Royal Thai Navy



The Royal Thai Navy (กองทัพเรือ) is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the Naval Fleet, and the Royal Thai Marine Corps. The Royal Thai Navy operates out of Sattahip Naval Base. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country which operates an Aircraft carrier though it is used as a pure helicopter carrier with the retirement of the Harrier fighter wing.

The Royal Thai Navy operates in three Naval Area Commands: The Royal Thai Navy also has two air wings, operating 40 fixed-wing aircraft and 30 helicopters from Utapao, Songkhla and Phuket. The First Royal Thai Navy wing has 4 squadrons and the Second Royal Thai Navy wing has 3 squadrons. Moreover, the Royal Thai Navy also consists of 1 Royal Thai Marine Corps division, 1 Air and Coastal Defence Division, Royal Thai Navy SEALs and 1 Riverine Patrol Regiment.
 * First Naval Area Command: responsible for the Northern part of Gulf of Thailand
 * Second Naval Area Command: responsible for the Southern part of Gulf of Thailand
 * Third Naval Area Command: responsible for the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean)

The United States Navy and Royal Thai Navy conduct the annual joint operation Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Philippines.

Command and Control
The Royal Thai Navy is commanded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, currently Admiral Surasak Rounroengrom, who was appointed in 2011. The Royal Thai Navy Headquarters is located in Derm Palace, Wang Derm Road, Bangkok, Thailand.


 * Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Surasak Rounroengrom
 * Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Narong Pipattanasai
 * President, Royal Thai Navy Advisory Group: Admiral Amorntep Na Bangchang
 * Assistant Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Polawat Sirodom
 * Chief of Staff, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Jakchai Poocharoenyos
 * Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Fleet: Admiral Kanat Thongpool

Fleet
The majority of the vessels of the Royal Thai Navy are from the United States (nearly half, over 50 of RTN's 130+ vessels). However, RTN also has craft from Spain, Britain, Italy, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Netherlands, People's Republic of China and Australia. Additionally, Thailand does produce many of their own vessels, in particular those of smaller displacement.

Thai dock for example Royal Thai Naval Dockyard, Asian Marine Services, Marsun Shipbuilding, Italthai Marine, and Bangkok Dock. Thai dock built Corvette, OPV, and Patrol Boat. Future Thai dock plan built Frigate.

Other Vessels

 * Amphibious warfare ships: 14, including 1 LPD, 2 LST, 9 LCU
 * Patrol boats: 68
 * Mekong River Patrol Boats: 193 (Including 40 Mk.II class PBR)
 * Mine Counter Measure Vessels: 19
 * Fleet support ships: 15

Main Fleet

 * Mid-life upgrade of the Naresuan Class FFG - On 3 June 2011, Saab announced that it was awarded a contract for the upgrading of the two Naresuan class frigates. The scope of the upgrade will include Saab's 9LV MK4 combat management system, Sea Giraffe AMB, CEROS 200 fire control radar, EOS 500 electro-optics system and data link systems for communications with the newly acquired Royal Thai Air Force Erieye surveillance aircraft. After the upgraded, Naresuan Class FFG will be equipped with a Mk 41 VLS with maximum of 32 RIM-162 ESSM.


 * Submarine procurement - On 13 October 2013, The Royal Thai Navy plans to complete the construction of a submarine squadron headquarters and training centre in March next year, despite not having any submarines in its fleet. Construction on the project began last year at Chon Buri's Sattahip Naval Base. The navy is eyeing the purchase of at least three submarines as part of its next 10-year procurement plan.


 * New offshore patrol vessels (OPV) - In late 2009, Royal Thai Navy announced the construction of a 2000 ton, 75m long OPV based on BAE Systems Surface Ships's Port of Spain class corvette. The total requirement of Royal Thai Navy is four OPVs, based on this design, to be constructed in Thailand. The new OPV will be equipped with Otobreda 76 mm/62 Super Rapid main gun, 2 x DS-30M 30 mm Cannon, and 2x .50 MG with the projection to be equipped with SSM when needed. Others 3 OPV required.


 * New landing platform dock ship - The Thai Cabinet approved a package of defence modernization deals in a meeting on 9 September 2008. This clears the RTN to purchase an LPD to be designed and built by ST Marine of Singapore, believed to be based on the Endurance-class LPD. The ship will be delivered in 2012 at a cost of around US$150million. The HTMS Angthong (791) was launched on the 21 March 2011.


 * New frigates - On 21 April 2013, Navy announced that the South Korea has been chosen to build 2 new multi-role frigates for Royal Thai Navy. The procurement will be divide into 2 phases, 1 ship for each phase, span approximate 5 years. On 30 July 2013 The cabinet approved first phase of the program. On 4 August 2013 Navy announced the rough specification of the new frigate which will be base on South Korea KDX-1 Destroyer . New frigate will include the ability to launch RIM-162 ESSM, unknown model of Vertical-Launch anti-submarine rocket and a data link system to communicate with Naresuan Class Frigate and Royal Thai Air Force . The ship is FFBNW (Fit For But Not With) the RIM-66 Standard MR or SM-2MR, but SAAB still cannot integrate the missile to their system. It's still the future upgrade plan. Royal Thai navy also planned to build second frigate in Mahidol Adulyadej naval dockyard.


 * Transferred Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate - On 9 January 2013, United States offer to transfer 2 old Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates to Thailand. However, this offer is still inconclusive as there is no reply from Thai Navy yet.

RTN Flying Unit

 * New tactical transport helicopter - In April 2006, the Thai Navy requested permission from the United States to buy six MH-60S Navy Hawks. An agreement of purchase was signed in June 2007, and the first two aircraft were delivered in August 2011.


 * VIP and MEDEVAC aircraft - The Royal Thai Navy received a single Embraer ERJ-135 jet in late 2008, followed by an order for a second aircraft in October 2009; both aircraft were outfitted with medical evacuation kits, as well as being used for official transportation.

RTN Marine Corps and SEALs

 * New armoured personnel carrier (APC) - RTN signed a contact to procure 12 BTR-3s from Ukraine in mid-2007, the first of which began arriving in December 2010, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.

Indigenous products

 * Small patrol ship - The King of Thailand, initiated a project to build and commission a small new patrol craft, the T.991 Class in 2002. The first ship, T.991, was built in the Royal Thai Navy Dock. Another two, T.992 and T.993, was built by Mason Shipbuilding in Thailand. The first ship was commissioned on 30 April 2007.


 * Local-build OPV - On 11 November 2008, the Cabinet approveed the plan to build a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) in a deal worth three billion baht ($USD 85 million). Although RTN still did not unveil the design, the vessel will be built in Mahidol dockyard in Thailand.


 * Underwater craft - Naval Research & Development Office of Royal Thai Navy has awarded contacts to Bangkok Dockyard Co., Ltd. to build an Underwater craft. The craft is 20 tons in displacement and cost 5 million Baht.

Future developments

 * M151A2 mod - The Amphibious vehicle.

Royal Thai Naval Air Division

 * Maritime patrol plane: 27
 * Military transport plane: 11
 * Sea helicopter: 8
 * Military transport helicopter: 18
 * Unmanned aerial vehicle: 2

Royal Thai Naval Air and Coastal Defence Command
Coastal Defense Command was formed in 1992 under the control of the Royal Fleet Headquarters, with one coastal defence regiment (equipped with 155 mm artillery) and one air defence regiment (equipped with 40 mm and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns as well as HN-5A MANPADs). Personnel were initially drawn from the Royal Thai Marine Corps but are now being recruited directly. The First Coastal Defence Regiment is based near the Marine Corps facility at Sattahip. The First Air Defence Regiment near the Naval Air Wing at Utapao. Coastal Defence Command was greatly expanded in 1992, following the government's decision in 1988 to charge the RTN with the responsibility of defending the entire Eastern Seaboard and Southern Seaboard Development Project. The Second Air Defence Regiment, based at Songkhla, was then formed on the following year. Some analysts believe this element will eventually grow to a strength of up to 15,000. They also interested in S-300 or S-400 SAM to upgrade their air defnse system.


 * The First Air Defence Regiment; to perform an Anti-aircraft warfare on Northern Gulf of Thailand with 3 Anti-aircraft Battalions.
 * The Second Air Defence Regiment; to perform an Anti-aircraft warfare on Southern Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea with 3 Anti-aircraft Battalions.
 * The First Coastal Defence Regiment, having 3 Artillery Battalions.
 * 2 Air and Coastal Defence Command and Control Centers.
 * Air and Coastal Defence Supporting Regiment; 1 transportation battalion, 1 communication battalion, 1 maintenance battalion.


 * Equipment
 * QW-18 MANPADs.
 * Modified PL-9 Surface-to-air missiles.
 * Type 74, twin 37 mm Anti-aircraft Artillery
 * Bofors 40L60 and 40L70 40 mm Anti-aircraft Artillery
 * Type 59-I 130mm towed field artilleries
 * GHN-45 towed howitzers