The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF (Thai: กองทัพอากาศไทย; RTGS: Kong Thap Akat Thai) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the Vietnam War era, the RTAF was supplied with USAF-aid equipment.
A French pilot performed a flying demonstration over Bangkok in January 1911, greatly impressing Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, brother of King Vajiravudh, and he even accepted an invitation for a flight. Chakrabongse sent three army officers to France, who began flight training at Vélizy-Villacoublay in July 1912. The officers became qualified aviators a year later. In late 1913, the three new aviators returned home after arranging for the purchase of four Nieuport monoplanes and a Bréguet biplane. The aviation section put on a demonstration in January 1914, gaining the support of the King and a permanent aviation group was established and an air base at Don Muang was assigned, under Army control.[1]
Siam entered World War I with the Allies in July 1917, and a Siamese Expeditionary Force of around 1,200 men was sent to France, arriving in June 1918. Among them were 370 pilots and groundcrew, including more than 100 officers who were sent to flight school first at Istres and Avord, and then at Istres, Le Crotoy, La Chapelle-la-Reine, Biscarosse and Piox. Eventually, The 95 pilots who qualified as military aviators flew a few operational sorties in the closing weeks of the war but suffered no casualties, nor scored any kills. Their training did mean that Siam entered the post-WWI period with one of the best equipped and trained air forces in Asia.[2][3]
In the 1930s, after Siam became Thailand, it began to replace French aircraft with American designs, purchasing more than 95 aircraft, including the Boeing P-12E, Curtiss Hawks, and Vought Corsairs. The air force was formally separated into its own branch, the Royal Thai Air Force, in 1937 and 5 operational wings were established. At the end of 1940, the RTAF once again saw combat, this time in the Franco-Thai War, a border conflict against French Indochina. The RTAF operated in the Mekong Delta, attacking ground forces and gunboats and defending against French bombing raids, until a ceasefire was arranged in January 1941. Later that year, on 7 December, Thailand was invaded by Japan. The RTAF took an active role in the resistance. Combat Wings 1 and 5 engaged significantly more advanced Japanese aircraft over Thailand's eastern border, but suffered heavy losses, including almost 30% of Wing 5, before a cease-fire took effect the following day.[4]
The Air Force is commanded by the Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force (ผู้บัญชาการทหารอากาศไทย). The Royal Thai Air Force Headquarters is located in Don Muang Airbase, Bangkok, Thailand.
The RTAF consists of headquarters and five groups: command, combat, support, education and training, and special services.[5]
Headquarters Group
Royal Flight Aircraft Administrative Center
Royal Flight Helicopter Administrative Center
Air Warfare Center
Office of Public Sector Development, RTAF
Office of Intellectual Development, RTAF
Command Group
RTAF Secretariat
Directorate of Administrative Service
Directorate of Personnel
Directorate of Intelligence
Directorate of Operations
Directorate of Logistics
Directorate of Civil Affairs
Directorate of Information and Communications Technology
Office of the RTAF Comptroller
Directorate of Finance
Directorate of Inspector General
Office of RTAF Internal Audit
Office of RTAF Safety
Office of RTAF Judge Advocate
Combat Group
An F-5E with the 904 Aggressor Squadron
The Royal Thai Air Force Combat Group is divided into 11 wings plus a training school, plus a few direct-reporting units.[5]
First set up in 1913 in the same year as the Air Force, providing nursing services only, and over the years has gradually expanded. It operates Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital and Royal Thai Air Force Hospital in Bangkok, as well as smaller hospitals at each wing. The directorate has made a teaching agreement with the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University to train students at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, accepting about 30 students per academic year.
Research and Development Center for Space and Aeronautical Science and Technology
Directorate of Welfare
Office of Don Mueang RTAF Base Commander
Institute of Aviation Medicine
Security Force Command
The RTAF Security Force Command (Thai: หน่วยบัญชาการอากาศโยธิน) is a Division size unit in the Royal Thai Air Force. It has been in existence since 1937. They are based near Don Mueang International Airport. The RTAF Security Force Command is the main air force ground forces and special forces which providing light infantry for anti-hijacking capabilities, protecting air bases and high value assets, protecting international airport in insurgent areas. It also serves as the Royal Thai Air Force Special Operations Regiment (RTAF SOR) which consists of various units such as Combat Control Team (CCT), Pararescue Jumpers (PJs), Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).[14] Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Command consist of 3 main regiments and multiple support units. Additionally, one separated air base protection battalions and one separated anti-aircraft battalions are station in each air bases.
The Royal Thai Air Force maintains a number of modern bases which were constructed between 1954 and 1968, have permanent buildings and ground support equipment.
All but one were built and used by United States forces until their withdrawal from Thailand in 1976 when the RTAF took over the installations at Takhli and Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). In the late 1980s, these bases and Don Muang Air Base outside Bangkok, which the air force shares with civil aviation, remain the primary operational installations.
Maintenance of base facilities abandoned by the United States (Ubon, Udorn) proved costly and exceeded Thai needs; they were turned over to the Department of Civil Aviation for civil use. Nonetheless, all runways were still available for training and emergency use.
By 2004 the Royal Thai Air Force had its main base at Don Muang airport, adjacent to Don Mueang International Airport. The RTAF also had large air fields and facilities at Nakon Ratchasima Ubon Ratchathani, and Takhli.
The Siam Cup BJJ (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) International tournament was held at the Show DC stadium in Bangkok from 2017 in cooperation with the Arete BJJ dōjō, hosted by the Royal Thai Air Force.[26][27][28][29][30] Each year, the tournament brings together more than 400 fighters from more than 50 countries to compete.[31][32][33] The Siam Cup BJJ 2021 was scheduled to take place on May 8, but due to restrictions imposed for COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic, the Thai government temporarily postponed all sporting events.[34]
Thailand
