Royal Thai Navy Looks to Procure C295 Transport Aircraft to Support Thai Marines

20 Agustus 2024

The Royal Thai Army (RTA)'s C295W transport aircraft was supported the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC)'s Airborne Marines course class (photo: Aniwat Pommarangsi)

Currently, the 21st Aviation Battalion, Aviation Regiment, Army Aviation Center, Royal Thai Army has 3 medium transport aircraft, type 2 or Airbus C295W transport aircraft in service.

The Royal Thai Army still has a need to procure one more C295W transport aircraft, for a total of four aircraft, which it is understood will be ordered later when the budget is sufficient. The use of the C295W to support the Marine Corps Air Transport Course also demonstrates the cooperation in joint operations between the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN).

Previously, the Royal Thai Marine Corps' Marine Air Delivery Course received parachute training support from two Fokker F-27 MK-400 transport aircraft stationed at Squadron 201 (201 Naval Air Squadron), Naval Air Wing 2, Royal Thai Naval Air Division (RTNAD), Royal Thai Fleet (RTF), Royal Thai Navy.

However, the F-27 MK-400 transport aircraft, number 2110 and number 2111, which have been in service with the Royal Thai Navy Aviation Division since December 1987, have reportedly been decommissioned since the end of 2023, ending their approximately 36-year service to the nation and the Royal Thai Navy.

F-27 MK-400 transport aircraft, number 2111 (photo : RTN)

It has been reported that in the fiscal year 2025 which will begin on 1 October 2024, the Royal Thai Navy is looking to allocate a budget for the project to procure two new transport aircraft to provide tactical support to the Marine Corps, at a cost of approximately 3,800,000,000 baht ($109,725,152) to replace its decommissioned F-27 MK-400s.

Later in early August 2024, Admiral Worawut Prueksarungruang, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy, explained the project of transport aircraft to provide tactical support to the Marine Corps to the Subcommittee on ICT Equipment and Revolving Funds in the Special Committee on Budget Consideration for the Fiscal Year 2025 of the Thai Parliament, which was meeting to consider the budget of the Thai Ministry of Defense.

The Royal Thai Navy has already approved the budget for the project to increase the capability of the combat system for the HTMS Chang (3rd) amphibious landing craft, with a budget of approximately 24,280,000,000 baht ($701,085,971), and the project to improve the capability of the HTMS Pattani-class offshore patrol vessels, 2 ships, with a budget of 2,829,554,000 baht ($78,229,302).

It is possible that the Royal Thai Navy will look at two new transport aircraft with the same specifications as the Royal Thai Army's C295W. If the Royal Thai Navy chooses to procure the C295W, it will be very beneficial for joint maintenance in Thailand. Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) has signed a cooperation agreement with Europe's Airbus on July 22, 2024.

(AAG)