The Royal Thai Air Force's Plan to Procure a New Fighter Aircraft to Replace the F-16A/B has been Delayed

12 Oktober 2023

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted its first Lockheed Martin F-16A/B aircraft in 1988. The fleet was subject to a mid-life upgrade (MLU) from 2012. Currently, RTAF operates 51 F-16 A/B/AM/BM (photos : Tanapol Arunwong)

The Royal Thai Air Force's plan to procure new fighter aircraft to replace its Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighter fleet has been delayed. The Royal Thai Air Force looks to retire its F-16A/B fighter jet fleet within the year 2028.

In the RTAF White Paper 2020, the Royal Thai Air Force outlines a plan to procure a number of new strike fighter aircraft. 12 machines during the year 2023-2028, and followed by another new attack fighter aircraft 12 machines during the year 2028-2033. The Royal Thai Air Force had previously planned to proceed with its new fighter aircraft procurement plan in 2023.

However, on October 4, 2023, Air Chief Marshal Phanpakdee Pattanakul, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, said: Procurement plans have been suspended due to various policies aimed at improving the Thai government's economy. Royal Thai Air Force spokesperson Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee told Janes that a new fighter jet procurement plan would be presented this year 2024-2025.

This is to ensure that the new fighter can be introduced into service in time before the first batch of F-16A/B fighter jets begins retirement in 2028. Currently, the Royal Thai Air Force is "We are in the process of revising project requirements and conditions" for a new strike fighter aircraft to replace the F-16A/B, said the director of the Air Force Civil Affairs Department.

Air Chief Marshal Prapas added that the "new fighter jet squadron" should be "ready for initial operations...within the next 10 years,” Janes estimates, is based on the time frame needed to put the new fighter into service. This depends on the type of fighter aircraft that will be procured. This may lead to the time needed for training, integration, and establishment of maintenance/support for the new fighter squadron.

During his statement on October 4, 2023, Air Chief Marshal Phanpakdee stated that the fighter aircraft, F-16A/B, Squadron 103, Wing 1, Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, he is scheduled to be discharged from active duty in 2028. According to information from Janes World Air Forces, the Royal Thai Air Force deployed the first batch of F-16A/B fighter aircraft into service in 1988 in Squadron 103, totaling 18 aircraft. 

Squadron 403, Wing 4, Takhli, Nakhon Sawan Province received the first batch of F-16A/B fighter aircraft to enter service in 2012. In 1995 was the second squadron of 18 aircraft, which later received a Mid-Life Upgrade in 2012. And also procured 16 F-16A/B ADF (Air Defense Fighter) fighter aircraft to be stationed in Squadron 102, Wing 1 in the year 2002 and received seven F-16A/B fighter jets that were in service with the Singapore Air Force in 2005.

(AAG)