10 Agustus 2020
C130H aircraft of the RTAF (photo : Ratchapon Pipitsombat)
Thai Enquirer said that the cabinet meeting on August 4 approved a budget of 952 million baht earmarked for 2020-2022 to improve capacity of C-130 aircraft.
Last year RTAF update its C-130H transport fleet with the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade. The Series 3.5 upgrade allows T56 engines to operate at greatly reduced temperatures, extending parts life and improving reliability by 22 per cent. It is available for installation on T56 engines powering either C-130 or P-3 legacy aircraft.
The Series 3.5 upgrade will help the Royal Thai Air Force to reduce operational costs due to reduced maintenance requirements and potential fuel savings exceeding 12 per cent. It will also enable the fleet to remain in service until at least 2040.
No details about this year's C-130 improvements, it is expected that it could be a structural upgrade or other necessary improvements.
According to World Air Forces 2020 data Royal Thai Air Force operates 12 C-130H aircraft.
(Defense Studies)