Thailand‘s first 2 T-6TH Texan II trainer aircraft delivered

 

T-6TH Texan II trainers bound for Thailand as seen in Quebec, Canada. Photo c/o AAG Thai Defense Page.

The first batch of two T-6TH Texan II advanced trainer aircraft for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) have arrived in Thailand on 12 November 2022.

The aircraft 01 and 02 with US registration numbers N2273B and N2792B respectively, arrived at the RTAF’s Chiang Mai Air Base after flying from Amarillo, Texas and stopping at several locations including Canada, Iceland, UK,  Italy, Greece and India.

Both aircraft were formally accepted by the RTAF on 14 November 2022 and are assigned with the RTAF Flying Training School in Kamphaeng Saen in Nakhon Pathom province.

The T-6TH is the Thai variant of  the T-6C Texan II with Thai-specified features, and are slated to replace the RTAF’s fleet of 19 Pilatus PC-9 trainer aircraft which have been in service since 1991.

The RTAF ordered 12 aircraft on October 2020 under a US$162 million deal, with the rest of the 10 aircraft to be delivered to Thailand by sea and in crates, and will be assembled in Thailand by Thai Aviation Industries Co. Ltd. (TAI) under a technology transfer agreement included in the deal.

Thailand has also ordered the AT-6 Wolverine light attack aircraft, which are slated to replace the Aero Vodochody L-39ZA/ART Albatross light attack aircraft, and benefits for having commonality with the standard T-6TH training aircraft

RTAF pilots have been training in the United States since June 2022, which will also become the RTAF’s flight instructors for the type for future pilots and instructors.

Thailand is the T-6 Texan II’s first export market in Southeast Asia, and the 11th globally.




[1] AAG Thai Defense Page
[2] Asia Pacific Defense Journal