Royal Thai Army

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from ATLAS (simulation))
Jump to: navigation, search
Royal Thai Army
กองทัพบกไทย
(RTGS: Kongthap Bok Thai)
Royal Thai Army Seal.svg
Emblem of the Royal Thai Army
Active 1874
Country  Thailand
Type Army
Size 190,000 (2010) [1]
Part of Royal Thai Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ Bangkok
Motto เพื่อชาติ ศาสน์ กษัตริย์ และประชาชน (For The Nation, Religions, King, and People)
Colors Red
March มาร์ชกองทัพบก (Royal Thai Army March)
Anniversaries 18 January
(Royal Thai Armed Forces Day)
Engagements Franco-Siamese War
World War I
Franco-Thai War
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Cambodian–Thai border stand-off
2008–2010 Thai political crisis
Commanders
Commander-in-chief Prayuth Chan-ocha
Notable
commanders		 Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena
Plaek Pibulsonggram
Sarit Dhanarajata
Thanom Kittikachorn
Prem Tinsulanonda
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Suchinda Kraprayoon
Surayud Chulanont
Sonthi Boonyaratglin
Insignia
Royal Thai Army Flag
Royal Thai Army Flag.svg
Unit Colour
Royal Thai Army Unit Colour.svg

The Royal Thai army (Thai: กองทัพบกไทย) is the army of Thailand responsible for protecting its sovereignty. It is the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The army was formed in 1874, partly as a response to new security threats following the Bowring Treaty with Britain, which opened up the country for international trade.

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: Military history of Thailand

[edit] Command and Control

The Royal Thai Army is commanded by the Commander of the Royal Thai Army (ผู้บัญชาการทหารบกไทย); the current Commander is General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was confirmed by royal appointment to take over the top post effective October 1, 2010. The Royal Thai Army Headquarters is located in a building on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road in Bangkok, Thailand.

[edit] List of Commanders

Main article: List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Army

[edit] Organization

[edit] Field Organization

The Royal Thai Army is divided into 4 Army Areas:

  • First Army Area - headquartered in Bangkok and is responsible for the country's western and central provinces including the capital city.
    • 1st, 2nd, 9th and 11th infantry divisions, and
    • 2nd cavalry division, and
    • 1st Development division.
  • Second Army Area - headquartered in Nakhon Ratchasima and is responsible for the northeastern quadrant.
    • 3rd, 6th infantry divisions, and
    • 3rd cavalry division, and
    • 2nd Development divisions.
  • Third Army Area - headquartered in Phitsanulok, responsible for the northern and northwestern parts of the kingdom.
    • 4th,7th infantry division, and
    • 1st cavalry division, and
    • 3rd development division.
  • Fourth Army Area - headquartered in Nakhon Si Thammarat, responsible for southern Thailand.
    • 5th,15th infantry division, and
    • 4th development division.

[edit] Tactical units

Thai and U.S. Army Soldiers practice tactical maneuvers during exercise Cobra Gold 2006 in Lop Buri.

Altogether the army is organized into the following Tactical Units:

  • 9 infantry divisions (including 16 tank battalions),
  • 1 armoured division,
  • 3 cavalry division (a light armour division),
  • 1 special forces division trained and geared for small unit special and airborne operations,
  • 1 field artillery division, and
  • 1 air defense artillery division.
  • 8 independent infantry battalions,
  • 3 airmobile companies provided the ground force units with battlefield support.

The Royal Thai Army also controls at least one television network, the Thai Global Network.

[edit] Royal Guards

Main article: Royal Guards (Thailand)

[edit] Army Medical Department

Army Medical Department (กรมแพทย์ทหารบก) belongs to the service segment of the Royal Thai Army. It is responsible for medical affairs, providing medical services at its regular base or in field, giving training to personnel in research and agriculture and supervising the medical divisions of different sectors of the Royal Thai Army. AMED observed 111 years of service in January 2011,[2] with 110 years of service having been honored by issue of a series of commemorative stamps.[3]

[edit] ATLAS

The Army Tactical Level Advanced Simulation (ATLAS) is an interactive, distributed, constructive simulation used to conduct military Command Post Exercises (CPX) within the RTA. ATLAS utilize a continuous terrain model, incorporates HLA 1516, and displays 1:250,000 1:50,000 and Satellite Imagery. ATLAS was developed between 2002 and 2005 through cooperation with RTA Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

[edit] Aviation

The Royal Thai Army is known to operate the following aircraft types:

Origin Type Quantity Remark
 Brazil Embraer ERJ-135LR 2 6 Order.
 Spain CASA C-212-300 Aviocar 2 serial numbers 446 and 447 based with the VIP squadron at Don Mueang Airport.One of these airplanes is no longer in service.
 United Kingdom British Aerospace Jetstream 41 2 serial numbers 41060 and 41094. based with the VIP unit at Don Mueang Airport.
 United States Beechcraft 1900C-1 2 serial numbers 0169 and 0170. based with the VIP squadron at Don Mueang Airport.
 United States Beechcraft 200 King Air 2 serial numbers 0342 and 1165. based within the Lop Buri Army complex.
 United States Bell 206 Jet Ranger 25 Both the Bell 206A and Bell 206B in use.
 United States Bell AH-1F Huey Cobra 7 serial numbers 9996,9997 and 9998, a fourth example serial number 9999 was lost in a crash in 2001. 4 more of the same model were ordered on 2005.[4]
 United States Bell UH-1H Iroquois ~90 From US military aid during Vietnam war. Some were bought by RTA through Excess defense articles. Total Delivered from 1968 to 2004 was 174 UH-1Hs.[5] Less than 50% is air-worthy. All operatable UH-1Hs are used by 3 RTA Airmobile Companies.
 United States Bell 212 ~50 Used by 1th Airmobile Company, 2th Airmobile Company, 3th Airmobile Company and Department of Army Transportation
 United States Cessna T-41 Mescalero ~30 around 20-30 of these ex US Army fixed-wing trainers still flying.
 United States Cessna U-17B Skywagon ~20 around 15-20 of these Vietnam era FAC aircraft still flying.
 United States Boeing CH-47D Chinook 6 [4]
 United States Maule MX-7 ~15 around 15 still flying as liaison and trainer aircraft.
 United States Schweizer S-300C 45 For training and observation.
 United States Enstrom Enstrom 480B 16 For training.
 United States Sikorsky UH-60L (S-70A-43) Blackhawk 12(2) serial numbers 6927,6928,6929,7002,7003,7025 and 7026. 3 more UH-60Ls [6] and 3 more UH-60Ms[7] ordered on August 2009 and July 2011, respectively.S-70A-43 serial number 6928 was destroyed in a crash on 17 July 2011.
 United States Bell Bell 412EP 2 On order.
 Israel IAI Searcher 4 32 Order.
 Russia Mil Helicopters Mi-17-V5 3 Three helicopters delivered by AN-124-100 RA-82078 to U-Tapao RTNS on 22 February 2011.A photo has appeared of Mi-17 serial number 6403 being offloaded from an AN-124.The serial numbers of the remaining two are 6401 and 6402.
 United States AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven unknow

[edit] Known aviation bases

Soldiers of the Royal Thai Army in the streets of Bangkok on the day after the coup.
  • Don Mueang Airport (VTBD)
    • Units here include the VIP squadron, flying1 Embrear ERL-135LR serial number 1084/HS-AMP and serial number 1124, 2 Jetstream 41 (serial numbers 41060 and 41094), 2 Casa 212-300 (serial numbers 446 and 447) and 2 Beech 1900C-1 (serial numbers 0169 and 0170) and the 1st Infantry Battalion operating 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4422 and 4448), 3 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1340,1366 and 1367) and 2 Cessna U-17B FAC aircraft (serial numbers 1616 and 1617).
  • Bang Khen (3 km south of Don Mueang)
    • The Royal Squadron flies 3 Bell 212 and 2 Bell 412 (serial numbers 36332 and 36333) from here. There is also a special transport unit flying around 10-12 Bell 212 and 1 or 2 Bell 206 based here.
  • Camp Surasri
    • The 9th Infantry Battalion operates 2 Bell 206B (the serial number of 1 is 4424), and 2 or 3 Schweizer S-300C. There is also a detachment of UH-1H from an Air Mobility Company here.
  • Camp Jakapong (Prachin Buri)
    • The 2nd Infantry Battalion "The Queen's Guard" was operating 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4446 and 4361), 3 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1343, 1344 and 1345) and 2 Maule MX-7 (one serial number known is 099) in 2004, however it is likely the Maule MX-7 may now not be operated by this unit now. A detachment of this unit (with in 1998 1 Bell 206 and 1 Maule MX-7) was operating from Watthana Nakhon (VTBW) near the Cambodian border.
  • Phitsanulok Airport (VTPP)
    • Loc 16 degrees 46'58.58N,100 degrees 16'44.84E elevation 154 feet/47 meters.
    • Runway 14/32 length 9843 feetx148/3000x45 meters
    • Operating from here is the 4th Infantry Battalion with Bell 206B,Schweizer S-300C,Cessna U-17B and Maule MX-7.
  • Camp Suranaree (Khorat)
    • The main flying unit here is the 3rd Infantry Battalion flying 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4396 and 4447), 2 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1337 and 1339) and 2 Cessna U-17B (serial numbers 1454 and 1618).
    • This field also hosts a detachment of up to 3 Bell 212 helicopters from one of the Air Mobility Companies.

Lop Buri, the main base complex of the Royal Thai Army Aviation, which includes training, technical school, aircraft maintenance and aircraft storage.

  • The main airfield here is called Sa Pran Nak (VTBH)
    • Loc 14 degrees 56'58.02N,100 degrees 38'34.88E elevation 95 feet/29 meters.
    • Runways 01/19 3300x98 feet/1006x30 meters and 06/24 3890x98 feet/1186/30 meters
    • Operating units here include
      • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Nung - in English Air Mobility Company 1 - operating Bell UH-1H and Bell 212
      • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Song - in English Air Mobility Company 2 - operating Bell UH-1H (US Excess Defense Articles program)and Bell 212
      • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Sam - in English Air mobility Company 3 - operating Bell UH-1H,Bell 206B,Bell AH-1F Huey Cobra(8) and Bell 212
      • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Gou (pasom) - in English Air Mobility Company 9 (Mixed) - operating Bell UH-1H(US Excess Defense Articles program) and Sikorsky S-70-43 Black Hawk(6) with 6 more on order.
      • Gong Bin Sanub-sanoon Tua Pai - in English General Support Aviation Battalion - operating Boeing CH-47D Chinook, Bell UH-1H and Mil Mi-17V5
      • The army aviation centre is based here, which conducts conversion training for the army. Types operated are Cessna T-41B (ex US army surplus), Maule MX-7, Schweizar S-300C piston trainer helicopters.
      • The 2 former VIP Beechcraft 200 King Air airplanes, serial numbers 0342 and 1165 are also based here. Their present role is unknown. These airplanes were modified in the USA in the late nineties.

A separate airfield within the Lop Buri complex (only around 3 km south of Sa Pran Nak) houses the 5th aircraft maintenance Company. This unit is responsible for maintenance and storage of army aircraft and helicopters.

  • The 5th Infantry Division operates the following aviation assets from a small airfield within the army reserve at Nakhon si Thamarat(not at the airport),2 Bell 206B-3(serial numbers 4382 and 4427),3 Schweizer TH-300C(serial numbers 1371,1372 and 1373)and 2 Maule MX-7(serial numbers 114 and 115).A detachment of helicopters can be found here from the Air Mobility Companies based at Lop Buri.
  • The 6th Infantry battalion is based near Ubon Ratchatani.

[edit] Rank and insignia

Main article: Military ranks of the Thai armed forces

[edit] Equipment

 This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2011)

[edit] Infantry weapons

[edit] Small arms

Name Type Caliber Origin Notes
Type 86,M1911 Semi-automatic pistol .45 ACP  Thailand/ United States M1911A1 pistols produced under license.
Beretta 92 Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum  Italy
Heckler & Koch USP Semi-automatic pistol .45ACP  Germany Used by Special forces.
Heckler & Koch MP5 Submachine gun 9x19mm Parabellum  Germany
UZI Submachine gun 9x19mm Parabellum  Israel
Heckler & Koch UMP Submachine gun 9x19mm Parabellum  Germany UMP9 submachine guns used by Special force.
AK-47 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm  Soviet Union Captured from Vietcong soldiers during Vietnam War.
Type 56 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm  China Captured from Vietcong soldiers during Vietnam War.
Type 56-1 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm  China Captured from Vietcong soldiers during Vietnam War.
Type 11,Heckler & Koch HK33 Assault rifle 5.56mm  Thailand/ Germany Thai license produced version of the Heckler & Koch HK33. Standard infantry rifle. Used by Royal Thai Armed Forces and Army Reserve Force Students.
IMI Tavor TAR-21[8][9] Assault rifle 5.56mm  Israel Standard infantry rifle. Under license.
IMI Galil Assault rifle 5.56mm  Israel Used in small numbers.
Steyr AUG Assault rifle 5.56mm  Austria Used by Special forces.
M16A1/A2/A4 Assault rifle 5.56mm  United States Standard infantry rifle. Aging M16A1 will be replaced by IMI Tavor TAR-21 and M16A4.
CAR-15 Assault rifle 5.56mm  United States
M4A1 Carbine Assault rifle 5.56mm  United States Used by Special forces, Some were equipped with SOPMOD kit.
SAR 21 Assault rifle 5.56mm  Singapore Used by Special forces.
M1 Garand Semi-automatic rifle .30-06  United States Locally known as the Type 88 self-loading rifle (ปลยบ.88). Used by Royal Guards and by Army Reserve Force Students as a non-firing training rifle.
M1/M2 Carbine Semi-automatic rifle .30  United States Locally known as the Type 87 carbine (ปสบ. 87) Used by Army Reserve Force Students as a non-firing training rifle.
SIG-Sauer SSG 3000 Sniper rifle 7.62mm  Switzerland
SR-25 Sniper rifle 7.62mm  United States
FN MINIMI Light machine gun 5.56mm  Belgium
Heckler & Koch HK21 Light machine gun 5.56mm  Germany
IMI Negev[8] Light machine gun 5.56mm  Israel Over 1,100 purchased. Delivery is ongoing.
FN MAG-58 General purpose machine gun 7.62mm  Belgium Standard GPMG for Thai Armed Forces 4,000 delivered between 2008-2010.
M60 General purpose machine gun 7.62mm  United States Replacing by the FN MAG-58.
M2 Browning machine gun Heavy machine gun 12.7mm  United States
DShK Heavy machine gun 12.7x108mm  Soviet Union Mounted on Type 69 and Small number of V-150

[edit] Rocket, grenade, and missile systems

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
M203 Underbarrel Grenade launcher  United States
M79 Single-shot Grenade launcher  United States
RPG-2 Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union Used in small numbers mainly by the Thahan Phran, Mostly captured from the Communist Force in Vietnam war and other from Laos and Cambodia.
Type 69 RPG Rocket-propelled grenade  China Used in small numbers mainly by the Thahan Phran, Mostly captured from the Communist Force from Laos and Cambodia.
Carl Gustav Shoulder-fired missile  Sweden
M72 LAW Shoulder-fired missile  United States
M47 Dragon Anti-Tank Guided Missile 400  United States
HN-5A[10] Man-portable air defense system  China
9K38 Igla Man-portable air defense system 220  Soviet Union Part of order placed in 2010.[10]

[edit] Vehicles

[edit] Utility vehicles and Prime Movers

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
Humvee[10] Utility vehicle +1200  United States
M151 Utility vehicle +550  United States
M813 Prime Mover N/A  United States
M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck Prime Mover +1050  United States
Ashok Leyland Prime Mover +125  India RTA use Ashok Leyland Stallion 6X6
Isuzu Prime Mover +1000  Japan/ Thailand RTA use Isuzu FTS 800 4x4
UNIMOG Prime Mover +1200  Germany RTA use U1100/L 4x4
LMTV Prime Mover +650  United States Thai Army have 4 series of LMTV are M1083,M1085,M1088 and M1089.
M911 HETS N/A  United States

[edit] Armoured fighting vehicles

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
M60A3 Main Battle Tank 178  United States Ex-US Army .
M48A5 Patton Main Battle Tank 150  United States
T-84 Oplot-M Main Battle Tank 0(49)  Ukraine Up to 200 may be acquired. First order of 49 tanks was placed in September 2011 although there are no official announcements from the Royal Thai Army. So far, the government has just approved 7.155 billion Baht to purchase the first 49 T-84 Oplot main battle tanks to be assigned to the 2nd Cavalry battalion (Royal Guard at Fort Chakkraphongse, Prachinburi), the 4th Cavalry Battalion (Royal Guard at Kiakkai, Bangkok), the 8th Cavalry battalion (Fort Suranari, Nakhon Ratchasima), and the 9th Cavalry Battalion (Fort Ekathotsarot, Phitsanuloke).
FV101 Scorpion CVR(T) Light tank 154  United Kingdom
Stingray Light tank 106  United States
Condor Armoured personnel carrier 40+  Germany
BTR-3E1 Armoured personnel carrier 12(96+121)  Ukraine 96 ordered in 2008. Deliveries was delayed due to changes in engine and transmission. Additional 6 gifted by the Ukrainian Government. Second order of 121 announced in August 2011.[11]
Type 85 Armoured personnel carrier 396  China
Reva Armoured personnel carrier 80+  South Africa Mine-protected vehicle.
First Win Armoured personnel carrier 21  Thailand Mine-protected vehicle.
Saracen Armoured personnel carrier 20  United Kingdom
M113A1/A3/A4 Armoured personnel carrier 450  United States
M901A3 Tank destroyer 18  United States
V-150 Commando Armoured car 113  United States

[edit] Artillery

[edit] Field artillery

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
L119 105 mm towed howitzer 34  United Kingdom
LG1 Mk II 105 mm towed howitzer 24  France
M101 105 mm towed howitzer 285  United States
M102 105 mm towed howitzer 12  United States
M618A2 105 mm towed howitzer 32  Thailand
Type 59-1 130 mm towed howitzer 54  China
GHN-45 155mm towed howitzer 42  Austria
Soltam M-71 155mm towed howitzer 32  Israel
M198 155 mm towed howitzer 300  United States Buy 130 unit in September 2011
M114 155 mm towed howitzer 56  United States
CAESAR 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 6  France
M109A5 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 20  United States
Type 82 130 mm Multiple rocket launcher 60  China Mounted on Type 85 hulls.
WS-1 302 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher 9  China Adapted by Thailand's Defense Technology Institute, Royal Thai Army as DTI-1.The rocket was mounted on Volvo FM-400 6x6

[edit] Anti-aircraft artillery

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
M163 VADS 20 mm Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun 24  United States
M167 VADS 20 mm towed anti-aircraft gun 24  United States
Type 74 twin-barrel 37 mm towed anti-aircraft gun 122  China
Bofors L60/70 40mm towed anti-aircraft gun 48  Sweden
M3 Half-track 4 M2HB machine guns N/A  United States M16 MGMC Series
Type 59 57 mm towed anti-aircraft gun 24  China

[edit] Future procurements

[edit] Infantry weapons

[edit] Vehicles

[edit] Army Aviation

  • UH-60 Black Hawk - On 6 August 2009, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale to the Government of Thailand of three Black Hawk helicopters and associated equipment and logistic support for an estimated cost of $150 million.[12]
  • VIP/Medivac aircraft - The Royal Thai Army signed a contract with Embraer to purchase a ERJ-135 for VIP transport use.[13] On 12 January 2009, Royal Thai Army signed a second contract to buy another aircraft with VIP and Medivac capability.[14]

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Army of Thailand

[edit] References

  1. ^ Anthony H. Cordesman; Robert Hammond (16 May 2011), THE MILITARY BALANCE IN ASIA: 1990-2011, Center for Strategic and International Studies, p. 70, http://csis.org/files/publication/110516_South_Asia-AsiaMilitaryBalance2011.pdf, retrieved 27 June 2011 
  2. ^ 111 Years
  3. ^ "110 Years of Army Medical Department, RTA. Commemorative Stamps". Catalog. SiamStamp. 2009-11-25. http://www.siamstamp.com/catalogue/index.php?id=888. Retrieved February 18, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php
  5. ^ http://www.thai-aviation.net/files/Army.pdf
  6. ^ http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2009/Thailand_09-49.pdf
  7. ^ http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2011/Thailand_11-28.pdf
  8. ^ a b Patrick Winn (12 September 2009). "Thailand Plans $191.3M Arms Purchase". http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3722292&c=ASI&s=LAN. 
  9. ^ "Cabinet nod for buying Israeli rfiles". Bangkok Post. 15 September 2009. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/154451/cabinet-nod-for-buying-israeli-rifles. 
  10. ^ a b c "SIPRI Trade Register". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php. 
  11. ^ http://www.armyrecognition.com/august_2011_news_defense_army_military_industry_uk/thailand_will_buy_121_additional_btr-3e1_armoured_vehicles_personnel_carrier_from_ukraine_0708111.html
  12. ^ DSCA UH-60L Black Hawk Helicopter
  13. ^ Embraer Press Release Embraer sign contracts with the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy
  14. ^ Flight International Thailand buys third ERJ-135

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Thai_Army&oldid=481363969"
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages