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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Thailand
 
 
Royal Thai Armed Forces likely to upgrade several military aircraft fleets in 2015
 
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is pushing the military to more quickly draft its spending plans for the 2016 fiscal year and submit them within the month, reports today the Bangkok Post. The Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Air Force are expected to prepare their budgets by mid-January, and are likely to focus on upgrading some of their respective military aircraft fleets.
     
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is pushing the military to more quickly draft its spending plans for the 2016 fiscal year and submit them within the month, reports today the Bangkok Post. The Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Air Force are expected to prepare their budgets by mid-January, and are likely to focus on upgrading some of their respective military aircraft fleets. Royal Thai Air Force eyes on T-50 aircraft from South Korea, M-346 from Italy; and the Textron Airland Scorpion from the US for replacing its ageing fleet of L-39 trainer aircraft
     
Thailand's Air Force has no plan to procure new fighter jets in the next budget year, Royal Thai Air Force commander ACM Treetod Sonjance said. It will focus on upgrades and maintenance instead.

Preliminary plans call for upgrades to the air force's fleet of F-5 jets at the Nakhon Sawan-based Wing 4 division. The aircraft have been in service for over 30 years.

The source said the army is likely to propose the procurement of helicopters for general use under a budget of 2.8 billion baht ($85 mn). About 30 UH-1H (Huey) helicopters will be decommissioned. The US-made UH-72 (Lakota) aircraft is said to be on the army's wish list.

The army also has a plan to purchase a transporter aircraft under a budget of 1.25 billion baht ($38 mn). Ukraine's Antonov-30 and Spain's CN-295 are said to be at the top of the list.

Meanwhile, ACM Treetod said an air force committee is working on choosing a new fleet of training aircraft to replace the L-39 model.

The air force has allocated 3.7 billion baht ($112 mn) in the 2015 budget to procure a new fleet of training aircraft to replace the L-39 aircraft manufactured by the Czech Republic.

There are three contenders that meet the initial specifications: T-50 aircraft from South Korea, M-346 from Italy; and the Textron Airland Scorpion from the US. The South Korean aircraft is expected to come at the top of the list.