The Royal Thai Air Force is buying more aircraft.
US defence contractor Textron Aviation Defense LLC said it is selling eight Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine aircraft to the Royal Thai Air Force for an Integrated System in support of the 41st Wing light attack operations at Chiang Mai Air Base.
The signing of the contract, worth US$143 million, was announced to the Nasdaq Stock Market on Nov 14.
Thailand is the first foreign buyer of the light attack, single-engined aircraft.
Textron Aviation Defense said that the contract aligns the procurement with the Thai government's S-Curve 11 strategy — a program that pioneers development of the Thai domestic defence industry, cultivates diversity and supports involvement across foreign and Thai companies.
The Beechcraft AT-6TH is the second RTAF procurement contracted in support of S-Curve 11. The first procurement under the new strategy was the Beechcraft T-6TH Texan II, awarded in 2020.
The Ministry of Defence supports the S-Curve 11 strategy and the two procurements, the company announcement said. Textron Aviation Defense specified that the training of RTAF maintenance professionals is set to begin in Thailand in 2023, while pilot training is set to begin in Wichita in 2024.
The Beechcraft AT-6TH will join the Royal Thai fleet in 2024, the announcement said.
Thomas Hammoor, president and CEO of Textron Aviation Defense, said in a statement that the RTAF selected the Beechcraft AT-6 to conduct a broad array of missions in support of border security as well as anti-smuggling, counternarcotics and anti-human trafficking operations.
"The RTAF is a key US security ally and operator of one of the most advanced air forces in Asia Pacific. Its extensive market research and stringent procurement process sought the alignment of best cost, schedule, and performance to replace its existing fleet of aging Aero L-39 Albatros aircraft and advance the capabilities of its fleet with the latest technology," he said.
