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

Designation	Aircraft	Origin	Role	Total in use	Notes
B.F19	Pilatus PC-9M	Switzerland	trainer	22	local avionics upgrades
B.KhF1	Aero L-39ZA/ART	Czech Rep.	strike/trainer	36[1]	Lead-in fighter training programme to replace some.[2][3]
B.F20/B.TF20	Diamond DA42	Austria	trainer	6	[4]
B.Kh20	Saab JAS 39 Gripen	Sweden	multirole fighter	12[1]	deliveries from 2011.[5] 8 Gripen C and 4 D.[1] 18 planned.[6]
B.Kh19	General Dynamics F-16A/B	US	multirole fighter	53[1]	26 F-16A, 14 F-16B, 12 F-16A ADF and 1 F-16B ADF.[1] 12 F-16A and 6 B to upgrade to Block 52+[7][7][8]
B.Kh18	Northrop F-5T/E	US	fighter-bomber	27[1]	16 F-5T and 11 F-5E. F-5T had avionics/weapons upgrades.
B.J7	Dornier Alpha Jet A	Germany	strike	19[1]	Ex-Luftwaffe. 5 spares. 1 lost. RTAF fitted AIM-9P/M.
B.K1	Saab 340 S-100B Argus	Sweden	AEW	2[1]	1^st received 2011, 2^nd 2012.[9]
B.TL12	Learjet 35A	US	reconnaissance	1
B.F20/B.TF20	Fairchild AU-23A Peacemaker	US	reconnaissance	16
B.F20/B.TF20	Diamond DA42MPP	Austria	Reconnaissance	5[1]
n/a	ADS Aerostar	Israel	UAV	6	n/a
B.L8	Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules	US	transport	12[1]	In MLU by Rockwell Collins and TAI [10]
B.L2k	Basler BT-67	US	transport	8[1]	firefighting/seeding. 1 lost 2006.
B.L17	Saab 340	Sweden	transport	2[1]	3 grounded G.222 traded for 2^nd 2012.[11]
B.L11/11k/11Kh	Boeing 737-8Z6	US	VIP transport	1
B.L11/11k/11Kh	Boeing 737-4Z6	US	VIP transport	1
B.L13	Airbus A310-324	France/Germany	VIP transport	1	For military officers.
B.L15	Airbus A319-115X CJ	France/Germany	VIP transport	1	For government officers. A320 ordered in 2013.
B.H11	Eurocopter EC725	France/Germany	transport/CSAR	4	16 Planned, 2 on order.[12]
B.H6	Bell UH-1H Iroquois/Huey	US	transport/CSAR	18[1]	To be replaced by EC725.
B.H6Kh/6Kh2/6Ng	Bell 412EP/SP	Canada	VIP transport	8[1]	2 412, 6 412EP.

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. ^[13]

• Lead-in fighter training procurement - Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) expects to launch a USD400 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.^[14][15]

• New Aircraft
  • Sukhoi Superjet-100
  • KAI T-50 Golden Eagle

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.^[16]

Indigenous Programme

• RTAF-6 - Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) plans to product 25 planes.
• RTAF-2
• GFC Tigershark II
• GFC UAV G-Star

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).^[17][18][19]

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 100	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	[20]
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.
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 Chantra	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

See also

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

References

Notes

1. http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/media/reports_pdf/world-air-forces-2014-108161.aspx
2. http://www.janes.com/article/32846/thailand-to-launch-lead-in-fighter-programme-after-new-government-forms
3. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140213/DEFREG03/302130023
4. Diamond Aircraft Industries RTAF chooses 6 DA42 for it's training program
5. "Delivery of Gripen fighter aircraft to Thailand". www.fmv.se. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
6. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/singapore-saab-looks-for-additional-thai-gripen-sale-395860/
7. http://www.defencetalk.com/thailand-requests-f-16-mid-life-upgrade-29131/
8. "RTAF F-16 MLU Roll Out Ceremony". January 31, 2014.
9. "Thailand Declares Gripen Integrated Air Defense System is Fully Operational". September 13, 2013.
10. Flight International Contracts
11. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/293148/air-force-swaps-3-planes-for-1
12. The Royal Thai Air Force receives four EC725s.
13. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/singapore-saab-looks-for-additional-thai-gripen-sale-395860/
14. http://www.janes.com/article/32846/thailand-to-launch-lead-in-fighter-programme-after-new-government-forms
15. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140213/DEFREG03/302130023
16. http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/thailand-%E2%80%93-f-16-mid-life-upgrade
17. Royal Thai Air Force Museum Historic Painting
18. Small Air Force Observer magazine, author unknown, #47 July 1988 & #50 April 1989
19. http://www.thai-aviation.net/files/Air_Force_Summary.pdf
20. 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