Harrier in Thailand

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Member for

16 years

Posts: 353

Does anyone have info on the Thai harriers in use? Seems they were semi-active for a few years after coming from Spain, then dropped off. Status? semi active/retired/stored/theorietically capable of flight???? Any recent flights, or when was the last flight?

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 564

As far as I know they are all out of service.
I landed in U-Tapoa from a oil rig back about 2006 and they were all lined up just south of the civilian terminal.There is one on display at the entrance to the civilian terminal and the rest are under shelters nearbye!The aircraft carrier never moved and sits in the dock in Sattahip harbor,all can be seen on google earth.

Member for

19 years 9 months

Posts: 1,777

They didn't last long in service, and the ship seemed to be used more often as a Royal yacht than an aircraft carrier.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 3,614

From Wiki:

Chakri Naruebet was ordered in 1992, launched in 1996, and commissioned into the RTN in 1997.

The aircraft carrier is designed to operate an air group of V/STOL fighter aircraft and helicopters, and is fitted with a ski-jump. Initial intentions were to operate a mixed air group of Matador V/STOL aircraft and S-70B Seahawk helicopters.

However, by 1999, only one Matador was operational, and the entire V/STOL fleet was removed from service in 2006. Although Chakri Naruebet was intended for patrols and force projection in Thai waters, a lack of funding brought on by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis meant the carrier has spent much of her career docked at the Sattahip naval base.

Chakri Naruebet has been deployed on several disaster relief operations, including in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and in response to separate flooding incidents in late 2010 and early 2011. Other than disaster relief, the carrier's few other departures from port are for a single training day per month, and transportation of the Royal Family of Thailand, leading to claims by some naval commentators that the ship is merely an oversized royal yacht.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,435

Thai Harriers: Power projection but in reality a failed vanity project? It would be interesting to know the full story. The aircraft for the museum appears to be in excellent cosmetic condition.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 564

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taken in 2012

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