HTMS Chakri Naruebet
HTMS Chakri Naruebet in the South China Sea in 2001
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History | |
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Thailand | |
Name | Chakri Naruebet |
Namesake | Sovereign of the Chakri Dynasty |
Ordered | 27 March 1992 |
Builder | Bazán, Ferrol, Spain |
Cost | US$285 million (1993)[1] |
Laid down | 12 July 1994 |
Launched | 20 January 1996 |
Commissioned | 27 March 1997 |
Homeport | Sattahip Naval Base |
Identification | 911 |
Motto | Rule The Sky, Rule The Sea (ครองเวหา ครองนที) |
Status | in active service |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Type | Light aircraft carrier |
Displacement | 11,486 full load |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draught | 6.12 m (20 ft 1 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph) (maximum) |
Range | 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Troops | Up to 675 |
Complement |
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Sensors and processing systems |
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Electronic warfare & decoys |
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Armament |
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Aircraft carried |
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Aviation facilities |
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HTMS Chakri Naruebet (911) (
The aircraft carrier was designed to operate an air group of
Chakri Naruebet has been deployed on several
Design
The original plan was to acquire a 7,800-
Chakri Naruebet while still operating with Matadors was the smallest aircraft carrier with a fixed wing air group in operation in the world. She
Chakri Naruebet is propelled by a
Armament and aircraft
Chakri Naruebet is fitted with two .50 caliber machine guns, and three Matra Sadral sextuple
The carrier was designed to operate an air group of up to six
The Matador was a first-generation export version of the
The
Sensors and countermeasures
The sensor suite of Chakri Naruebet consists of a Hughes SPS-52C air search radar operating on the E/F band, and two Kelvin-Hughes 1007 navigational radars.[10] There are provisions to install an SPS-64 surface search radar and a hull-mounted sonar, but neither has been fitted as of 2008.[10][13] Fire control facilities are also yet to be fitted.[10]
The carrier is equipped with four SRBOC decoy launchers,[13] and an SLQ-25 towed decoy.[citation needed]
In April 2012 Saab won a contract to upgrade Chakri Naruebet's command and control systems. This will include fitting a 9LV Mk4 command and control system to the ship as well as a Sea Giraffe AMB radar and improved datalinks.[17]
During a network-centric exercise of the Royal Thai Navy in March 2021 networked data links were established between Gripen fighters and HTMS Chakri Naruebet, HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Taksin for the first time.[18]
Construction
Work on the Thai carrier commenced in October 1993, although it was not until 12 July 1994 that the hull was
Role and operational history
Chakri Naruebet is the first aircraft carrier to be operated by a
Naval commentators usually consider Chakri Naruebet to be less an aircraft carrier and more the world's largest and most expensive royal yacht, while the Thai media have nicknamed the ship "Thai-tanic", and consider her to be a white elephant.[11][9]
Between 4 and 7 November 1997, Chakri Naruebet participated in disaster relief operations following the passage of Tropical Storm Linda across the Gulf of Thailand and the Kra Isthmus.[20] The carrier's main task was to search for and assist any fishing vessels affected by the storm.[20]
Flooding in the
In January 2003 after the burning of the Royal Thai Embassy in Cambodia, she was sent for her only "show of force" type mission to date; as an "insurance" policy for the Pochentong-1 evacuation plan.
Following an
In November 2010, the ship was involved in flood relief operations following the
On 11 January 2021, the RTN reported two sailors from Chakri Naruebet were confirmed positive for COVID-19 after visiting the Pah Daeng beer house in the Sattahip district.[24]
In 2021 it was reported that Chakri Naruebet usually spends only a day each month at sea, though it had recently sailed through the Singapore Strait. The ship is open to tourists when it is docked at its home port.[25]
See also
Citations
- ^ "Principe de Asturias Class - Archived 3/99". Forecast International. March 1998. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Thailand has an aircraft carrier without any aircraft". Business Insider. 12 December 2015. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Werthem (ed.), Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 772
- ^ a b Pike (ed.), Chakri Naruebet
- ^ a b Chakri Naruebet, Thailand, naval-technology.com
- ^ a b c "Harrier creates challenges for Royal Thai Navy". Flight International. 5 November 1997. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d Goebel, Harriers in Service and the Falklands War
- ^ a b c d e f g Carpenter & Wiencek, Asian Security Handbook 2000, p. 302
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Saunders (ed.) Jane's Fighting Ships 2008–2009, p. 786
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bishop & Chant, Aircraft Carriers, p. 88
- ^ a b c Ireland, The Illustrated Guide to Aircraft Carriers of the World, p. 249
- ^ a b c d e f Bishop & Chant, Aircraft Carriers, p. 89
- ^ "HTMS Chakri Naruebet (CVS-911) Conventionally-Powered Aircraft Carrier - Thailand (1997)". Military Factory. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ Dunn, The Harrier: Overseas Service
- ^ Cooper, End of a Legend
- ^ "Saab receives order from Thailand regarding upgrading of command and control system". Press release. Saab. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ "RTAF Gripen Participates in Network Centric Exercise". 5 September 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021.
- ^ "Thousands Greet New Aircraft Carrier". The Nation. Thailand. 5 August 1997. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Chakri Nauebet disaster relief missions, Royal Thai Navy
- ^ Earth Times, Thai aircraft carrier used as floating kitchen
- ^ "Thailand hit by second wave of floods". The Herald. 3 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
- ^ Bangkok Post, "Navy races South to aid victims"
- ^ "Checks reveal carrier crew are not carriers". Bangkok Post.
- ^ Axe, David (31 March 2021). "The World's Weirdest Aircraft Carrier Just Reappeared Near Singapore". Forbes. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
References
Books
- Bishop, Chris; Chant, Christopher (2004). Aircraft Carriers: the world's greatest naval vessels and their aircraft. London: MBI. OCLC 56646560.
- Carpenter, William M.; Wiencek, David G. (2000). Asian Security Handbook 2000. M. E. Sharpe. ISBN 978-0-7656-0715-7.
- Ireland, Bernard (2008) [2005]. The Illustrated Guide to Aircraft Carriers of the World. London: Anness Publishing. OCLC 156616762.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2008). Jane's Fighting Ships 2008-2009 (111th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. OCLC 225431774.
- Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. OCLC 140283156.
Journal and news articles
- "Navy races South to aid victims". Bangkok Post. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- Cooper, Peter (8 March 2011). "End of a Legend - Harrier Farewell". Pacific Wings Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- "Thai aircraft carrier used as floating kitchen". Earth Times. 3 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
Websites
- Dunn, Paul (7 December 2010). "The Harrier: Overseas Service". Global Aviation Resource. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
- Goebel, Greg. "Harriers in Service and the Falklands War". The full story of the Harrier "Jump-Jet". WingWeb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
- "Chakri Naruebet, Thailand". naval-technology.com. SPG Media. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- Pike, John, ed. (9 August 2011). "Chakri Naruebet". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- "Chakri Nauebet disaster relief missions" (in Thai). Royal Thai Navy. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.