hi5 - Groups - RTAF : Royal Thai Air Force

RTAF : Royal Thai Air Force

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Category:	Government and Politics
Created:	Mar 25, 2008
Type:	Moderated
Members:	156
Owner:	₪•Wä★rϊţ•™♂
Language:	Thai
Country:	Thailand

The Royal Thai Air Force (Thai: กองทัพอากาศไทย, Kong Thab Akat Thai) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. At the Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Itthaporn Subhawong who is formerly the air chief of staff succeeded ACM Chalit Phukpasuk as the Royal Thai Air Force chief. ACM Kanaphan Sanguansat was the deputy commander of the Air Force Commander. Air Marshal Manit Saphanpang was picked up as the air chief of staff.

The Royal Thai Air Force has one of the longest history of any air forces in the world. The Foundation in aviation was laid since the year of 1911 and has continued to prosper to the present days. Our mission is to protect the country's sovereignty preparing and employing air power when required, while in peace, the Royal Thai Air Force maintains readiness and provide full fledge support to national development.

History

In February 1911 the Belgian pilot Charles Van Den Born displayed the first aircraft in Thailand at the Sa Pathum Horse Racing Course. The Thai authorities were impressed enough by the display that on 28 February 1913 they dispatched three officers to learn to fly in France, at the time a leading aviation country.

The three officers (Major Luang Sakdi Sanlayawut (Sunee Suwanprateep), Captain Luang Arwut Sikikorn (Long Sinsuk) and First Lieutenant Tip Ketuthat) learned to fly and on 2 November 1913 returned to Thailand with eight aircraft (four Breguets and four Nieuports). They are today regarded as the forefathers of the Royal Thai Air Force. In March of the next year they moved from Sa Patham airfield to Don Muang.

The Ministry of Defence put the early air force under the control of the Army Engineer Inspector General Department.

During the French-Thai War, the Thai Air Force scored several air-to-air-victories against the Vichy France Armée de l'Air. After World War II, the Royal Thai Air Force sent three C-47s to support the United Nations in Korean War. The victorious Wings Unit, operating C-47, also joined the US Force in Vietnam War. Along the border, Thai Air Force launched many campaign against the communists, such as Ban Nam Ta Airfield Raid in Laos, and clashes between Thai and Vietnamese troops along the Thai-Cambodian border. When the cold war ended, the Royal Thai Air Force participated in Operation Border Post 9631 along the Thai-Burmese border in 1999, and lauched the evacuation of Thais and foreigners during the 2003 Phnom Penh riots in Cambodia.

Royal Thai Air Force Bases

The Royal Thai Air Force maintains a number of modern bases from which it conducts its administrative, transport, and training operations. The bases, which were constructed between 1954 and 1968, have permanent buildings, sophisticated ground support equipment, and some of the best runways in Asia.

All but one were part of the network of airfields built and used by United States forces until their withdrawal from Thailand in 1976. Consolidating the equipment left by the departing units in accordance with government-to-government agreements, the 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, remains the primary operational holdings.

Maintenance of the facilities at other bases abandoned by the United States proved too 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 Bangkok's International Airport. The RTAF also had large air fields and facilities at Nakon Ratchasima Ubon Ratchathani, and Takhli.

Structure and Divisions

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

The headquarters group in Bangkok performs the usual general staff functions, including planning and directing operations of the combat elements.

The logistics support group provides engineering, communications, ordnance, transportation, quartermaster, and medical services support.

The education group coordinates and supervises all air force training programmes.

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.

The operational units of the air force are organised into two functional elements: a tactical air command structured and equipped for conventional warfare and an aerial security force trained and geared for counterinsurgency and other internal security missions.

In 1987 the tactical air command had a combat force of one squadron committed to forward ground attack, two squadrons of fighter-interceptors also used for armed reconnaissance, a separate reconnaissance squadron that also served in a training role, three transport squadrons, one utility squadron, two helicopter squadrons, and one training squadron.

The Royal Thai Air Force is divided into 4 divisions plus a training school, plus a few direct-reporting units. Each division is then subdivided into wings, with a total 2-3 wings each division.

1st Air Division
* The 1st Air Division composes of two wings, the 2nd Wing and the 6th Wing.
* The 2nd Wing is a rotary aviation wing that is used for basic utility needs and transport as well as search and rescue (SAR) operations. This wing is normally based at RTAFB Lop Buri in Lop Buri Province
* The 6th Wing is a non-combat wing used for a variety of functions including transport, mapping, communications and surveying. This wing is based at RTAFB Don Muang / Bangkok.

2nd Air Division
* The 2nd Air Division composes of three wings, the 1st Wing, the 21th Wing, and the 23rd Wing.
* The 1st Wing is an attack wing based at RTAFB Korat in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
* The 21st Wing is an attack wing based at RTAFB Ubon Ratchathani in Ubon Ratchathani Province.
* The 23rd Wing is a light attack wing based at RTAFB Ubon in Udon Thani Province.

3rd Air Division
* The 3rd Air Division composes of three wings, the 4th Wing, the 41st Wing, and the 46th Wing. Another wing, the 42nd Wing, is reported to exist.
* The 4th Wing is a light attack / fighter wing based at RTAFB Takhli in Nakhon Sawan Province.
* The 41st Wing is a light attack wing based at RTAFB Chiang Mai in Chiang Mai Province.
* The 46st Wing is a transport / rainmaking wing based at RTAFB Phitsanulok in Phitsanulok Province.

4th Air Division
* The 4th Air Division composes of three wings, the 7th Wing, the 53rd Wing, and the 56th Wing.
* The 7th Wing is an interceptor and attack wing based at RTAFB Surat Thani in Surat Thani Province.
* The 5th Wing is a transport / observation wing based at RTAFB Prachuap Khiri Khan in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.
* The 56th Wing is a currently forming wing based at RTAFB Hatyai in Songkhla Province.
Flying Training School
* The Flying Training School composes of three squadrons, the 1st Flying Training Squadron, 2nd Flying Training Squadron, and the 3rd Flying Training Squadron. The school is based at RTAFB Kamphang Saen in Nakhon Pathom Province