Royal Thai Naval Air Division
Royal Thai Naval Air Division | |
---|---|
กองบินทหารเรือ | |
![]() Royal Thai Navy Aircraft Marking | |
Active | 7 December 1926[1] |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Naval aviation |
Size | 1,200 active personnel [2] Approx. 49+ aircraft[3] |
Anniversaries | 7 December[1] |
Insignia | |
Roundel | ![]() |
The Royal Thai Naval Air Division or RTNAD (Thai: กองบินทหารเรือ) is the Naval aviation of the Royal Thai Navy. The division was officially established on 7 December 1926.[1] The RTNAD has two air wings and one Flying Unit of HTMS Chakri Naruebet, operating 23 fixed-wing aircraft and 26 helicopters[3] from U-Tapao, Songkhla, and Phuket. The First Royal Thai Navy wing has three squadrons; the Second Royal Thai Navy wing has three squadrons and another wing for HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit.
History
[edit]The establishment Royal Thai Naval Air Division began in 1921, when the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse gave an opinion to the Naval Command Council of Ministry of the Navy on 23 November 1921.[1] The Naval Aviation Division was expedient to set up an air fleet using Sattahip as a base with 2 seaplanes. The Naval Command Council approved this proposal on 7 December 1926.[1]
Later, the Royal Thai Naval Air Division has more aircraft living with Royal Thai Air Force Place there are some inconveniences so in 1957, the Navy built the Airport coming up at Ban Utapao, Rayong Province by using the navy budget during construction, the United States offered construction assistance and requested to use some parts of U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in return.
Structure
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/A_Royal_Thai_Navy_pilot_shares_best_practices_June_4%2C_2013%2C_during_a_maritime_patrol_and_recognizance_aircraft_symposium_in_support_of_Cooperation_Afloat_Readiness_and_Training_%28CARAT%29_2013_at_U-Tapao_Royal_Thai_130604-N-YU572-042.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
The headquarters of Royal Thai Naval Air Division has 10 commanding units as follows:[4]
- Personnel Division
- Intelligence Division
- Operations Division
- Logistics Division
- Division of Communication and Information Technology
- Budget Division
- Technical Affairs and Flight Safety Division
- Division of Engineering Plans
- Administration Department
- Finance Department
Commands
[edit]Royal Thai Naval Air Division is a combat unit under commissioned of Royal Thai Fleet. The aviation division is divided into 6 regiments, corresponding to one additional command unit namely; Wing 1 Regiment, Wing 2 Regiment, Air Operations Control Regiment, The Flight Station Regiment, Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Center Regiment, Security Regiment and one additional command unit of HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit.[4]
- Royal Thai Navy Airfields
- U-Tapao RTNAF used for responsible tasked over the northern part of Gulf of Thailand.[5]
- Songkhla RTNAF used for responsible tasked over the southern part of Gulf of Thailand.[5]
- Phuket RTNAF used for responsible tasked over the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean).[5]
- Chanthaburi RTNAF used as a frontal operating airfield for Royal Thai Marine Corps.[5]
- Narathiwat RTNAF used as a frontal operating airfield for Royal Thai Marine Corps.[5]
- Nakorn Phanom RTNAF used for support Riverine Patrol Regiment tasked along the Mekong River.[5]
Squadron | Status | Role | Type | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wing 1 | |||||
101 | Active | SAR | Maritime patrol aircraft | ||
102 | Active | ASuW and ASW | Maritime patrol aircraft | ||
103 | Active | Forward air control | Maritime patrol aircraft | ||
104 | Active | Maritime surveillance | Unmanned aerial vehicle | ||
Wing 2 | |||||
201 | Active | Military transport | Maritime patrol aircraft | ||
202 | Active | Military transport | Helicopter | ||
203 | Active | ASuW and Military transport | Helicopter | ||
HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit | |||||
1 | Inactive | ||||
2 | Active | ASW and Military transport | Helicopter |
Squadrons
[edit]The following squadrons are currently active with the Royal Thai Naval Division.[6]
Squadron | Equipment | Wing | RTAF Base | Notes |
101 Naval Air Squadron | Dornier 228 | Naval Air Wing 1 | U-Tapao | |
102 Naval Air Squadron | Fokker F27 | Naval Air Wing 1 | U-Tapao | |
103 Naval Air Squadron | Cessna 337 Super Skymaster | Naval Air Wing 1 | U-Tapao | |
104 Naval Air Squadron | Schiebel Camcopter S-100, Aeronautics Defense Orbiter | Naval Air Wing 1 | U-Tapao | |
201 Naval Air Squadron | Fokker F27, Embraer ERJ-135LR | Naval Air Wing 2 | U-Tapao | |
202 Naval Air Squadron | Bell 212, Eurocopter EC145 | Naval Air Wing 2 | U-Tapao | |
203 Naval Air Squadron | Sikorsky S-76, Super Lynx 300 | Naval Air Wing 2 | U-Tapao | |
1 HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Squadron | - | HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit | U-Tapao | |
2 HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Squadron | SH-70B Seahawk, MH-60S Knighthawk | HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit | U-Tapao |
Aircraft
[edit]Active aircraft
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Fokker_F-27-400M_Troopship.jpg/220px-Fokker_F-27-400M_Troopship.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Royal_Thai_Navy%2C_1113%2C_Dornier_Do-228-212_%2846937866274%29.jpg/220px-Royal_Thai_Navy%2C_1113%2C_Dornier_Do-228-212_%2846937866274%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Embraer_ERJ-135LR_of_the_Royal_Thai_Navy_at_Khon_Kaen-KKC.jpg/220px-Embraer_ERJ-135LR_of_the_Royal_Thai_Navy_at_Khon_Kaen-KKC.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Elbit_Systems_900_take_off.jpg/220px-Elbit_Systems_900_take_off.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Insitu_RQ-21_Blackjack_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Insitu_RQ-21_Blackjack_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Schiebel_CAMCOPTER_S-100.jpg/220px-Schiebel_CAMCOPTER_S-100.jpg)
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Quantity | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed-wing aircraft | |||||
Fokker F27 | ![]() |
Anti-submarine warfare, Military transport |
2 MK400 3 MK200 |
[3] | |
Dornier 228 | ![]() |
Search and rescue | 7 | Also used in Royal Rain Project.[3] | |
NAX seaplane | ![]() |
Search and rescue | 4 | Serial no.s NAX-01 to NAX-04, locally built by Naval Aircraft Experimental.[7] | |
CASA/IPTN CN-235 | ![]() |
Maritime patrol aircraft | (+3) | 3 on order[3] | |
Embraer ERJ-135LR | ![]() |
VIP transport aircraft | 2 | [3] | |
Cessna 337 Super Skymaster | ![]() |
FAC aircraft | 4 H-SP 3 SP 2 G |
[3] | |
Helicopter | |||||
Sikorsky S-76B | ![]() |
Search and rescue, Military transport |
5 | [3] | |
WestlandSuper Lynx 300 | ![]() |
Anti-surface warfare | 2 | [3] | |
Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk | ![]() |
Anti-submarine warfare | 6 | HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit.[3] | |
Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk | ![]() |
Military transport | 2 | HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit.[3] | |
Eurocopter EC145 | ![]() |
Military transport | 5 | [3] | |
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey | ![]() |
Military transport | 7 | [3] | |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | |||||
Aeronautics Orbiter 3B | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | In use since 2020.[8] | |
Elbit Hermes 900 | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | Ordered in 2022.[8] | |
Aeronautics Defense Dominator | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | [Documented by a few sources, not yet seen].[8] | |
Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | [Documented by a few sources, not yet seen].[8] | |
DTI U-1 'Sky Scout' | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | It is unknown whether they are only in the army service. (In use since 2017.)[8] | |
DTI D-Eyes 02 | ![]() |
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | It is unknown whether they are only in the army service. (In use since 2017.)[8] | |
VTOL Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | |||||
TOP Falcon-V | ![]() ![]() |
VTOL Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | In use since 2017.[8] | |
Narai 3.0 | ![]() |
VTOL Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | In use since 2018.[8] (In use with the Navy and Armed Forces HQ). | |
Schiebel Camcopter S-100 | ![]() |
VTOL Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | In use since 2020.[8] | |
NRDO MARCUS-B | ![]() |
VTOL Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | Unknown | In use since 2020.[8] (For use on board the Chakri Naruebet aircraft carrier).[8] |
Historic aircraft
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Thailand_-_Navy_Canadair_CL-215B_%28CL-215-1A10%29.jpg/220px-Thailand_-_Navy_Canadair_CL-215B_%28CL-215-1A10%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/A-7E_thai_navy.jpg/220px-A-7E_thai_navy.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Royal_Thai_Navy_P-3T_at_Naval_Air_Station_Jacksonville.jpg/220px-Royal_Thai_Navy_P-3T_at_Naval_Air_Station_Jacksonville.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Grumman_HU-16B_Albatross%2C_Thailand_-_Navy_AN1900871.jpg/220px-Grumman_HU-16B_Albatross%2C_Thailand_-_Navy_AN1900871.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/AV-8S_Royal_Thai_navy.jpg/220px-AV-8S_Royal_Thai_navy.jpg)
Rank structure
[edit]Equivalent NATO Code |
OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | Cadet Officer | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Officer ranks |
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จอมพลเรือ | พลเรือเอก | พลเรือโท | พลเรือตรี | พลเรือจัตวา1 | นาวาเอก | นาวาโท | นาวาตรี | เรือเอก | เรือโท | เรือตรี | นักเรียนนายเรือ | |
Admiral of the Fleet | Admiral | Vice Admiral | Rear Admiral | Commodore or Rear Admiral (lower half)1 |
Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant Junior Grade |
Sub Lieutenant | Midshipman | |
|
See also
[edit]- Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse
- Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
- Military of Thailand
- Royal Thai Army Aviation Center
- Royal Thai Army
- Royal Thai Air Force
- Royal Thai Marine Corps
- Royal Thai Naval Academy
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "History of Royal Thai Naval Air Division". www.thaiflynavy.org. 17 November 2019. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ บำรุงสุข, สุรชาติ (18 July 2019). "เปิดข้อมูลอำนาจกำลังรบไทย". www.matichonweekly.com. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "History of Royal Thai Naval Air Division". www.flightglobal.com. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b Air Division (17 November 2019). "Structure of Royal Thai Naval Air Division". www.thaiflynavy.org. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Squadron". www.thaipatch.com. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "Royal Thai Air Force Organization". rtaf.mil.th. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ^ "'เครื่องบินทะเล' ลาดตระเวนชายฝั่ง". www.marinerthai.net. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oryx. "Thai Thunderbirds: Thailand's Expansive UAV Fleet". Oryx. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u World Air Forces – Historical Listings Thailand (THL), archived from the original on 25 January 2012, retrieved 30 August 2012
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)