Royal Thai Air Force

History

In February 1911 Belgian pilot Charles Van Den Born displayed the first aircraft in Siam at Bangkok's Sapathum Horse Racing Course. King Rama VI was sufficiently impressed that on 28 February 1912 he sent three Army officers to France to learn to fly. After receiving their wings, the officers returned to Siam in November 1913, bringing with them eight aircraft: four Breguets and four Nieuport IVs). In March 1914, Thai aviation moved from Sapathum to Don Muang then north of Bangkok.

The Ministry of Defence placed the Siamese Flying Corps under the Army Engineer Inspector General Department. Prince Purachatra Jayakara, Commander of the Army Engineers, and his brother Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, were instrumental in the development of the Royal Siamese Aeronautical Service as it was renamed in 1919. In 1937, it became an independent service known as the Royal Siamese Air Force. Two years later, when the kingdom's name was changed to Thailand, it became the Royal Thai Air Force.

During the French-Thai War, the Thai Air Force achieved several air-to-air-victories in dogfights against the Vichy Armée de l'Air. During World War II, the Thai Air Force supported the Royal Thai Army in its occupation of the Shan States of Burma as somewhat reluctant allies of the Japanese and took part in the defense of Bangkok against allied air raids in the latter part of the war. Other RTAF personnel took an active part the anti-Japanese resistance movement. The Thai Air Force sent three C-47s to support the United Nations in Korean War. The Wings Unit, operating the C-47, also joined the anti-communist forces in the Vietnam War. Along the border, the Thai Air Force launched many operations against communist forces, including the Ban Nam Ta Airfield Raid in Laos, and clashes between Thai and communist Vietnamese troops along the Thai-Cambodian border. When the Cold War ended, the Thai Air Force participated in Operation Border Post 9631 along the Thai-Burmese border in 1999, and launched the evacuation of foreigners during the 2003 Phnom Penh riots in Cambodia.

Command and control

The Royal Thai Air Force is commanded by the Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force (ผู้บัญชาการทหารอากาศไทย) currently Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong, who was appointed in 2012. The Royal Thai Air Force Headquarters is located in Don Muang Airbase, Bangkok, Thailand.

Commander-in-Chief: Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance

Deputy Commander-in-Chief: Air Chief Marshal Wattana Maneenai

Chairman of the RTAF Advisory Board: Air Chief Marshal Sutthiphan Kritsanakhup

Assistant Commander-in-Chief: Air Chief Marshal Twidanes Angsusingha

Assistant Commander-in-Chief: Air Chief Marshal Padet Wongpinkaew

Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Air Chief Marshal Johm Rungswang

Organisation

The RTAF command structure consists of five groups: headquarters, logistics support, education, special services, and combat forces.

1. The headquarters group in Bangkok performs the usual general staff functions, including planning and directing operations of the combat elements.
2. Combat Group.
3. The support group provides engineering, communications, ordnance, transportation, quartermaster, and medical services support.
4. The education group coordinates and supervises all air force training programmes.
5. The special service group is responsible for the welfare of air force personnel and coordinates the activities of Thai civil aviation with those of the air force.

Bases

The Royal Thai Air Force maintains a number of modern bases which were constructed between 1954 and 1968, have permanent buildings and ground support equipment.

All but one were built and used by United States forces until their withdrawal from Thailand in 1976 when Thai air force assumed use of the installations at Takhli and Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). In the late 1980s, these bases and Don Muang Air Base outside Bangkok, which the air force shares with civil aviation, remain the primary operational installations.

Maintenance of base facilities abandoned by the United States proved costly and exceeded Thai needs. Nonetheless, all runways were still available for training and emergency use.

By 2004 the Royal Thai Air Force had its main base at Don Muang airport, adjacent to Don Mueang International Airport. The RTAF also had large air fields and facilities at Nakon Ratchasima Ubon Ratchathani, and Takhli.

Squadrons

The following squadrons are currently active with the Royal Thai Air Force.

Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Regiment

This 100 man unit, part of the Royal Thai Air Force's Special Combat Operations Squadron, was formed in the late 1970s and are based near Don Muang Airport and provide anti-hijacking capabilities. They have three assault platoons, each divided into two sections.

Wings

The Royal Thai Air Force Combat Group is divided into 11 wings plus a training school, plus a few direct-reporting units.

Directorate of Air Operations Control, RTAF

RTAF Security Force Command

Flying Training School

composed of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Flying Training Squadrons. Based at RTAFB Kamphang Saen in Nakhon Pathom Province

Wing 1

Interceptor and fighter wing based at RTAFB Korat in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

Wing 2

Helicopter wing providing utility/transport and search and rescue. Normally based at RTAFB Lopburi in Lopburi Province

Wing 4

Light attack / Interceptor wing based at RTAFB Takhli in Nakhon Sawan Province.

Wing 5

Transport and special mission wing based at RTAFB Prachuap Khiri Khan in Ao Manao, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

Wing 6

Multi-role non-combat wing providing transport, mapping, communications and surveying. Based at RTAFB Don Muang/Bangkok.

Wing 7

Interceptor and fighter wing based at RTAFB Surat Thani in Surat Thani Province. The wing is nicknamed, "Ferocious Shark of the Andaman" as well as "House of Gripen" as they fly Gripen aircraft.

Wing 21

Fighter and attack wing based at RTAFB Ubon Ratchathani in Ubon Ratchathani Province.

Wing 23

Light attack wing based at RTAFB Udon in Udon Thani Province.

Wing 41

Light attack wing based at RTAFB Chiang Mai in Chiang Mai Province.

Wing 46

Transport/rainmaking wing based at RTAFB Phitsanulok in Phitsanulok Province.

Wing 56

Frontal operating base at RTAFB Hat Yai in Songkhla Province.