Thai Air Force Plans 2 UAV Squadrons

Thailand is seeking budget approval to create two squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for the country’s air force.

The squadrons will be based at wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan, which is currently made up of four squadrons of Lead-in jet fighters, F-16 fighter jets, and Arava patrol aircraft, Air Force Commander ACM Tritos Sonchaeng was quoted as saying by Bangkok post Saturday.

Thailand plans to convert squadron 402 and 404 of the wing into UAV squadrons and decommission the fleet of three Arava patrol aircraft purchased from Israel.

“The Arava planes need overhaul every three years. They have served well,” Tritos said

“The UAV units will be deployed once the Arava planes have been removed. Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) currently has some UAVs in service but the exact number is unknown. Some of the UAVs were purchased from abroad and some were developed locally by the air force,” Bangkok Post quoted an unnamed source as saying.