RTAF to Replace its Aging Alpha Jet TH of 231st Squadron with New AT-6TH Wolverine

12 November 2024

RTAF Beechcraft AT-6TH Wolverine serial "41102" light attack aircraft of 411th Squadron, Wing 41 Chiang Mai, and RTAF Dornier Alpha Jet TH attack aircraft of 231st Squadron, Wing 23 Udon Thani (photos: Royal Thai Air Force)

The Commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul revealed to the media that RTAF is considering replacing its aging Alpha Jet TH of 231st Squadron with new AT-6TH Wolverine.

The first domestic training exercise of the Beechcraft AT-6TH Wolverine, Squadron 411, Wing 41, Chiang Mai, Royal Thai Air Force, began on October 1, 2024, approximately three months after the first two aircraft, serial numbers "41101" and "41102" of 8 aircraft were delivered on July 16, 2024.

It is a symbol of the progress towards the declaration of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) by the remaining AT-6TH Wolverine attack aircraft that have been delivered by ship to enter the Final Reassembly Program at Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) in Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan Province, near Wing 4 Takhli and will be delivered until all 8 aircraft are complete by February 2025. The AT-6TH attack aircraft, which has signed a contract for procurement on November 14, 2021, is worth 4,314,039,980.80 baht ($143 million). It has the same basic structure as the Beechcraft T-6TH Texan II (T-6C) training aircraft, Kamphaeng Saen Flying School, Royal Thai Air Force, which has received all 12 aircraft in 2023.

The fact that the AT-6TH light attack aircraft was designated as the "Attack Aircraft Type" is reminiscent of the designation for the Cessna T-37B/C Tweet trainer aircraft, which was in service at Kamphaeng Saen Flying School from 1961-1996, which shared the same basic design with the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly attack aircraft, which was in service from 1973-1994.

Different from the North American T-28D Trojan Type 13 attack and training aircraft, which was in service during 1962-1988, from what was previously understood that the AT-6TH light attack aircraft would be designated as "Attack and Training Aircraft Type", it shows that the Royal Thai Air Force considers that the T-6TH training aircraft and the AT-6TH attack aircraft have completely different missions.

Although it is not specified in the RTAF White Paper 2024, it is understood that in order to replace the L-39ZA/ART fighter and trainer aircraft that were decommissioned in 202 in the attack mission, Squadron 411 should procure an additional 4 AT-6TH aircraft to complete the squadron at least 12 aircraft.

Wing 41 itself has had problems with complaints from local residents about noise pollution, as have many other wings that have or have deployed squadrons that operate jet fighters. The deployment of the AT-6TH turboprop attack aircraft to Squadron 411, which previously operated the OV-10C Bronco attack aircraft, would make sense in reducing the noise impact in one way.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Panphakdi Phatthanakul, gave an interview to the media in early October 2024, stating that he had an idea to bring the AT-6TH to replace the Type 7 Alpha Jet TH attack aircraft of Squadron 231, Wing 23, Udon Thani, which Wing 23 itself, like Wing 41, has had complaints from the public about noise impacts. Changing the type is also appropriate in terms of commonality.

According to the RTAF White Paper 2024, the Alpha Jet TH fighter aircraft of Squadron 231, Wing 23 will be replaced together with the F-5E/F TH Supet Tigris fighter aircraft of Squadron 211, Wing 21, Ubon Ratchathani with a single squadron of 12-14 new fighter aircraft or attack aircraft in the fiscal year 2031-2035, which should be studied to change the unit structure further.

Previous analysis indicated that the replacement of the F-5E/F TH fighter aircraft of Squadron 211, Wing 21, according to the plan in the 2024 Royal Thai Air Force White Paper, should be replaced with light combat aircraft (LCA: Light Combat Aircraft) such as the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50TH Golden Eagle fighter and trainer aircraft, currently deployed in Squadron 401, Wing 4, Takhli, 14 aircraft.

In addition to revealing the concept of looking to bring the AT-6TH to replace the Alpha Jet TH in Squadron 231, it may consider the combat force situation in neighboring countries such as the Lao People's Air Force, which has only 3 Yak-130 jet trainers (originally 4, 1 crashed on October 4, 2024) and 4 K-8 jet trainers and changing to aircraft that save more operating costs.

The Singapore Air Force F-16C/D/D+ Block 52 fighter aircraft that have been training at Wing 23 for a long time are also planned to be moved to Squadron 237, Nam Phong Air Base, Khon Kaen Province in 2026. Under the renovation project in the fiscal year 2025-2026, Singapore has provided a budget of 70 percent of the project to improve Nam Phong Airport to be a base for joint training of ASEAN nations.

(AAG)