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"Royal Thai Air Force March"
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, anniversaries = 9 April 1937
(Royal Thai Air Force Day)
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, commander1 = Air Chief Marshal Alongkorn Wannarot
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The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF ( th, กองทัพอากาศไทย; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the Vietnam War era, the RTAF was supplied with USAF-aid equipment.

History

Thailand's history of aviation began in January 1911, when a French pilot performed a flying demonstration over Bangkok. Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, brother of King Vajiravudh, was in attendance and was greatly impressed, even accepting an invitation to fly aboard the plane. Chakrabongse arranged to send three army officers to France, who began aviation training at Vélizy-Villacoublay in July 1912. The officers became qualified aviators a year later, with one pursuing further training. In late 1913, the three new aviators returned to Thailand after arranging for the purchase of four Nieuport monoplanes and a Bréguet Aviation. The fledgling aviation section put on a successful demonstration in January 1914, gaining the support of the King. A permanent aviation group under the Army was established and an air base at Don Muang was designated.

After Thailand entered World War I on the side of the Allies in July 1917, an expeditionary force of around 1,200 men was sent to France in June 1918. Among the expeditionary force were a total of 370 pilots and groundcrew, including more than 100 officers. The officers were sent to flight school at Istres and Avord, but many had to be retrained at Istres, Le Crotoy, La Chapelle-la-Reine, Biscarosse and Piox as they were deemed incapable of high altitude flight. Eventually, 95 pilots qualified as military aviators, and they few several operational sorties in the closing weeks of the war. The Thai aviators suffered no casualties nor scored any kills, but their extensive training meant Thailand entered the post-WWI period with one of the best equipped and trained air forces in Asia.

In the 1930s, Thailand began to replace its ageing French planes with American materiel, purchasing more than 95 planes including the Boeing P-12E, Curtiss Hawks, and Vought Corsairs. The air force was formally separated into its own branch, the Royal Thai Air Force, in 1937. Five operational wings were also established in the reorganization. At the end of 1940, the RTAF once again entered combat, this time in a border conflict against French Indochina. The RTAF operated in the Mekong Delta, attacking ground forces and gunboats and defending against French bombing raids, until a ceasefire was arranged in January 1941. Later that year, on 7 December, Thailand was invaded by Japan. The RTAF, as the most openly anti-Japanese branch of the military, took an active role in the resistance. Combat Wings 1 and 5 engaged superior Japanese units at Thailand's eastern border, but suffered heavy losses (almost 30% in the case of Wing 5) before the cease-fire the following day.

Structure

The Air Force is commanded by the Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force (ผู้บัญชาการทหารอากาศไทย). The Royal Thai Air Force Headquarters is located in Don Muang Airbase, Bangkok, Thailand.

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

Headquarters Group

* Royal Flight Aircraft Administrative Center
* Royal Flight Helicopter Administrative Center
* Air Warfare Center
* Office of Public Sector Development, RTAF
* Office of Intellectual Development, RTAF

Command Group

* RTAF Secretariat
* Directorate of Administrative Service
* Directorate of Personnel
* Directorate of Intelligence
* Directorate of Operations
* Directorate of Logistics
* Directorate of Civil Affairs
* Directorate of Information and Communications Technology
* Office of the RTAF Comptroller
* Directorate of Finance
* Directorate of Inspector General
* Office of RTAF Internal Audit
* Office of RTAF Safety
* Office of RTAF Judge Advocate

Combat Group

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

Squadrons

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

Support Group

* Directorate of Aeronautical Engineering
* Directorate of Communications and Electronics
* Directorate of Armament
* Directorate of Quartermaster
* Directorate of Civil Engineering
* Directorate of Transportation

Directorate of Medical Services

First set up in 1913 in the same year as the Air Force, providing nursing services only, and over the years has gradually expanded. It operates Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital and Royal Thai Air Force Hospital in Bangkok, as well as smaller hospitals at each wing. The directorate has made a teaching agreement with the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University to train students at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, accepting about 30 students per academic year.

Education and Training Group

* Directorate of Education and Training
* Air War College
* Air Command and Staff College
* Senior Air Officer School
* Squadron Officer School
* Officer Training School
* Academy Instructor School
* Non-Commissioned Officer School
* Air Technical Training School
* RTAF Language Center
* Personal Testing Center
* Technical Service Division
* Chaplain Division
* Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Thai Air Force Academy

Special Service Group

* Research and Development Center for Space and Aeronautical Science and Technology
* Directorate of Welfare
* Office of Don Mueang RTAF Base Commander
* Institute of Aviation Medicine

Security Force Command

The RTAF Security Force Command (Thai: หน่วยบัญชาการอากาศโยธิน) is a Division size unit in the Royal Thai Air Force. It has been in existence since 1937. They are based near Don Mueang International Airport. The RTAF Security Force Command is the main air force ground forces and special forces which providing light infantry for anti-hijacking capabilities, protecting air bases and high value assets, protecting international airport in insurgent areas. It also serves as the Royal Thai Air Force Special Operations Regiment (RTAF SOR) which consists of various units such as Combat Control Team (CCT), Pararescue Jumpers (PJs), Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Command consist of 3 main regiments and multiple support units. Additionally, one separated air base protection battalions and one separated anti-aircraft battalions are station in each air bases.

Royal Thai 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 the RTAF took over 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 (Ubon, Udorn) proved costly and exceeded Thai needs; they were turned over to the Department of Civil Aviation for civil use. 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.

Equipment

Aircraft

Armament

Budget

RTAF budgets are shown below by fiscal year (FY):

Rank structure

NOTE: Rank on paper, not actually used in the Royal Thai Air Force.

Aircraft insignia

Roundels

Tail markings

Sports

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

The Siam Cup BJJ ( Brazilian jiu-jitsu) International tournament was held at the Show DC stadium in Bangkok from 2017 in cooperation with the Arete BJJ dōjō, hosted by the Royal Thai Air Force. Each year, the tournament brings together more than 400 fighters from more than 50 countries to compete. The Siam Cup BJJ 2021 was scheduled to take place on May 8, but due to restrictions imposed for COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic, the Thai government temporarily postponed all sporting events.

See also

*Royal Thai Air Force Museum
*Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
*Military of Thailand
*Royal Thai Army
*Royal Thai Navy
*Royal Thai Police
* Napa-1

References

Notes

Comments

Bibliography

* Wieliczko, Leszek A. and Zygmunt Szeremeta. ''Nakajima Ki 27 Nate'' (bilingual Polish/English). Lublin, Poland: Kagero, 2004.
* .

External links

*
RTAF Official website (English version)Royal Thai Air Force Whitebook on Gripen program (Thai)Royal Thai Air Force Press Release on Gripen program (Eng)Royal Thai Air Force VDO on Gripen program (Thai)Royal Thai Air Force Museum
Many Historical Aircraft Here (English Page available)

* ttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/thailand/rtaf.htm Globalsecurity.orgbr>Early history of the Airports of Thailand Authority
at j-aircraft.com

{{Authority control

Military units and formations established in 1913
1913 establishments in Siam
Air forces by country
Military of Thailand