenade launchers & sensors
(via wb/电波震长空XYY) pic.twitter.com/cWAi60Gs6w

— Jesus Roman (@jesusfroman) March 3, 2024

Cérémonie d’ouverture de l’entraînement de la Marine 2024.

Citation :

Air Force Wants 2 More T-50THs in 2025

19 Maret 2024


T-50TH trainer aircraft (photo: RTAF)


A small project in the Air Force's 2024 White Paper, which is in the Training group, is the Air Force's plan to purchase two more T-50TH trainer jets,
with a budget request in 2025 and a budget commitment between 2025-2028, which the aircraft This plane is a training plane, but the aircraft is
equipped with equipment and weapons that can be used in combat if war breaks out.

If it succeeds this will be phase 5 of this project, and it is considered that the Air Force will receive all the aircraft as planned from the beginning,
which intended for this squadron to have 16 aircraft, with the previous 4 phases divided into:
- Phase 1: Purchase 4 T-50THs.
- Phase 2: Purchase 8 T-50THs.
- Phase 3: Installs equipment to upgrade to the FA-50 Block 10 with better weapons capabilities. It is equipped with an EL/M-2032 radar, an SPS-1000
radar receiver system, an ALE-47 CMDS decoy launch device, a Sniper ATP targeting pod to install a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb, etc.
- Phase 4: Purchase of 2 T-50THs, which was postponed due to COVID-19, according to the original plan to buy 4 aircraft, cut down to 2 aircraft.
Therefore, these 2 aircraft in Phase 5 will be considered to complete the project, which is likely to have a Block 10 aircraft that has the same
characteristics as the other aircraft. In total, Squadron 401 will have a total of 16 T-50TH aircraft.

(TAF)


https://defense-studies.blogspot.com/2024/03/air-force-wants-2-more-t-50ths-in-2025.html

Un des Gripen thaïlandais. Pour l'instant 18 exemplaires sont en service depuis 2021. Apparemment, SAAB aimerait en placer d'autres, notamment pour remplacer les vieux F-16 qui seront prochainement retirés du service.