The Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), South Korean sole aircraft manufacturer, said on Monday that it has received a US$78 million deal to supply trainer jets to Thailand. Under the deal, KAI will supply two T-50TH advanced trainer jets to the Royal Thai Air Force’s (RTAF’s) by November 2023, the company said in a regulatory filing.
So far, KAI has bagged $400 million worth of deals to supply 16 T-50 trainer jets to date from Thailand. The RTAF has ordered the aircrafts in three batches. Four and eight T-50TH aircraft were ordered in 2015 and 2017 for a total cost of THB12.5 billion. Eight of these aircraft have been delivered. The current order is the third batch and was delayed due to COVID-19.
The T-50TH is replacing the RTAF’s Aero Vodochody L-39ZA Albatros lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT)/light attack aircraft operated by its light attack 401 squadron in central Thailand.
KAI has exported 156 trainer jets worth US$3.1 billion — 72 T-50 advanced trainer jets worth $2.6 billion and 84 KT-1 basic trainer jets worth $700 million — to countries that include Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, Peru and the Philippines since its foundation in 1999.
KAI exported 64 units of the T-50 line aircraft to Indonesia, Philippines, Iran and Thailand.