Royal Thai Army Aviation Center

Army Aviation Center
ศูนย์การบินทหารบก
Symbol of Army Aviation
Founded	25 June 1935
Country	Thailand
Branch	Royal Thai Army
Type	Army aviation
Role	Aerial reconnaissance Air assault Air traffic control Airlift Close air support Close-quarters combat Combat search and rescue Disaster response Electronic warfare Fire support Force protection Forward observer ISTAR Jungle warfare Medical evacuation Patrolling Reconnaissance Search and rescue Support special operations Tactical emergency medical services Urban warfare
Garrison/HQ	Fort Princess Srinagarindra, Mueang Lopburi, Lopburi
Website	aavnc.rta.mi.th
Insignia
Aircraft symbol
Aircraft flown
Attack helicopter	Bell AH-1F Huey Cobra Boeing AH-6 Eurocopter Fennec AS550 C3
Cargo helicopter	CH-47 Mil Mi-17-V5
Multirole helicopter	AgustaWestland AW149 Bell UH-1H Iroquois Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota
Trainer helicopter	Enstrom 480,
Utility helicopter	UH-60 Bell UH-1H Iroquois Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota

The Royal Thai Army Aviation Center (AAVNC; Thai: ศูนย์การบินทหารบก) is the aviation component of the Royal Thai Army and structurally an administrative organization in its service branch responsible for

• Conduct research and develop to define doctrines and make textbooks in science.
• Configuration of all army aviation units.
• General support flight operations per military unit, both administrative missions and send maintenance and other missions as assigned.
• Military operations.
• Produce, training, and control personnel who aircraft mechanics, crewmen, pirots, and workers about army aviation.
• Provide advice and technical advice on Army Aviation affairs to relevant units and branches of technology.
• Recommend, suggest, supervise the Royal Thai Army's aviation safety aviation affairs.
• Search and rescue assistance for disaster victims to support government agencies and other organizations in disaster relief.
• Study, research, and develop as well as collect statistics about Army Aviation Affairs.

It is based at Fort Princess Srinagarindra, in Mueang Lopburi District.

UH-60L Black Hawk during air show at Don Mueang Air Force Base

Mil Mi-17 V5 during air show at Don Mueang Air Force Base

UH-60L Black Hawk during air show at Don Mueang Air Force Base

History

Thai military aviation began in 1911 when three Siamese army officers were sent to France to learn to pilot aircraft. They returned to Siam in 1913 with four Nieuport monoplanes and four Breguet biplanes. An aerodrome constructed at Don Mueang and the army aviation units moved there on 17 March 1914. On 27 March 1914 the unit became the Army Air Corps. Since then, 27 March has been observed as the birthday of the Royal Thai Air Force.[1]

In 1918, the Army Air Corps gained the status of a division consisting of three wings. It remained under the army until December 1921 when it was renamed the Air Division and was placed directly under the Ministry of War. The Air Division's name changed again in 1935 to the Air Force Division. In 1937 it was proclaimed the Royal Thai Air Force.[1] In 1967 the Army Aviation School was founded, and the Army Aviation Center was created on 20 September 1977.

Mission

• Planning, directing, and practicing And study about Operation of the Royal Thai Army.
• Conduct research Develop, define principles and make texts in science associated.
• Ruling the military units that the Ministry of Defense requires The commander of the Army Aviation Center is responsible for.

Organization

• Royal Thai Army Aviation Center Headquarters
  • Royal Thai Army Aviation Regiment
    • Light Aviation Battalion
    • 1st Aviation Battalion
    • 2nd Aviation Battalion
    • 3rd Aviation Battalion
    • 9th Aviation Battalion
    • 21st Aviation Battalion
    • 41st Aviation Battalion
  • Science Division
  • Service Division
  • Airport Division
  • Aviation Communications Division
  • Aviation Safety Division
  • Disease examination unit
  • Army Aviation School
  • Department of Aviation
  • Aviation Base Defense Battalion
  • Aviation Communication Support Division

Aircraft

The Royal Thai Army is known to operate the following aircraft types:

Photo	Model	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Helicopters
	Bell AH-1F Huey Cobra	Attack helicopter	US	7[2]	Will be replaced by Boeing AH-6. Four were ordered in 1988 and another four were ordered in 2005.[3][4] One was lost in 2001 crash. Three in storage for spare parts.
	Boeing AH-6	Light Attack helicopter	US	0+(8)[5]	8 on order.[6]
	Eurocopter Fennec AS550 C3	Light Attack helicopter	France	8[2]
	Sikorsky UH-60L/M/A Blackhawk	Utility helicopter	US	18	8 UH-60L, 7 UH-60M, 3 UH-60A[7]
	Bell 212	Utility helicopter	US	48[2]	48 units undergoing upgrade to tactical helicopter.
	Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota	Utility helicopter	US	5[8]	One lost in 2016 crash.[9]
	Eurocopter EC145	VIP transport/Utility helicopter	Germany	6[2]
	AgustaWestland AW139	VIP transport/Utility helicopter	Italy	10[10]	Used for VIPs.[11][12]
	AgustaWestland AW149	VIP transport/Utility helicopter	Italy	5[13]	[14]
	Mil Mi-17-V5	Transport helicopter	Russia	10	2 on order. [15]
	Kamov Ka-32A1	Utility helicopter	Russia	4	Ka-32A11BC. Fire fighting helicopter flown for Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.[16]
	Bell 206 Jet Ranger	Utility helicopter	US	20[2]	Both the Bell 206A and Bell 206B are in use.
	Schweizer S-300C	Observation/Trainer helicopter	US	45[2]	For observation and training
	Enstrom 480B	Trainer helicopter	US	21[2]	For training one crash in 2021
	Robinson R44	Trainer helicopter	US	1[2]	For training
Fixed-wing aircraft
	CASA C-295W	Transport aircraft	Spain	1[2]	The RTA ordered one C-295W.[17]
	CASA C-212-300 Aviocar	transport aircraft	Spain	2[2]	Serial numbers 446 and 447 based with the VIP squadron at Don Mueang Airport.
	Embraer ERJ-135LR	VIP transport aircraft	Brazil	2	Both aircraft delivered (serial numbers 1084/HS-AMP and 1124)[18][19]
	British Aerospace Jetstream 41	VIP transport aircraft	UK	2	Serial numbers 41060 and 41094. Based with the VIP unit at Don Mueang Airport.
	Beechcraft 1900C-1	VIP transport aircraft	US	2	Serial numbers 0169 and 0170. Based with the VIP unit at Don Mueang Airport.
	Beechcraft Super King Air 200	VIP transport aircraft	US	2[2]	Serial numbers 0342 and 1165. Based at the Lopburi army complex.
Unmanned aerial vehicles
	Elbit Hermes 450	UAV	Israel	4	The UAVs are operated by the 21st Aviation Battalion at the Army Aviation Centre at Lopburi.[20]
	IAI Searcher	UAV	Israel	4
	AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven	UAV	US	Unknown

References

1. "Royal Thai Air Force - Kong Thap Akat Thai". Scramble. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
2. "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
3. "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
4. Paul Steven Ghiringhelli (21 October 2010). "AH-1 Cobra retirement". United States Army. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
5. online, thairath (26 September 2019). "DOS clears US$400 mn Thai attack chopper deal". www.asiatimes.com. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
6. CHAN, DM (26 September 2019). "DOS clears US$400 mn Thai attack chopper deal". www.thairath.co.th. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
7. "กองทัพบกไทยรับมอบเฮลิคอปเตอร์ใช้งานทั่วไป UH-60M ใหม่เพิ่ม ๔เครื่อง". 12 December 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
8. รวมสุวรรณ, อาคม (4 August 2015). "เปิดสเปก เฮลิคอปเตอร์รุ่นใหม่ Airbus Helicopter UH-72 Lakota แทนปลดระวาง". Retrieved 3 November 2019.
9. "Thai Army UH-72 Lakota Crashes". militaryaviationreview.com. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
10. "Thai army to boost AW139 fleet size". 12 October 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
11. "Royal Thai Army Takes Delivery of Two AW139 Helicopters". Leonardocompany.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
12. "Thai Army Orders 8 AgustaWestland AW139 Helicopters". defenseworld.net. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
14. "Royal Thai Army buys AW149 and six AW139s". Jeremy Parkin. Helihub. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
15. "Thailand Mulls Buying New Military Helicopters from Russia".
16. นาคพุ่ม, เอกพล (28 November 2018). "Russian Helicopters touts platforms to Thai military". aagth1.blogspot.com. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
17. "Orders, Deliveries, In Operation Military aircraft by Country - Worldwide" (PDF). Airbus Defence & Space. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
18. Embraer Press Release Embraer sign contracts with the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy Archived 29 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
19. Flight International Thailand buys third ERJ-135
20. "Thailand expands ties with Israel through UAV acquisition". janes.com.