Jet fleet set for Bt3.2-bn boost

[webfact]

Jet fleet set for Bt3.2-bn boost

By JITRAPORN SENAPONG 
THE NATION

 

 

Second phase of modernisation for 14 F-5T fighters in service since 1970s.

 

BANGKOK: -- THE AIR Force on Tuesday won the Cabinet’s nod for its Bt3.2-billion upgrade programme for its fleet of 14 F-5T Tigris jet fighters, some of which have been in service since the late 1970s.

 

Under the latest programme, four aircraft would be overhauled and 10 would be fitted with radar and related equipment. 

The upgrades would bring these veteran attack aircraft close to the capabilities of newer jet fighters such as the Swedish Gripen or even the larger F-16 models.

 

Air Force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai said the Bt3.2-billion budget is for the second and final phase of modernisation after the first phase costing about Bt2 billion was completed in 2014 for 10 jets. Due to the limited budget, radar improvements for these 10 aircraft were not included.

 

The Air Force needs Cabinet endorsement for a spending programme of more than Bt1 billion. 

 

The upgrades will give the aircraft better performance and greater accuracy in firing its weapons.

 

 

The F5, introduced in the early 1960s by the US Air Force, has long been familiar to Thais and citizens of other countries that are allies of the United States. 

 

Produced by Northrop Corp, the aircraft were popular arms exports in the older days due to their low price and operating cost.

 

Thailand acquired 20 of the first 45 original F-5 aircraft from 1979-80, so they are relatively old. 

 

However, they have already gone through two major upgrades over the past decades to keep them in fighting condition.

 

The first batch of 20 F-5E/F fighters were stationed in the southern province of Surat Thani from 1979-80, while five F-5Es were added to the battalion in 1988. 

 

In 1981, 20 F-5Es and F-5Fs were dispatched to the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani.

 

To keep them up-to-date, they underwent a major upgrade every 10 years. The first was in 1989 for 39 aircraft. The long-range Python-3 air-to-air missile system was also installed to boost the aircrafts’ combat capabilities.

 

While the F-5 jet fighters were well-received among US allies in Asia and other regions, they were never used in combat by the US.

 

From 2000 to 2003, 27 F-5Es and four F-5Fs were given the second major upgrade by an Israeli firm. 

 

Of them, 16 had their safety system enhanced while 15 saw a second major upgrade to boost combat capabilities.

 

These 15 aircraft were significantly modified and renamed F-5T Tigris with sophisticated computer and weapon systems, including the Python-4 missile system.

 

While many of these aircraft were supposed to retire some time ago, the Air Force decided a few years ago to help save the state’s budget following a major flood by extending the lifespan of the remaining aircraft with another major upgrade.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30322603

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-03

[Thian]

Yes they really need that, is much more important than a good floodingsystem....

[observer90210]

The money should have been used to speed up immigration visa renewals and to put in place, well paid and honest immigration officials!!!

Edited August 2, 2017 by observer90210

[Ricardo]

" Air Force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai said the Bt3.2-billion budget is for the second and final phase of modernisation after the first phase costing about Bt2 billion was completed in 2014 for 10 jets. Due to the limited budget, radar improvements for these 10 aircraft were not included. "

 

Keeping 40-year-old planes fit-for-purpose, and stretching-out the actual cost of doing so, nobody can say that the military are being profligrate in this particular case, unless of course they would prefer to pay for modern replacement-aircraft instead ?

[Thechook]

More money being spent on military toys.  Aren't there more important issues to attend to like the ongoing flooding crisis, contaminated beaches and waterways and proper infrastructure.  Let's not even mention health, education and the elderly as a few generals standing around with boners looking at toys seems to take priority for this administration.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Thechook

[worgeordie]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

Yes they really need that, is much more important than a good floodingsystem....

Or even fix the electrical system,when every time it rains,there are blackouts,

but I suppose its the Airforces turn,the Navy is getting Subs,the Army ,tanks.

regards Worgeordie

[Cadbury]

19 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Or even fix the electrical system,when every time it rains,there are blackouts,

but I suppose its the Airforces turn,the Navy is getting Subs,the Army ,tanks.

regards Worgeordie

Yes there has to be fairness all round. Many hours of fun and enjoyment for the boys and girls playing with their new toys. After a while they will end up being thrown in the toybox along with all the other broken toys. 

[chainarong]

It's good to see the cockpit is to be upgraded with radar and other relevant equipment, one would have thought that even that old they would have had a radar screen,  however they are old , and they are only up grading existing fleet, it don't matter if  the airframe is nearly out of use, or though this wont  please China , however you can only please some,  some of the time , they actually do need new aircraft and if they continue to balk at replacement when the time comes it will blow the budget out into the stratosphere , I suggest the F22,  three squadrons and afew B2 bombers like 100 of them , I'll take a  25% cut....................................

Edited August 3, 2017 by chainarong

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

However, they have already gone through two major upgrades over the past decades to keep them in fighting condition.

One could say the same thing about the mia-noi fleeet.

 

[YetAnother]

now thailand can fend off all those vicious enemies; o , sorry, all those perceived enemies

Edited August 3, 2017 by YetAnother

[maewang99]

they're gonna need a lot than just new jet fighters. 

read this morning's Guardian.  then.... ponder yourself for a moment.... the *****number***** of folks involved in that... and where.  just on the other side of the gulf (uuummm... from our perspective up here in Chiangmai). & they ain't all going to be invited to become Chinese... that's what Xi's old fashioned soldier show was about maybe (we always have to guess). border security. what else could they at all be useful for when even the DPRK has thermonuclrear nukes??????? helloooooooooo????

ya do know those puppies can be dialed up to any explosive power rating ya pretty much choose, yes ???? that's how we know KIm Jung Un ain't crazy. not at all. even if we Americans now prefer ours to be crazy... and that H bombs are 'just bigger versions of the stuff we dropped on the Japs'... yeah right.... yet another comfortable little narrative.... but not "real" physics (sound at all familiar, the narratives over physics thing?)

... but China, like India, also has a "real" population/Climate bomb....

The Guardian says it begins now. in dribs and drabs at first.....

but where do they go? just stay and die? that's not how it has worked out in other times and places.. and it ain't what I would do... so how do you figure out anything but a very real problem... and not very far away from here at all??????









 

Edited August 3, 2017 by maewang99

[Ricardo]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

More money being spent on military toys.  Aren't there more important issues to attend to like the ongoing flooding crisis, contaminated beaches and waterways and proper infrastructure.  Let's not even mention health, education and the elderly as a few generals standing around with boners looking at toys seems to take priority for this administration.

So rather than making-do, and extending the life of these almost-40-year-old planes, you would prefer the RTAF to spend a whole lot more, and buy newer more-expensive toys ?

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

While many of these aircraft were supposed to retire some time ago, the Air Force decided a few years ago to help save the state’s budget following a major flood by extending the lifespan of the remaining aircraft with another major upgrade.

...  and even that upgrade was staggered, this is merely the completion of the remaining aircraft, and as the OP says the military had already rejected spending on brand-new planes at that time, in deference to more-urgent spending on flood-recovery.

 

Heaven knows I'm no great defender of military-spending, the submarines being the classic recent example of waste, but sometimes they seem to be doing the right thing, as appears to be the case this time.

 

Thai military-spending overall is about 1.5% of GDP, which is not excessive compared to the country's neighbours.

 

http://thediplomat.com/2016/09/the-truth-about-thailands-2017-defense-budget-hike/

[Psimbo]

2 hours ago, Ricardo said:

" Air Force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai said the Bt3.2-billion budget is for the second and final phase of modernisation after the first phase costing about Bt2 billion was completed in 2014 for 10 jets. Due to the limited budget, radar improvements for these 10 aircraft were not included. "

 

Keeping 40-year-old planes fit-for-purpose, and stretching-out the actual cost of doing so, nobody can say that the military are being profligrate in this particular case, unless of course they would prefer to pay for modern replacement-aircraft instead ?

Therein lies the rub. Thailand  purchases up to date Gripens - Thaigeezers in an uproar. Thailand refurbishes 40 year old airframes- Thaigeezers in an uproar.

 

It's a lose-lose situation  (on here!). Some aircraft (B-52s for example) have been in service elsewhere in the world since the 1950s with updates. These airframes were introduced to Thailand 20 years into the production run in  1979/80 so are not that old. The UK is still flying Tornadoes that age.

 

The F5 is a good airframe for second world countries like Thailand and its world wide sales reflect this.

 

10 year refurbishments for aircraft is pretty normal and imagine the outrage on here if we read  'old  and out dated aircraft crash'!

Edited August 3, 2017 by Psimbo

[Morch]

8 hours ago, Ricardo said:

" Air Force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai said the Bt3.2-billion budget is for the second and final phase of modernisation after the first phase costing about Bt2 billion was completed in 2014 for 10 jets. Due to the limited budget, radar improvements for these 10 aircraft were not included. "

 

Keeping 40-year-old planes fit-for-purpose, and stretching-out the actual cost of doing so, nobody can say that the military are being profligrate in this particular case, unless of course they would prefer to pay for modern replacement-aircraft instead ?

 

If I remember correctly, the plan is/was to retire the F-5's mid-end next decade. Meaning this is the last upgrade round. Difficult to assess the merits of the upgrade without a clear insight into future plans and without considering parallel purchases (for example, a recent topic dealt with buying South Korean made aircraft). Adding available budgets and secondary costs would help as well, but no chance all details will be made available (or that those available can be trusted).

 

Agree with you (and with the other poster who commented along similar lines), that there's no pleasing some. Then again, it is a fair question if Thailand needs as many aircraft/ships/tanks/whatever for its national defense. All the more so when other areas of national interest are neglected.

[Morch]

7 hours ago, chainarong said:

It's good to see the cockpit is to be upgraded with radar and other relevant equipment, one would have thought that even that old they would have had a radar screen,  however they are old , and they are only up grading existing fleet, it don't matter if  the airframe is nearly out of use, or though this wont  please China , however you can only please some,  some of the time , they actually do need new aircraft and if they continue to balk at replacement when the time comes it will blow the budget out into the stratosphere , I suggest the F22,  three squadrons and afew B2 bombers like 100 of them , I'll take a  25% cut....................................

 

Thailand approves $258-million purchase of South Korean fighter jets

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-southkorea-defense-idUSKBN19W0R9