List of aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force

The following is a list of aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force, past, present, and future.

Current

Aircraft	Origin	Role	Type	In Service	Total	Notes
Combat Aircraft
Dornier Alpha Jet	Germany	Light attack	Alpha Jet A	19	19[1]	14 being upgraded
Northrop F-5	United States	Multirole fighter	F-5E F-5F	30 4	34[1]	14 F-5E/F Super Tigris which had avionics and weapons upgrades, becoming functionally equivalent to fourth generation fighter
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	Multirole fighter	F-16A F-16B	38 15	53[1]	13A and 1B ADF; 13A and 8B OCU; 12AM and 6 BM MLU, becoming functionally equivalent to Block 52+.In early 2005, the RTAF received 3 F-16A-15OCU and 4 F-16B-15OCU from the RSAF
Saab JAS 39 Gripen	Sweden	Multirole fighter	JAS-39C JAS-39D	7 4	11[1]	18 planned. One JAS 39 Gripen C (701108) crashed during an air show on 14 January 2017
AEW&C
Saab 340 AEW&C	Sweden	AEW&C	S100B Argus	2	2[1]	Aircraft mounted with an Erieye radar.
Reconnaissance
Piaggio P.180 Avanti	Italy	Reconnaissance	Avanti II EVO	1	1[1]
Diamond DA42	Austria	Reconnaissance	DA42MPP	2	2[1]	mounted with EO/IR
Pilatus PC-6 Porter	Switzerland	Reconnaissance	AU-23A	14	14 [2]	mounted with EO/IR
Transport
Boeing 737	United States	VIP	737-8Z6 BBJ	2	2
Airbus A319	Germany	VIP/Transport	A319-115CJ	1	1[3]
Airbus A320	France	VIP/Transport	A320-200ACJ	1	1
Airbus A340	France	VIP/Transport	A340-541	1	1
ATR 72	France	VIP/Transport	ATR-72-500	3	3
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	Tactical airlift	C-130H C-130H-30	7 5	12[1]	10 Being upgraded
Super King Air	United States	Transport	B200	1	1
Basler BT-67	United States	Transport	PT6A-67R	8	8[1]	A modified Douglas DC-3 with P&W PT6A Turboprop engines. Used for firefighting/seeding. One lost in 2006.
Sukhoi Superjet 100	Russia	VIP/Transport	LR100	3	3[4][5][6]
Saab 340	Sweden	Transport	340B	4	4[1]
Helicopter
Sikorsky S-92 Superhawk	United States	VIP/Med Evac	S-92A	5	5[1]
Bell 412	United States	VIP/Utility	412 412SP 412EP	8	8[1]
Bell UH-1H Iroquois	United States	SAR/Utility	UH-1H mod	16	16[1]
Eurocopter EC725	France	CSAR/Utility	EC725 H225M	8	8[1]	Four more on order.[1]
Eurocopter EC135	France	Utility	H135	(6)	(6)	Six on order.
Trainer aircraft
KAI T-50 Golden Eagle	South Korea	Light attack/Lead-in fighter trainer	T-50TH	4	4[1]	8 on order.[1] 12 T-50THs ordered in total. First 4 aircraft delivered in April 2018.[7]
Aero L-39 Albatros	Czech Republic	Trainer aircraft	L-39ZA/ART	33	33[1]
Diamond DA42	Austria	Trainer aircraft	DA42	10	10[1]
Cessna T-41	United States	Trainer aircraft	T-41D	36	36[1]
PAC CT/4	New Zealand	Trainer aircraft	CT-4A/E	50	50[1]
Pilatus PC-9	Switzerland	Trainer aircraft	PC-9	22	22[1]
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II	United States	Trainer aircraft	T-6TH	(12)	(12)[8]	Delivery scheduled for 2022-2023.[9]
RTAF-6	Thailand	Trainer aircraft	RTAF6	3	3[10]	25 planned
UAV
Aeronautics Defense Dominator	Israel	Reconnaissance	Dominator-2	(3)	(3)	Three on order.
RTAF U-1	Thailand	Reconnaissance	RTAF U-1	17	17	mounted with EO/IR
Aerostar Tactical UAS	Israel	Reconnaissance	Aerostar BP	4	4	mounted with EO/IR

Armament

Illustration of an AGM -65 Maverick

Name	Origin	Type	Notes
Air-to-air missile
Python 4/3	Israel	beyond-visual-range missile	120 obtained[11]
AIM-120C AMRAAM	United States	beyond-visual-range missile	initial 50 missiles[11]
AIM-9E/J/P Sidewinder	United States	short range infrared homing missile	600 missiles obtained[11]
IRIS-T	Germany	short range infrared homing missile	40 units – employs a thrust vector control motor[11]
Meteor	Germany	short range infrared homing missile	Future operators
Air-to-surface missile
RBS-15F	Sweden	anti-ship missile	25 missiles obtained[11]
AGM-65D/G Maverick	United States	infrared imaging AGM	200 missiles obtained[11]
GBU-10 Paveway II	United States	Laser-guided bomb
GBU-12 Paveway II	United States	Laser-guided bomb
GBU-16 Paveway II	United States	Laser-guided bomb
GBU-24 Paveway III	United States	Laser-guided bomb
Mark 81 bomb	United States	Low-drag general-purpose bomb
Mark 82 bomb	United States	Low-drag general-purpose bomb
Mark 83 bomb	United States	Low-drag general-purpose bomb
Mark 84 bomb	United States	Low-drag general-purpose bomb
GBU-54 Laser JDAM	United States	Unguided bomb
GBU-31 or GBU-38	United States	Unguided bomb

Gallery

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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.[12]
• Lead-in fighter training procurement – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) expects to launch a US$400 million programme to acquire Lead-in fighter training (LIFT) aircraft to replace Northrop F-5 trainers and eventually its fleet of Aero L-39 Albatros trainer/light attack aircraft procured in the early 1990s. The procurement programme has become pressing since the RTAF started operating a fleet of 12 Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen fighters, which were delivered from 2011–2013.[13][14]

Upgrade Programme

• upgrade of F-16 – Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to upgrade 18 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft with the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) and associated parts, equipment, and logistical support for a complete package worth approximately $700 million.[15]

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).[16][17][18]

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
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	[19]
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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  RTAF Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat
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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

• Royal Thai Air Force Museum
• Military of Thailand
• Royal Thai Army
• Royal Thai Navy

References

Notes

1. "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
2. "PILATUS PORTER CURRENT STATUS". PC-6.com by Markus Herzig. 2019. Archived from the original on June 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
3. "A319 for VIPs". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
4. "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.
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
7. "Thailand's Air Force Commissions First Four T-50TH Supersonic Advanced Trainers". Defense World. 4 April 2018.
8. "Textron Aviation place son T-6C Texan II en Thaïlande". 29 September 2020.
9. Releases, DP Press. "Royal Thai Air Force Awards Textron Contract For 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II Aircraft". DefPost.
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNRI4lx3yzk
11. Trade Registers. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2015-05-18.
12. 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.
13. John Grevatt (22 January 2014). "Thailand to launch lead-in fighter programme after new government forms". IHS Jane’s 360. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
15. "Thailand – F-16 Mid-Life Upgrade". Defense Security Cooperation Agency. 30 September 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
16. "Historic Painting". Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Archived from the original on 21 March 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
17. Small Air Force Observer magazine, author unknown, No. 47 July 1988 & No. 50 April 1989
18. "Royal Thai Air Force" (PDF). Thai Aviation. 2 September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
19. 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.

External links

• RTAF Official website (English version)
• Royal Thai Air Force Museum Many Historical Aircraft (English)
• Illustrated reports about the RTAF
• Globalsecurity.org