For more than a decade, Thailand has operated a networked national air defence system that covers all of Thailand’s territory. The most visible elements of this net-centric warfare (NCW) capability are the Gripen fighters and Erieye AEW&C aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), but this system is more than an air force asset.
Thailand’s independent, national datalink system integrates RTAF airborne platforms with its wider national air surveillance radar network and multiple vessels of the Royal Thai Navy. This secure, high-speed, command-and-control (C2) system therefore links multiple elements of the Royal Thai Armed Forces at an operational level while also providing real-time data to the strategic commanders and national decision-makers. The next step in Thailand’s NCW modernisation plan will deliver upgrades to the Erieye systems.
This system was delivered through a combined ‘Team Sweden’ contract with the Swedish government and industry; Sweden’s Defence Material Administration (FMV) is the contract owner while the required equipment is supplied by Saab, supported by Thai industry partners. The capabilities of the system have been progressively improved and Thailand is now looking at new phases of further enhancements.
The RTAF is looking to upgrade its Saab 340 Erieye AEW&C aircraft as the next step in Thailand’s NCW modernisation plan.
Over time, Thailand has carefully modernised and improved all aspects of the system. For example, the backbone of the C2 system – known as ACCS (Air Command and Control System) and based on Saab’s 9AIRC4I product, was upgraded under a 2018 contract with Saab. A long-term Transfer of Technology programme has delivered local capacity to maintain and develop the national datalink. The latest MS20 upgrade for the Gripen fleet brings further enhancements to the overall NCW environment and this will continue through regular future software upgrades for the fighters.
Beyond this current activity, Thailand is looking at the potential to expand its NCW capability into a fully joint, tri-service network that would integrate Royal Thai Army assets for the first time. This logical growth path is made possible by the basic system architecture acquired by Thailand from Sweden that permits local adaptions that can be applied to all Thai assets in accordance to national, independent, security policy. In this respect alone, Thailand’s NCW system remains a powerful sovereign capability that is unmatched in the region.
The Tournai, the third vessel in the Belgian-Dutch robotic Mine Counter Measure (rMCM) programme, was launched on 2nd July 2024…
Turkish Airlines has placed an order for four additional Boeing 777 Freighters, further solidifying its position in the global air…
Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has increased its cargo handling capacity by 60% at Adolfo…
The Indonesian Navy (TNI Angkatan Laut/TNI AL) is set to enhance its Military Sealift Command (Komando Lintas Laut Militer/Kolinlamil) by…
Estonian developer of robotics and autonomous systems, Milrem Robotics, has opened a centre of excellence for ground robotics in Poland.…
AirAsia X (AAX) has introduced a new route to Nairobi, Kenya, via Kuala Lumpur, starting on 15 November 2024. This…
PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) is actively seeking to expand its market reach into Africa and Latin America, focusing on the…
Korean Air has revised its cabin service protocols to bolster passenger and crew safety in response to increasing turbulence incidents,…
Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’s largest airline has signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for the purchase…
Boeing has delivered the first CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopter to the U.S. Army as part of the service’s ongoing…
Air Astana is set to increase its flight services between Kazakhstan and China, following new agreements from the China-Central Asia…
Emirates has announced the first cities to be served by its newly refurbished Boeing 777 cabin interiors. The airline will…
Airbus has signed a binding term sheet agreement with Spirit AeroSystems, considering the potential acquisition of several major Airbus-related activities.…
Jens Fehlinger has been named the new CEO of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), effective 1 October 2024. He will…
The Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement (OCCAR) has commissioned Fincantieri to construct the fourth submarine in the U212NFS…
French shipbuilder Naval Group has handed over the Gowind corvette Al Emarat to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday (Jun.…
TE Connectivity (TE), a leader in connectivity and sensors, has expanded its VITA 66 optical backplane interconnect family with the…
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to provide Net-Enabled Weapons (NEW) capability for the MQ-9B…
Boeing has completed the upgrade and life extension of the first two service life modification (SLM) F/A-18 Block III Super…
Safran Helicopter Engines and MTU Aero Engines have formed a joint venture to enable the joint development of a new…
Preliminary May 2024 traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show solid expansion in both international…
Leonardo has announced that its AW609 tiltrotor programme set another major industry capability milestone after its first successful ship trial,…
Challenge Group and China Henan Aviation, the holding company of Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (IATA: CGO), have signed a Memorandum…
At a recent event held at Kopter's facility in Mollis, Switzerland, Leonardo announced the appointment of Aero Facility as the…
Vard Marine Inc. (VARD), part of Fincantieri, has announced Thordon Bearings Inc. as a preferred supplier for the VIGILANCE project,…
The GOES-U weather satellite, constructed by Lockheed Martin for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was launched from NASA's…
Sener, a Spanish industrial engineering and technology group, has delivered the first units of servo-actuators for the Lilium Jet, which…
Indonesian state-owned land systems defence company, PT PINDAD, has announced plans to develop a lighter version of the Harimau (Tiger)…
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is reportedly exploring the potential procurement of Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO: Felon) or South…
Korean Air has announced an expansion of its cargo Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programme in partnership with global logistics company…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.