Thai Army buys eight attack choppers for Bt12 bn from US

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post and a reply has been removed.

 

Some off topic posts have been removed. 

[Bundooman]

Unless they have been purchased specifically for the evaluation of China - to be copied at will if they prove to be effective.......

[Nyezhov]

Wise purchase. Their fleet of cobras is aging and large attack choppers are better designed for heavy antiarmor missions which Thailand doesn't have to worry about. Yet at the same time the firepower of these smaller birds is equal to the task of regional conflicts that Thailand will encounter.

 

Another brick too in the long-standing Thai-USA alliance.

[Bundooman]

4 hours ago, Nowisee said:

Maybe this is plan B by China?      
In 2 years will you'll see the same helicopter being made in and sold by China? 

I just said the same thing in another post - before I saw yours.

Great minds think alike, eh?

 

 

[Expat Brad]

They could have bought water bombers to put out the annual fires. They could have put the money into health and education......anything but this <deleted>!!!

[wisperone]

Actually doesn't sound like a lot of armament... Would think they need that just for training exercises. I assume they are going to want to train the crews so they are experienced when time comes to attack. 

[Morch]

56 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Wise purchase. Their fleet of cobras is aging and large attack choppers are better designed for heavy antiarmor missions which Thailand doesn't have to worry about. Yet at the same time the firepower of these smaller birds is equal to the task of regional conflicts that Thailand will encounter.

 

Another brick too in the long-standing Thai-USA alliance.

 

Wise how?

 

Is the price tag reasonable?

Are these the best they could get for that kinda money?

Are they actually needed for some real purpose/task?

Firepower against whom?

 

Arguably, the "long-standing Thai-USA alliance" would have been better served by spending such funds on infrastructure, social related projects.

[sambum]

17 hours ago, tabarin said:

In the first hour of a real war: All air bases bombed, air craft carrier sinking. Bye money, bye defence.
What a waste of money, they should have bought helicopters for save and rescue.

See #Post 2!

[lubfishin]

I am worried this is just a "Proxy Purchase" for the Chinese military so Thailand can transfer the technology to Chinese defense firms for reverse engineering. Thailand is no longer a friend to the United States as they are now brothers in Arms with CHIna. I can'T believe the US State Department would entrust Thailand with their latest helo tech. 

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

 

Helicopters cost ‘only’ Bt4.2 bn, says Army, not Bt12 bn

By The Nation

 

File Photo: Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree

 

The Royal Thai Army says it paid Bt4.2 billion for eight AH-6i light attack reconnaissance helicopters and associated weapons and equipment from the US, not Bt12 billion as cited in a press release on Tuesday (September 24).

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1125526-helicopters-cost-‘only’-bt42-bn-says-army-not-bt12-bn/

[MartiniMan]

Sure hope they got training on how to use because with an average of IQ of 70 I don't know if they would even qualify for the US Airforce....

[Morch]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

UPDATE:

 

 

Helicopters cost ‘only’ Bt4.2 bn, says Army, not Bt12 bn

By The Nation

 

File Photo: Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree

 

The Royal Thai Army says it paid Bt4.2 billion for eight AH-6i light attack reconnaissance helicopters and associated weapons and equipment from the US, not Bt12 billion as cited in a press release on Tuesday (September 24).

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1125526-helicopters-cost-‘only’-bt42-bn-says-army-not-bt12-bn/

 

OK, that makes more sense price wise (if similar past deals are an indication), but still leaves the question of whether purchasing these helicopters represents a wise choice and a serious priority.

[DUNROAMIN]

18 hours ago, tabarin said:

In the first hour of a real war: All air bases bombed, air craft carrier sinking. Bye money, bye defence.
What a waste of money, they should have bought helicopters for save and rescue.

First question, who is the enemy? Second question, How long would Thailand last if invaded buy a superior force? Last question, What has Thailand got apart from rice fields and rubber trees that anybody would want?

Wow, unbelievable,  highest rate of deaths on the road, in the top five for most polluted, no proper infrastructure for housing development, no waste or sewage management in vast majority of Thailand, Appalling education system and run down schools, second class roads everywhere, no management of communications and media cables across Thailand. Need I go on, however they have got apparently 4.2 Billion Barht for helicopters, Mmmmmm, I think some brain cells missing somewhere.  

[DUNROAMIN]

At that price, guessing they would be used helicopters from the US who has found them to be now obsolete and needs to off load them cheap.

[SteveMack]

I thought the Threat of civil war was over ?

[joloit]

.... and what did a TV-member say the other day?....... “we’re saved!!” ????

[Saint Nick]

People in Ubon are still up to their chins is p*ss and sh*t, but I am glad to see, the government had the priorities right...again!

After all, they can just "attack chopper" the victims out of their misery!

[Sydebolle]

Here goes the rescue fund for the underwater provinces in the lower Isan area ..... now we know! 

Well done, keep up the good work! 

[Reigntax]

9 hours ago, wendyfromoz said:

geez, they are still throwing billions at the military, what about the people?

They will be using The new purchases for the people........ to stop them removing a military government

[Grumpy John]

I keep wondering where the money to  pay for all the new toys is coming from.   The many rail projects must be heading,  like an express train, towards a trillion baht.   With  the underwater taxi's and their support ship,  new armoured vehicles, helos, etc....it's mind boggling!  And old age pensioners receive 700 baht a month to live on....plus free medical....but only in the home province! 

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, DUNROAMIN said:

At that price, guessing they would be used helicopters from the US who has found them to be now obsolete and needs to off load them cheap.

No they are actually new export models.

[Guderian]

Presumably they're to keep all those pesky farangs and their moaning about TM30 under control.

[lvr181]

20 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Gotta keep those citizens in check.

50+200+70 = 320 citizens at least?

 

Provided they are not in groups. Or is that for each helicopter?

[Cake Monster]

An meanwhile, Children go hungry and have poor Education, and the Sick have Sub standard Hospitals and Healthcare.

It wont be long before all the payback for votes and nominations has been done, but the hand of greed will still want more and more., and then things will become really interesting. 

[TDCNINJA]

I'm surprised they they replaced their AH-1F Cobra's with the AH-6i - which is the attack version of the MH-6 Little Bird. The AH-6i is much smaller aircraft primarily used in special operations missions. They are great aircraft but going with the little bird is a step back in terms of lethality and operational mission capabilities. A much better choice would have have been to upgrade their 'F' model (AH-1F) Cobras to the 'Z' model (AH-1Z) Viper variant.

[Humpy]

They would certainly sort out those nasty beach vendors.

[JimmyTheMook]

13 minutes ago, TDCNINJA said:

I'm surprised they they replaced their AH-1F Cobra's with the AH-6i - which is the attack version of the MH-6 Little Bird. The AH-6i is much smaller aircraft primarily used in special operations missions. They are great aircraft but going with the little bird is a step back in terms of lethality and operational mission capabilities. A much better choice would have have been to upgrade their 'F' model (AH-1F) Cobras to the 'Z' model (AH-1Z) Viper variant.

 

The new lil'birds are slated for Thai Spec Ops operations.

 

We train them may as well equip them properly.

 

 

 

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, TDCNINJA said:

I'm surprised they they replaced their AH-1F Cobra's with the AH-6i - which is the attack version of the MH-6 Little Bird. The AH-6i is much smaller aircraft primarily used in special operations missions. They are great aircraft but going with the little bird is a step back in terms of lethality and operational mission capabilities. A much better choice would have have been to upgrade their 'F' model (AH-1F) Cobras to the 'Z' model (AH-1Z) Viper variant.

The lethality is sufficient for this theatre. A fleet of these I think will be easier and cheaper to maintain and still allow the Thais a qualitative advantage over their neighbors.

[PomPolo]

Social welfare and taking care of Thai citizens might have been a better option. 

 

Always worthwhile planning for a war that will never happen unless you plan in the future to invade Bangkok

[thaipod]

So what happened the the Black hawks they purchased a couple of years back