List of aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force
Appearance
The following is a list of aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force, past, present, and future.
Current
Armament
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/AGM-65_Maverick_MG_1382.jpg/220px-AGM-65_Maverick_MG_1382.jpg)
Gallery
Future aircraft
Purchase Programme
- Additional Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen fighters procurement – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to purchase 6 additional Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen fighters.[25]
- Additional KAI T-50TH Golden Eagle Lead-in fighter training procurement – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to purchase 2 additional KAI T-50TH Golden Eagle which will increase the fleet size of this type from 12 to 14.[26]
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II procurement - Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has a plans to purchase the new fighter aircraft for replacing the Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II, General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon Block 15 ADF and Block 15 OCU fleet that expected to retire within 2031.[27] The RTAF plans to purchase 8 or 12 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II in 103 Squadron Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, expected to announced an official order in FY2023. By 12 January 2022 Thailand’s cabinet endorsed the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plan to purchase a four fighter jets of first batch, at an estimated cost of 13.8 billion bath, the spending will be spread over the next four fiscal years.[28]
Upgrade Programme
- Northrop F-5TH Super Tigris upgrade – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has signed the contract with Elbit Systems, currently upgrading Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II which had avionics and weapons upgrades, becoming functionally equivalent to fourth generation fighter, it is equipped with new glass cockpit with Head-up display, EL/M-2032, tactical datalink, Sky Shield jamming pod and are capable of firing the beyond visual range air-to-air Derby missile. At first, RTAF has plan to upgrade 14 aircraft[29] However, One upgraded F-5THF two-seat version crashed during training on 3 December 2021, resulting in final number reduced to 13.[30][31]
- Dornier Alpha Jet TH upgrade – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has signed the contract with RV Connex, currently upgrading Dornier Alpha Jet A to equipped a new glass cockpit with Head-up display, new HOTAS controller and avionics upgrade from CMC Electronics with 14 aircraft planned.
- Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen MS20 upgrade – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has plans to upgrade the entire fleet of Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen with MS20 standards[32]
Indigenous Programme
- RTAF-6 – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to produce 25 planes.
Historic aircraft
Aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force and its precursors, the Siamese Flying Corps (1914–1919), Royal Siamese Air Service (RSAS) (1919–1937) and Royal Siamese Air Force (RSAF) (1937–1939).[33][34][35]
Aircraft type | Origin | Designation | Role | Service period | # used | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aeritalia G.222 | Italy | B.L14 | transport | 1995–2012 | 6 | 3 traded for Saab 340B |
Aermacchi SF.260 | Italy | B.F15 | trainer | 1973–1999 | 18 | locally built |
Aero Commander 690 | US | B.PhTh4 | reconnaissance | 1982–1988 | 1 | |
Aero L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | B.KhF1 | trainer | 1994–2021 | 37 | |
Avro 504N | UK | B.F4 | trainer | 1930–1948 | 70+ | 50+ built locally |
Beechcraft Bonanza | US | B.S5 | transport | 1951–1962 | 3 | Ex-Royal Thai Navy |
Beechcraft C-45B/F | US | B.L1 | transport | 1947–1971 | 7 | First transport |
Beechcraft King Air | US | B.PhTh3 | reconnaissance | 1982–1989 | 1 | |
Beechcraft Queen Air | US | B.PhTh2 | reconnaissance | 1971–1989 | 3 | |
Bell 47/OH-13H | US | B.H7 | helicopter | 1972–1973 | 9 | |
Bell 212/UH-1N | US | B.H6 | helicopter | 1976–1999 | 2 | |
Bell 206B Jet Ranger | US | B.H8/B.HPhT1 | helicopter | 1982–2006 | 7 | 1 ex-Thai Army |
Boeing 100E | US | B.Kh7 | fighter | 1931–1949 | 2 | comparison testing |
Breguet III | France | n/a | trainer | 1913–? | 5 | |
Breguet 14 | France | B.Th1 | bomber | 1919–1937 | 40+ | built locally |
Bristol Bulldog | UK | B.Kh6 | fighter | 1930–1940 | 2 | comparison testing |
Boripatra | Siam | B.Th2 | bomber | 1927–1940 | 4+ | local design |
Cessna 150 | US | B.Ph1 | trainer | 1971–2004 | 6 | |
Cessna 170B | US | B.S7 | transport | 1954–1959 | 9 | |
Cessna 411 | US | B.PhTh1 | reconnaissance | 1982–1989 | 2 | |
Cessna A-37 | US | B.J6 | attack | 1972–1994 | 20 | |
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog | US | B.T2 | reconnaissance | 1967–1990 | 54 | |
Cessna T-37B/C Tweet | US | B.F12 | trainer | 1961–1996 | 22 | |
Consolidated PT-1 | US | B.F3 | trainer | 1928–1939 | 4 | |
Curtiss Hawk II | US | B.Kh9 | fighter | 1934–1949 | 12 | |
Curtiss Hawk III | US | B.Kh10 | fighter | 1935–1949 | 74+ | |
Curtiss Hawk 75N | US | B.Kh11 | fighter | 1939–1949 | 12 | ordered 25, received 12 |
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver | US | B.J3 | attack | 1951–1955 | 6 | Ex-Royal Thai Navy |
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk | Canada | B.F9 | trainer | 1950–1989 | 66 | |
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth | UK | B.F10 | trainer | 1951–1961 | 34 | |
Douglas C-47 & EC-47D | US | B.L2 | transport | 1947–1997 | 55 | B.L2k still in service |
Douglas C-54/DC-4 | US | B.L3 | transport | 1959–1966 | 2 | |
Douglas DC-8-62AF | US | B.L10 | transport | 1979–1989 | 3 | |
Eurocopter AS332L-2 Super Puma | France | B.H9 | helicopter | 1996–2002 | 3 | |
Fairchild 24 | US | B.S1 | transport | 1938–1950 | 13 ca. | |
Fairchild C-123B/K | US | B.L4 | transport | 1964–1995 | 46 | |
Fairey Firefly FR.1 & T.2 | UK | B.J4 | attack | 1951–1955 | 12 | later target tug |
GAF N.22B Nomad | Australia | B.L9 | transport/reconnaissance | 1982–2015 | 22 | [36] |
Grob G 109 | Germany | B.R2 | trainer | 1989–1994 | 2 | motor glider |
Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat | US | B.Kh15 | fighter | 1951–1963 | 207 | |
Grumman Widgeon | US | B.S6 | transport | 1951–1956 | 5 | |
Heinkel HD 43 | Germany | B.Kh8 | fighter | 1930–1940 | 2 | comparison testing |
Helio Courier | US | B.Th1 | transport | 1963–1986 | 20 | |
Hiller 360/UH-12 | US | B.H2 | helicopter | 1950–1952 | 5 | |
Hoffman H-36 Dimona | Austria | B.R1 | trainer | 1983–1994 | 10 ca. | motor glider |
Kaman HH-43 Huskie | US | B.H5 | helicopter | 1962–1970 | 4 | |
Kawasaki KH-4 | Japan | B.HPhT2 | reconnaissance helicopter | 1982–1985 | 1 | ex-Thai Army |
Lockheed T-33A/RT-33A | US | B.F11 | trainer | 1955–1996 | 54 | |
Martin 139WSM & 166 | US | B.Th3 | bomber | 1937–1949 | 15 | 9 ex-Dutch 166s via Japan |
Miles Magister | UK | B.F7 | trainer | 1947–1952 | 20 | |
Mitsubishi Ki-21 | Japan | B.Th4 | bomber | 1940–1949 | 9 | |
Mitsubishi Ki-30 | Japan | B.J2 | attack | 1940–1951 | 25 | |
Nakajima Ki-27b | Japan | B.Kh12 | fighter | 1942–1945 | 12 | |
Nakajima Ki-43 | Japan | B.Kh13 | fighter | 1943–1949 | 24 | |
Nieuport II & IV | France | n/a | trainer | 1913–? | 4 | |
Nieuport 17 & 21 | France | B.Kh1 | fighter | 1918–1927 | 4+ | |
Nieuport 24bis | France | B.Kh2 | fighter | 1918–1932 | 12+ | |
Nieuport 80 | France | B.F1 | trainer | 1918–1935 | 12 ca. | |
Nieuport 83 | France | B.F2 | trainer | 1918–1935 | 12 ca. | |
Nieuport-Delage NiD 29 | France | B.Kh4 | fighter | 1923–1936 | 12+ | built locally |
North American F-86F/L Sabre | US | B.Kh17 | fighter | 1961–1972 | 74 | |
North American T-6 Texan | US | B.F8 | trainer | 1948–1974 | 220 | |
North American T-28D | US | B.F13 | trainer | 1962–1988 | 120 | |
Northrop F-5A/B/C & RF-5A | US | B.Kh18 | fighter | 1967–2000 | 29 | Variants in service. |
PAC CT/4 Airtrainer | New Zealand | B.F16 | trainer | 1999–2018 | 24 | |
Percival Prince | UK | B.T1 | reconnaissance | 1952–1962 | 1 | |
Piper L-4 Cub/Piper PA-11 | US | B.S3 | transport | 1947–1962 | 44 | |
Prajadhipok | Siam | B.Kh5 | fighter | 1929–? | 1 | local design |
Rearwin 9000 | US | B.S2 | transport | 1938–1947 | 2 | |
Republic F-84G Thunderjet | US | B.Kh16 | fighter | 1956–1963 | 34 | |
RFB Fantrainer 400 & 600 | Germany | B.F18 | trainer | 1988–1994 | 26 | |
Rockwell OV-10C Bronco | US | B.J5 | attack | 1971–2004 | 32 | to Philippine AF |
RTAF-4 | Thailand | B.F17 | trainer | 1974–1989 | 13 ca. | locally built |
Sikorsky H-5/S-51 | US | B.H1 | helicopter | 1950–1954 | 4 | |
Sikorsky S-55/H-19 | US | B.H3 | helicopter | 1954–1965 | 11 | |
Sikorsky S-58/S-58T/H-34 | US | B.H4 | helicopter | 1962–2003 | 65 | |
SPAD VII & SPAD XIII | France | B.Kh3 | fighter | 1919–1931 | 32+ | |
Stinson L-5 & L-5B | US | B.S4 | transport | 1947–1959 | 10 | |
Supermarine Spitfire FR.14/PR.19 | UK | B.Kh14 | fighter | 1951–1955 | 34 | |
Tachikawa Ki-36 | Japan | B.F6 | trainer | 1942–1950 | 24 | |
Vought V-93S Corsair | US | B.J1/B.F5 | attack/trainer | 1934–1950 | 84+ | Locally built/modified |
Gallery
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Royal Thai Air Force Boeing 100E
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RTAF Tachikawa Ki-36
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model of RTAF Nakajima Ki-43
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North American F-86L Sabre of the RTAF in flight
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Royal Thai Air Force
T-33A
See also
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "World Air Forces 2021". FlightGlobal. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "กองทัพอากาศไทย มีเครื่องบินรบกี่ลำ (ในปี 64-68)". ThaiArmedForce. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Royal Thai Air Force Becomes International Launch Customer For U.S. Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine - The Aviationist". 14 November 2021.
- ^ "กองทัพอากาศไทย มีเครื่องบินรบกี่ลำ (ในปี 64-68)". ThaiArmedForce. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Carter, Ann (6 December 2021). "A bird strike may have caused Royal Thai Air Force F-5 fighter jet's recent crashing". The Thaiger. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "F-5 ของกองทัพอากาศตกที่ชัยบาดาล นักบินดีดตัวสำเร็จ บาดเจ็บ". ThaiArmedForce. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "RTAF decommissions two F-16 and five L-39". www.janes.com.
- ^ "Royal Thai Air Force B737". airfleets.net. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ a b "A319 for VIPs". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ "A340 for VIPs". airfleets.net. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Sukhoi Civil Aircraft to Deliver the Third SBJ to the Royal Thai Air Force". superjetinternational. Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "Sukhoi Superjet Delivery Spotlights Russia-Thailand Military Cooperation". Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ "ทัพฟ้าไทยซื้อ SuperJet-100 ลำที่ 3 "บิสิเนสเจ็ต" บันเทิงสุดโอ่เอาใจผู้โดยสาร". 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ "Royal Thai Air Force retires five older Bell 412s". 21 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Thailand's Air Force Commissions First Four T-50TH Supersonic Advanced Trainers". Defense World. 4 April 2018.
- ^ "Textron Aviation place son T-6C Texan II en Thaïlande". 29 September 2020.
- ^ Releases, DP Press. "Royal Thai Air Force Awards Textron Contract For 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II Aircraft". DefPost.
- ^ "กองทัพอากาศไทย สร้างเครื่องบินใช้เองมีใครรู้บ้างไหม บ.ทอ.6 (RTAF6) ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Caramelli, F; Battie, F; Scaccia, A (1 August 2019). "The first Vega ride-share mission flight" (PDF). Utah State University. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ a b Nanuam, Wassana (16 June 2020). "Napa-1 satellite finally readies for Friday launch". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "ISIS selected by the Royal Thai Air Force to realize a complete 6U mission for Earth Observation". 7 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ Henry, Caleb (3 September 2020). "Arianespace launches Vega on return-to-flight mission with 53 smallsats". SpaceNews. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Trade Registers Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2015-05-18.
- ^ Greg Waldron (12 February 2014). "SINGAPORE: Saab looks for additional Thai Gripen sale". Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Thailand confirms plan to buy additional T-50TH aircraft". Janes. 10 September 2022.
- ^ ""โฆษก ทอ." แจงความจำเป็น ต้องได้งบฯ66 ซื้อ F-35A เพื่อเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพการรบ". Bangkok Biz News. 10 September 2022.
- ^ Mintra Adair (18 January 2022). "Cabinet approves Air Force's planned purchase of 4 fighter jets". Thai PBS World.
- ^ "กองทัพอากาศไทย มีเครื่องบินรบกี่ลำ (ในปี 64-68)". ThaiArmedForce. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Carter, Ann (6 December 2021). "A bird strike may have caused Royal Thai Air Force F-5 fighter jet's recent crashing". The Thaiger. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "F-5 ของกองทัพอากาศตกที่ชัยบาดาล นักบินดีดตัวสำเร็จ บาดเจ็บ". ThaiArmedForce. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Thailand commences MS20 upgrades for Gripens". Janes. 10 September 2022.
- ^ "Historic Painting". Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Archived from the original on 21 March 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ Small Air Force Observer magazine, author unknown, No. 47 July 1988 & No. 50 April 1989
- ^ "Royal Thai Air Force" (PDF). Thai Aviation. 2 September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. March 2016. p. 27.
- Comments
- Bibliography
- Wieliczko, Leszek A. and Zygmunt Szeremeta. Nakajima Ki 27 Nate (bilingual Polish/English). Lublin, Poland: Kagero, 2004. ISBN 83-89088-51-7.