To overcome the potential lack of budget and to educate the defence community about its requirements, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has released its White Paper for the FY 2020-2030, highlighting an extensive list of key requirements. The document has also emphasised the need to increase its capabilities in the cyber, network centric warfare and space domains – the latter it said would enhance its intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) skills along with its command and control functions.
In FY 2020, the RTAF has been allocated THB 42.4 billion – a 2.24% year on year increase. However, it added that although the budget has increased in monetary terms, the budgetary proportion to the GDP has been ‘continuously declining’ over the past ten years. TRAINERS First on the list is the replacement of its Pilatus PC-9 turboprop training aircraft slated for retirement by 2023 and budgeted THB 5.2 billion for 12 platforms across four years. Pilatus, Beechcraft and KAI
Read more in the current issue of DRA (Free to read with registration or via Facebook/Linkedin): https://defencereviewasia.partica.online/defence-review-asia/dra-april-2020/features/royal-thai-air-force-outlines-procurement-priorities
