TSAMTO, March 3. The delegation of the Thai Air Force visited the production line of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Sacheon, where it inspected the assembly of the T-50TH Golden Eagle jet TCB designed for the country's Air Force.
As reported by Aagth1.blogspot.com According to the results of the visit, the Thai Air Force published relevant photos and information on social networks about the progress of the program. In the presented collection of photographic materials, the last two ordered T-50TH TCB under the numbers "T-50TN 013" and "T-50TH 014" are presented on the assembly line.
As already reported by TSAMTO, the first information about the intention of the Thai Air Force to conclude a contract for the supply of two additional T-50TH TCB appeared in mid-July 2021. 2.36 billion rubles were allocated for procurement in the budget for 2022. baht (about $72 million).
On August 2, 2021, South Korea Aerospace Industries announced the signing of a contract with the Thai Air Force Command for the supply of two T-50TH Golden Eagles. According to the Yonhap agency, the cost of the agreement amounted to $ 78 million. The contract provided for the supply of two T-50TH TCBMS, related equipment, as well as support, maintenance and training packages. Under the terms of the agreement, all work should be completed by November 2023.
The purchase of two additional vehicles will increase the T-50TH fleet of the Thai Air Force to 14 units. The first agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries for the supply of four T-50TH TCBMS was signed by the Thai Air Force in September 2015. Its cost was 3.7 billion. baht ($110 million). The contract for the supply of eight more T-50TH aircraft was signed with KAI on July 29, 2017. The cost of the order is estimated at 8.8 billion. baht ($258 million).
The delivery of the Thai Air Force TCB began in January 2018. In April 2018, the first four T-50TH were officially adopted. As of August 2021, the delivery of 8 aircraft was reported. All TCCs were adopted by the 401st Squadron of the 4th Air Wing, which was previously equipped with outdated L-39ZA/ART "Albatross".
As part of the third phase of the project, a contract worth 60 billion was signed in 2019. won ($52 million), which provides for the modernization of aircraft with their equipment with the EL/M-2032 radar, radar radiation warning system and other equipment.
At the fourth stage of the project, it was originally planned to purchase 4 additional aircraft, but the COVID-19 pandemic made adjustments to the plans of the Thai Air Force. In February 2020, the Thai Air Force published a "White Paper on Defense", which is a plan for the procurement and modernization of weapons in the near future. One of the points was the purchase of two additional T-50TS by 2022. Nevertheless, in April 2020, the Thai government decided to suspend the purchase of additional T-50TH TCBMS in order to redirect funds from the defense budget to measures to overcome the crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-2021, the program resumed. Delivery of the remaining two T-50TH is likely to take place in early 2024.
The T-50TH light fighter/ training aircraft of the Thai Air Force is a version of the KAI T-50 jet training aircraft, which is integrated with the Link-TH data transmission network system developed in Thailand and is capable of using short-range IRIS-T air-to-air missiles of the German Diehl. KAI also offered to upgrade the aircraft to the FA-50 Block standard.20 with the possibility of using the Sniper ATP container guidance module and AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missiles.
