Thai Cabinet Approves B8.8bn Purchase of Eight More S.Korean Fighters

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Bt8.8-billion purchase of eight T-50TH Golden Eagle fighter training aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) of South Korea, which the military said would not be too much of a burden on the national budget.

The purchase of the aircraft brings the total value of military hardware bought under the ruling junta since the coup of 2014 to a total of Bt 72.7 billion.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said the new pilot trainers will replace the retiring, out-of-date fleet of L-39ZA/ART jets from Czechoslovakia, which have been in use for more than two decades and have high maintenance costs.

The new aircraft are being bought to keep up with the modern technology of the Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen aircraft that the Air Force currently uses, Prayut said.

“It will only bring more damage if we provide insufficient training [to pilots],” Prayut said. “Also, I assure you that we are not bound by any party when it comes to hardware purchase.”

The Thai Air Force also uses an upgraded version of the F-16 A/B fighting jets from the United States.

Air Force sources said that the South Korean aircraft’s features are similar to the F-16 fighters but they are less expensive.

The purchase would be done in a government-to-government deal, according to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. “The deal will be done transparently,” he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

Documents and details on the Cabinet’s approval were not revealed as they were marked confidential, a usual practice when the government considers procurement of military hardware.

The new procurement constitutes the second batch of T-50THs. The Air Force signed a Bt3.7-billion contract with KAI to buy four T-50THs in September 2015, with delivery due in 2018.

MAN to Provide Engines for Second Thai OPV

HTMS Krabi class OPV

The Royal Thai Navy will build a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) that will be powered by 2 × MAN 16V28/33D STC engines. The 90-m newbuilding will be constructed at Mahidol Adulyadej naval dockyard in Sattahip. The vessel is an improved River-class design.

Locally called OPV No. 2, the order follows that of OPV No. 1, the ‘HTMS Krabi’ that was ordered in 2009, a similar vessel that featured 2 × 16V28/33D engines.

Olivier Condemine, Senior Sales Manager – Naval & Governmental – MAN Diesel & Turbo said: “Sequential turbocharging improves the already proven performance and fuel-efficiency of the 28/33D engine, especially at intermediate and low-load operations – known as silent running – which is very important for this kind of vessel.”

MAN 28/33D STC range

The range offers 12-, 16-, and 20-cylinder configurations covering power requirements from 5,000 up to 10,000 kW per unit.

Keel Laying Ceremony of Royal Thailand Navy's DWH300H Frigate

May 16, 2016 at shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering of South Korea conducts the keel laying ceremony of High Performance Frigate # 1.

Thailand Navy signed a supply ship Frigate type DW3000H with DSME in South Korea on 30 July 2013 for 14,600 million baht.

After small correction at some point, and the first steel cutting ceremony on 31 August 2015, according to last information received, Frigate is scheduled to enter service in the March 2018.

Another news that flows out of the previous few months. Thailand Navy has signed a contract to supply the High Performance Frigate # 2, with the possibility to build Frigate in Thailand.

Honeywell to Supply Thai T-50 Avionics

Honeywell Aerospace will supply avionics for the Royal Thai Air Force’s T-50 Golden Eagle fleet under a new contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

The agreement will see Honeywell supply its Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (EGI), radar altimeter, lighting and Electric Flight Instrument system for the aircraft. The new equipment will improve aircraft performance and reliability, and increase aircrew safety.

The EGI navigation system is designed to aid crew in navigation, pointing, stabilization and flight control applications.

The radar altimeter provides pilots and flight control computers with an indication of height above the nearest terrain point below the aircraft. It ensures the pilot and crew have the most accurate information about the landscape around their aircraft to maneuver and conduct missions safely and precisely.

Mark Burgess, vice president, APAC, Defense and Space, Honeywell Aerospace, said: ‘This contract with KAI cements our commitment to the South Korean defense market as the country strengthens its position as a defense manufacturer.

‘Honeywell is working very closely with KAI as it seeks to grow market share for the T-50 globally and build on its successes in Indonesia, Iraq and the Philippines. We will also continue to support KAI on its T-X programme for the United States Air Force.’

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a supersonic advanced trainer and multirole light fighter developed by KAI.

First Road Test of Thailand's Defence Technology Institute 8x8 IFV

DTI 8x8 IFV can carry 13 troops and equipped with  30mm turret mounted (all photos : DTI)

DTI (Defence Technology Institute) DTI 8x8 wheeled armored vehicles were tested for the first time since the prototype armored wheeled up.

8x8 wheeled armored vehicles designed by the DTI's Thailand researcher. The use of high-performance vehicles from all over the world as a comparison, and research and development to design high-performance vehicles, wheeled armored wheeled equivalent to those of other countries. It is appropriate to use and needs of the country.The test today was a test of long-distance running distance by 64 kilometers  at a distance of 8 kilometers long and 4 test : the performance of the car in the preliminary round, turning to accelerate testing of the engine and the car's electronic systems to work effectively for the first time today.Due to weather conditions the rain in some parts of the test. But the car was still working as designed. The car will run at an average speed of 40-60 kilometers per hour. And checking the availability of the car when the car ran half the given distance.

Today's test was a success as anticipated, however, DTI will test the performance of the car constantly. In order to master 8x8 armored wheeled vehicles are manufactured with the first cars made in Thailand is available for evaluation and testing of the next user.

Tourists among 21 killed in blast outside Brahma temple

My Movie
วินาทีระเบิดที่แยกราชประสงค์ วันที่ 17 สิงหาคม 2015 ภาพจากกล้องในรถผมครับ
Posted by Pimornrat Nana Puttayot on Monday, August 17, 2015

Appalling: #BangkokBlast - 27 dead - 4 foreigners - 80 injured - 1 explosion - 2 bombs defused pic.twitter.com/mNpy3lp6Sr v @rConflictNews

— Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) August 17, 2015

Special report on Thailand navy seals

Thai aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet has been modernized with Saab's Sea Giraffe AMB radar and 9LV MK4 CMS

Royal Thailand Navy documentary

International Fleet Review Thailand 2017

To mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN in 2017, it is with great pleasure that Royal Thai Navy is honored to host an International Fleet Review to grace this occasion. It is with equal pleasure to note that the International Fleet Review would be conducted in Thailand, the country where ASEAN Declaration or Bangkok Declaration was signed in 1967, and hence the strong foundation of ASEAN has been laid since then. Therewithal, there would be a wide variety of activities to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

Rare footage of Thailand's aircraft carrier - HTMS Chakri Naruebet

Royal Thai Navy Buys Five EC645s

Photo - Royal Thai Navy http://www.namo.navy.mi.th/

he Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the acquisition of five EC645 T2 utility helicopters, it has emerged. RTN representatives signed the contract in Bangkok on 2 September in a deal believed to be worth around 2.5 billion Baht (PS50 million). Chief of Naval Operations presided the signing of the contract to purchase of 5 helicopter with Mr.Kevin Dell Vice President Customer Representative of Airbus Helicopter.

Admiral Tanarat senior advisor of the Toyal Thai Navy and Mr.Scott Tumpak the Senior Manager of EC645 Airbus Helicopter  as a witness in the purchase of helicopter. 

Thailand's only aircraft carrier deployed to participate in active Thai navy exercises

HTMS Chakri Naruebet is Thailand's first and only aircraft carrier.Chakri Naruebet is the smallest aircraft carrier in operation in the world.

Thailand JAS 39 Gripen




Photos - Thailand navy

Rare photo of an aircraft on HTMS Chakri Naruebet - Wikipedia

Aircraft carrier in the background

Royal Thailand Navy HTMS Krabi

Practicing for Thailand fleet review on 15th September


Photo - https://www.facebook.com/OPVkrabi?ref=stream

Thailand's navy inaugurated a state-of-the-art headquarters for its submarine squadron

but does not have submarines to command.

HTMS Matchanu and Wirun at Kobe Port

Thailand's navy inaugurated a state-of-the-art headquarters and training center for its submarine squadron on Monday, even though it has no subs to command.The squadron and its facilities, including a submarine simulator from Germany, were established at an existing naval base in Sattahip, east of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand.

The navy, which has had no submarines in its fleet since 1951, has been seeking for several years to acquire some, but has faced budgetary restraints. It says the new facilities are needed to be prepared for the future. Rear Adm. Panu Punyavirocha, head of the submarine squadron, told the Bangkok Post newspaper last October that the new facilities cost 540 million baht ($17.3 million).

Royal Thai Navy Signed Contract for Procurement of Saab Arthur Weapon Locating Radar

 Arthur weapon locating radar for Royal Thai Marine Corps (photo : Royal Thai Navy)

Admiral Narong Pipattana as Naval Commander presided over the signing of the purchase contract for the land system and is signed with Mr. Per Jakobsson, Director of Marketing & Sales Saab Asia Pacific Co., Ltd., at the naval headquarters Bangkok.ARTHUR is an acronym for "Artillery Hunting Radar", a mobile Passive electronically scanned array C-Band radar system (photo : Royal Thai Marine Corps)Ministry of Defense approved the Navy's procurement for Artillery Regiment-Marine Corps for land target search, consists of a radar target and control systems, military vehicles used radar installation and target systems, communications system and data links, radar moving target detection, training, support, logistics and technical information, testing, after-sales service, warranty, etc in order to meet the targets for fast accurate enough and timely determination of the commander in the field.

Thailand army chief confirms military coup in all but name

Earlier we had reported: Thailand Army invokes martial law to quell unrest
http://www.asiandefencenews.com/2014/05/thailand-army-invokes-martial-law.html

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha (second right) announces the military coup in a televised address. Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA

Thailand's military has seized control of the country after rival factions failed in negotiations to end six months of political turmoil – resulting in the nation's 19th coup in 82 years.While the head of the army, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, did not use the word "coup" in his televised statement, he said the takeover was necessary "in order for the country to return to normality quickly". He added that the army, armed forces, air force and police would seize power as of 4.30pm local time on Thursday and would help "reform the political structure, the economy and society".He said: "It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command – which includes army, navy, armed forces and police – to take control of governing the country."

A military spokesman also said that all radio and television stations must stop normal programming and broadcast only army-approved material.Thursday's sudden announcement followed an unexpected enactment of martial law just two days earlier after the military cited the need to "restore and maintain order" after six months of sometimes bloody protests that have left Thailand in an legislative paralysis.The political fighting has also seen 28 people killed and more than 700 others injured since November when anti-government protesters began calling for the removal of the Pheu Thai government.Rival political factions have spent the past two days at Bangkok's Army Club, where they attempted to come to a compromise over the future of the country. Despite various options reportedly being floated at the Prayuth-mediated talks, no agreement was arranged, although the rival leaders did tweet "selfies" of themselves smiling and laughing together at the roundtable discussions.

On Thursday afternoon, witnesses said that hundreds of extra troops arrived at the venue and took away the leader of the anti-government protests, Suthep Thaugsuban. It remained unclear who else was detained. Members of the government, opposition party, senate, election commission and pro-government forces had been attending the talks.Local media reported that the caretaker premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan's whereabouts were unknown, although it did not seem that he had been detained. He was not part of the recent negotiations.The military announced a curfew from 10pm-5am. National television stations were off air, although social media and the internet seemed unaffected by any censorship.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/22/thailand-army-chief-announces-military-coup

Thailand to receive first UH-72A in April 2015

Airbus has produced the first of six UH-72A light utility helicopters for the Royal Thai Army (RTA), officials at the company's production facility in Columbus, Mississippi, said on 14 May.The aircraft will be delivered in December to the US Army, which will transfer it to the RTA, according to a company spokesman. The remaining five aircraft will be built in 2015.

Thailand requested six UH-72As through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process in 2013. The contract is worth USD77 million and would be the first international sale of the aircraft, a variant of the EC145 civil helicopter.Thailand is recapitalising its rotary wing fleet. In February 2011 it acquired three Mil Mi-17V-5 multimission helicopters from Russia, with three further helicopters ordered. In October 2012 the RTA signed a contract for two AgustaWestland AW139s for transport and utility missions with delivery set for this year.In August 2009 the Defense Security Co-operation Agency announced an FMS of three UH-60L aircraft, while in March 2010 the Thai government approved a proposal to purchase three UH-60Ms. In October 2011, the Thai Cabinet approved a USD90 million plan to procure two further Black Hawks.


http://www.janes.com/article/37906/thailand-to-receive-first-uh-72a-in-april-2015

Thai Army's elite First Cavalry Squadron base, in the King's Guard with Chinese Type 85 armored vehicles