Boeing personnel test-fly Thailand's first AH-6i Little Bird. Thailand's acquisition of eight AH-6i Little Bird light attack helicopters will allow the service to replace its obsolete AH-1IF Cobra helicopters. (Boeing)
Boeing flight tested the Royal Thai Army's (RTA's) first contracted AH-6i Little Bird light attack helicopter for the first time on 22 August at its Mesa, Arizona, facility, the company said on 4 October.
The RTA has eight AH-6i helicopters on order with the contract valued at USD103.8 million. Production of the remaining helicopters in the contracted batch is ongoing, Boeing said in its 4 October statement.
“After completing Thailand's fleet, Boeing will train the RTA pilots at its Mesa site and at US Army Yuma Proving Ground, where they will learn to operate the Little Bird and leverage its … mission capabilities,” Boeing added.
According to the company, the RTA “procured the AH-6i as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance aviation readiness and modernise national defence capabilities”. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has said that the AH-6i helicopters will allow the RTA to retire its ageing Bell AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters. Seven Cobras have been in service since 1990.
Boeing has said that deliveries of the Little Birds to Thailand will commence later in 2024.
The AH-6i has a “purpose-built military fuselage [and] integrated cockpit”, Boeing said, adding that the helicopters have been designed to conduct a “range of missions” in “various operating environments”.
Thailand is acquiring the Little Birds under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, with the US Department of State approving the sale in September 2019. The proposed sale also included air-launched munitions such as 50 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and 200 Advance Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rockets.
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