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| Image: Flickr User - PACAF |
A Royal Thai Air Force C-130 aircraft lands at Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, during Cope Tiger 13, March 15, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Jake Bailey) >>
BANGKOK, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Air Force is looking to procure a new fleet of transport aircraft in near future, an Air Force source said on Friday.
Competition for the planned procurement of new transport planes might probably emerge between Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation Y-9 and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
However, rivalry might as well arise from a third manufacturing country apart from China and the United States, whereas details of the procurement plan are yet to be formulated, he said.
Retiring Air Force chief Trithod Sonchaeng confirmed earlier that his service was looking to buy a new fleet of turboprop-engined transport aircraft to replace a dozen C-130H Hercules transport planes, deployed by the Thai Air Force since 1980.
His successor, newly-named Air Force chief Jom Roongsawang who is scheduled to assume the post next month, is likely to take into account such aircraft procurement plans, the source said.
Read the full story at Xinhua