The Number of Upgraded RTAF F-5TH Super Tigris Fighters may be Reduced due to Recent Accidents

07 Desember 2021

Seven of Northrop F-5E and F-5F of of 211st Squadron, Wing 21 Ubon Ratchathani, Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) that have modernized to F-5TH Super Tigris standard by Israeli firm Elbit Systems LTD and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) in elephant walk formation (photos : Thanawat Wongsaprom) 

Thailand's RTAF F-5F serial 21105, the first modernized F-5TH Super Tigris was crashed during routine air to ground weapon training at Chandy Range, Lopburi province, Thailand in 3 December 2021 local time 1120, day after opening ceremony of Air Tactical Operations Competition. 2022, Pilot ejected and get injured now has been treated in Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital RTAF at Bangkok. injured pilot revealed that the crash was caused by a bird strike.

Although the Royal Thai Air Force does not specify that the fighter aircraft Northorp F-5F Tiger II (local name Type 18), Squadron 211, Wing 21, Ubon Ratchathani, which crashed on 3 December 2021 (2021) at the Chai Badan Air Weapons Training Field Lopburi just one day after the opening ceremony of the 2021 Tactical Air Operations Competition on December 2, 2021 which number is the machine? As there are no photos of the wreckage of the crashed plane at the time of this writing.

But it is believed that the latest F-5F fighter aircraft that crashed is machine number 21105, registration B. 18K. 5/24, production line 79-1692, tail number 91692, which is the first machine that has been improved in the project. Improve the capability of the fighter aircraft F-5TH Super Tigris, the injured pilot said it was caused by a bird hitting the cockpit cover glass.

18K F-5F fighter aircraft No. 21105 is the first two-seat model that has been upgraded to the standard F-5TH Super Tigris, coupled with the 18K fighter jet, Northorp F-5E No. 21137, registration 37/31, production line 74-1575, tail number 41575. This F-5E is the first single-seat model that has been upgraded to the F-5TH Super Tigris.

From a series of pictures published in the Thai Aircraft Photographer Community Online at the end of November 2021, which appeared in the image of F-5E and F-5F Squadron 211, 7 aircraft moving in a procession. The group on the airport runway that is expected to be at Wing 21 Ubon Ratchathani. The picture can be seen that there are machines that have been upgraded to F-5TH and are divided into 5 F-5E TH fighters and 2 F-5E TH fighters. Together with the previously disclosed F-5E No. 21137 and F-5F No. 21105, show that there may be 5 upgraded devices

However, the capability improvement project F-5E/F TH of 14 units operated by Elbit Systems Israel and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) under the Procurement and Development policy (P&D) 10-year term. As a result of the loss of the first modified and also a two-seat version of the machine for training to change the model to combat ready fighter pilots, F-5E/F TH will continue to be stationed until a year 2032, there may be only only 13 devices.

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