Thailand Completes F-16 Midlife Upgrade

30 Januari 2018

F-16 A/B fighters of RTAF (photo : Shephard)

By completing a seven-year enhanced midlife upgrade (eMLU) programme on 18 F-16A/B fighters, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has given them a capability as advanced as that of the F-16 Block 50/52.

The RTAF entered the first F-16 into the eMLU programme in November 2012. The RTAF hired Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to run this project under the supervision of Lockheed Martin, which provided upgrade kits to TAI.

The first two F-16 eMLU aircraft of 403 Squadron had a rollout ceremony in January 2014 to mark completion of the first phase.

New systems on the F-16 eMLU aircraft are the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-68(V)9 multimode fire control radar, modular mission computer, APX-113 combined interrogator and transponder, ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser system, ALQ-213 electronic warfare management system, Link 16 tactical data link and Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS).

In addition, the RTAF procured Sniper targeting pods for these F-16s. This equipment gives the aircraft the ability to use new weapons such as AIM-120C AMRAAM and IRIS-T air-to-air missiles, along with better self-defence systems.

403 Squadron also uses Rubis and ATLIS pods to enhance weapon employment.

With this upgrade, F-16 eMLU fighters will carry more advanced, higher-precision and longer-range weapons, plus the aircraft can operate in all weather conditions by day or night. Indeed, the aircraft can be considered as advanced as the Gripen C/D, the RTAF’s newest fighter type operated by 701 Squadron in southern Thailand.

The eMLU programme extends the life of these F-16s, which have been in service for more than 20 years, by at least 15 additional years.

The RTAF has two more F-16 squadrons: F-16A/B types in 103 Squadron and F-16ADF fighters in 102 Squadron in Wing 1 at Korat Air Force Base.

The reason the RTAF decided to put 403 Squadron through the eMLU programme was that its F-16s have younger airframes than those of 103 Squadron, whose aircraft entered service in 1988.

403 Squadron was the RTAF’s second F-16 unit. Its 18 F-16A/B Block 15 OCU fighters entered service with Wing 4 at Takhli Air Force Base in 1996.

Many Southeast Asian air forces have plans to enhance their fighter fleets. Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore are all eyeing new fighters, while the RTAF hopes to acquire more Gripens in the near future to fill out its squadron.

(Shephard)