- by Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist
Led by Thai Aviation Industries, Rockwell Collins has completed the Thailand C-130 Avionics Upgrade Programme that has improved the cockpit and avionics on 12 Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Thaksin, Thailand’s former prime minister kicked out by the 2006 coup, while in power, pushed a policy of turning Thailand into the ASEAN aviation hub. Part of that effort, was to increase ease of usage of Thailand as an aviation route.
However, the policy also included building up a local Thai aviation industry. One of the many aviation firms in Thailand today, is Thai Aviation Industries (TAI), a Thai government established firm.
On the September 2003, the Thaksin cabinet approved the project for the Transportation Ministry and Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to jointly establish the Thai Aviation Industries Company Limited (TAI) with the registered capital of 100 milion baht. Two major founding shareholders of TAI are The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), 51 percent and the RTAF welfare, 49 percent.
The company is currently serving the industry with more than 400 highly experienced engineers and aviation technicians from the Royal Thai Air Force.
Thai officials said the upgrade of the C-130 includes new primary flight displays, Flight Management System, autopilot, communication radios, navigation sensors and surveillance systems including weather radar. Some of the other upgrade features are Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Terrain Awareness and Warning System and digital map.
The delivery of the final upgraded C-130 completes an avionics modernization programme which provides the RTAF with state-of-the-art capabilities consistent with the world’s leading C-130 operators.
TAI have also developed the ability to service helicopters.
However, the Thai Army, have said they will not use TAI as the contractor for its helicopter up-grade-but will use Bell Helicopters.
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company just reported today, that it received a contract to modify and refurbish eight Royal Thai Army Bell 212 helicopters. Bell Helicopter Asia will work with Bell Helicopter’s independent representative Royal Airport Services on this in-country program.
“Modifying and refurbishing these Bell 212s will provide the Royal Thai Army improved mission capabilities,” said Danny Maldonado, senior vice president and Chief Services Officer for Bell Helicopter. “We have had a long, strong partnership with the Royal Thai Army and are looking forward to continuing this relationship.”
The Royal Thai Army operates a large fleet of helicopters in Thailand with the majority of them being Bell Helicopter products.
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