태국공군 보유기종과 향후 전망

Aircraft inventory

Combat aircraft
Aircraft Origin Type Variant Quantity Details
Saab JAS 39 Gripen Sweden air superiority fighter/strike fighter/maritime attacker JAS 39C/D 12 First 6 Gripens will be delivered in 2011. Another 6 Gripens will be delivered in 2013-2017.
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon United States air superiority/strike fighter/ground attacker F-16A Block 15OCU 29 Undergo structural upgrade to extended flight hours in Falcon UP programme by Thai Aviation Industry.Plus an additional F-16 Block 10OCU for spare parts reclamation.
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon United States air superiority/strike fighter F-16A Block 15ADF 15 Able to launch AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon United States air superiority/strike fighter/trainer F-16B Block 15OCU/15ADF 15 dual-seat trainers. Includes 1 dual-seat ADF version.
Northrop F-5T Tigris United States fighter-bomber F-5T Tigris 15 Upgraded by Israel, armed with Python 4 missile.
F-5F Tiger II United States fighter-bomber/trainer F-5F ~5 Dual-seat training version of Northrop F-5.To be replaced by JAS 39D Gripen.
F-5E Tiger II United States fighter-bomber F-5E ~10 To be replaced by new JAS 39C Gripen in 2011.
Aero L-39 Albatros Czechoslovakia light attack aircraft / trainer L-39ZA/ART 36 Westernized version of the Aero L-39 Albatros, equipped with Israeli avionics and AIM-9P.
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet Germany France light attack aircraft/trainer Dornier Alpha Jet A 19 Ex-Luftwaffe
Pilatus AU-23A Peacemaker Switzerland United States light attack aircraft/utility aircraft AU-23A ~20 Armed version of the Pilatus PC-6.

Transport aircraft
Aircraft Origin Type Variant Quantity Details
Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States tactical transport C-130H/H-30 12 6 H and 6 H-30. Undergo avionic and structural upgrade by Thai Aviation Industry.
Basler BT-67 United States tactical transport BT-67 8 Re-manufactured Douglas DC-3 Dakota's. used for aerial firefighting and cloud seeding. one　 written in a crash in August 2006.
GAF Nomad Australia surveillance and patrol aircraft Nomad 19 More than 10 completed service-life extension by Thai Aviation Industry.
Alenia G.222 Italy tactical transport G.222 3 3 additional airframes stored at Don Mueang RTAFB, used by 603 Sqn. Alenia has demonstrated it's latest version of the G.222, the Alenia C-27J recently to the Thai military.
Avro 748 United Kingdom short range transport 748 4 one　 airframe stricken from fleet after a wheels up landing in 2005, used by 603 Sqn. To be replaced by ATR-72.
Boeing 737 United States narrowbody airliner B737-4Z6 (B737-400) 1 Reserve aircraft for royal flight.
Boeing 737 United States narrowbody airliner B737-8Z6 (B737-800) 1 Main aircraft for royal flight.
Airbus A310 France long range transport A310-300 1 Reserve aircraft for royal flight. Mainly uses by military officer.
Airbus A320 France narrowbody transport A-319-115X CJ 1 Reserve aircraft for royal flight. Mainly uses by Government officer.
ATR-72 France Italy transport ATR-72-500 4 on order. delivery in 2009 - 2010. (Replacing Avro 748)

Reconnaissance
Aircraft Origin Type Variant Quantity Details
Learjet 35 United States patrol aircraft 35A 2 1 crash during training.
Israel Aircraft Industries Arava Israel patrol aircraft Arava 3 1 airframe stored.
Saab 340 Sweden AEW&C 340 2 First 2 Saab 340 will be delivered in 2010. Another two will be delivered in 2013. two Equips with Erieye radar. another is uses for training.

Trainer aircraft
Aircraft Origin Type Variant Quantity Details
Pacific Aerospace CT/4 New Zealand trainer CT-4A/E 20 24 were purchased, at least 3 crashed.
Pilatus PC-9 Switzerland trainer PC-9M 23 Cockpit and avionic were upgraded by Thai Aviation Industry.
Diamond DA42 Austria trainer DA42 6 on order. Delivery in mid 2009.
Cessa T-41D United States trainer DA42 6 For civil training. Due to be replaced.

Helicopters
Aircraft Origin Type Variant Quantity Details
Bell UH-1 Iroquois United States utility helicopter/CSAR UH-1H 20 Soon to be replaced.
Sikorsky S-92 Superhawk United States utility helicopter S-92 3 on order. delivery in 2010. For royal flight.
Bell 412 United States
Canada utility helicopter 412EP/SP 8 For royal flight and VIP transport.

Historic Aircraft
Historic and remarkable aircraft of Royal Thai Air Force.

Nieuport - First aircraft of RTAF.
Hawk III - First RTAF fighter which engaged in dogfight with French Air Force's Potez 25.
O2U Corsair - First RTAF fighter which engaged in dogfight with French Air Force's Potez 25.
Ki-27 - During World War II 5 Ki-27s fought in a dogfight with 8 P-51 Mustangs and 9 P-38 Lightnings over Lampang Province in Thailand. The RTAF lost all Ki-27s and claimed they shot down 1 P-51 and badly damaged 1 P-38.
Ki-43 - shot down 1 B-29 from USAF during World War II.
C-45B/F - First transport aircraft. In service between 1947 - 1971.
Supermarine Spitfire - In service shortly after WWII.
F8F Bearcat - The most numerous aircraft in RTAF with 204 Bearcats in service between 1951 - 1963.Only one　 Bearcat is airworthy and able to fly today.
Sikorsky H-5 - First Helicopter. In service between 1951 - 1953.
T-33 Shooting Star - First jet-engine aircraft. In service between 1955 - 1995.
F-84 Thunderjet - First jet-engine fighter. In service between 1956 - 1963.
F-86 Sabre and F-86L Sabre - First swept-wing fighter jets in RTAF.Later replaced by F-5E/Fs.
F-5A/B - First supersonic fighter. In service between 1966 - 2008. Include F-5B 'The Oldest Tiger', the first F-5B of the world.
RFB Fantrainer - joint developed aircraft between RTAF and Rhein-Flugzeugbau GmbH in Germany.
OV-10 Bronco - The most outstanding aircraft in war on communist during cold war. 32 examples in service between. 1971 - 2004.Donated to Philippines Air Force in 2004.

New fighter procurement program
JAS 39 Gripen. The 20th Fighter Aircraft of Royal Thai Air Force.As it is known in Thailand as RTAF 20th fighter program, RTAF studied three models of the new fighter to replace its aging Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters. Requirements were for twelve aircraft with an expected delivery date in 2011. Fighters being examined for the purchase were the American Lockheed Martin F-16C/D block 50/52, the Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKIT, and the Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
On 16 October 2007, leaked information indicated that a decision had been reached to acquire twelve Gripens. A source said to Reuters that the F16 had been preferred, but American legislation prevents sales to countries whose governments are overthrown. However, this is incorrect as there is no U.S. arms embargo on Thailand, showed by the fact that Thailand has recently awarded a US company a large contract for modernizing its fleet of military transport aircraft.
On a press conference on 17 October, the decision to buy six JAS 39 Gripen (version C/D), with an option for six more,was presented by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk. Twelve JAS 39 Gripen, two Saab 340 Erieye AEW&C, and one　 Saab 340, training, technology transfer, and a number of RBS-15 anti-ship missiles will be delivered to RTAF in two phases:
first phase: consists of six JAS 39 Gripen and one　 Saab 340 Erieye from 2008 to 2012.
second phase: consists of six JAS 39 Gripen, one　 Saab 340 Erieye, and one　 Saab 340 from 2013 to 2017.
On 8 Jan 2008, cabinet approved the budget for the first phase. The deal, worth 19 billion Baht, consists of six JAS 39 Gripen: two single-seat C models and four dual-seat D model along with support, training, and spare parts. The offset includes one　 Saab 340 Erieye, one　 Saab 340, Datalink system, and 92 Master-degrees scholarships for Thai students to study in Sweden. The first three aircraft will be delivered in January 2011 and another three in March 2011. Saab 340 and Saab 340 Erieye will be delivered in 2010.
On 11 February 2008, the Gripen agreement was signed at FMV in Sweden, mark the start of the first batch.

New helicopter for Royal Flight
The Royal Thai Air Force has become the latest head-of-state customer to fly a Sikorsky S-92 VIP helicopter, as Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. on 17 October 2007, RTAF announced purchasing three of the VIP aircraft to transport the Thai Royal Family.

Indigenously developed trainer
On 5 Nov 2007, the new trainer prototype developed by Royal Thai Air Force was officially commissioned in the ceremony led by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk. The 30-million-Baht project was started two years ago, B.ThO.2 is the licensed reengineering of Aermacchi SF.260MT that onc　e service in Thai Air Force. This prototype will be used for testing and researching for the next model RTAF-6 that aims to be a primary trainer for Thai Air Force Flying School, Kamphang Saen and 604 sqn. for civilian training.

C-130 upgrade
Rockwell Collins has received a second-phase contract from Thai Aviation Industries to provide a communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management upgrade for six Royal Thai Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 transports. The companies are upgrading a further six C-130s for Thailand under an earlier award.

New trainer and transport aircraft
Royal Thai Air Force signed contact to buy 6 DA42 Twin Star to meet its requirement of twin-engine training on the other hand, Royal Thai Air Force also buy 4 ATR-72-500 to replace its aging Avro 748 transport. Both types are expects to commission on 2009.