Dornier Alpha Jet TH (Phase 2) - Royal Thai Air Force's Renovated Alpha

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Dornier Alpha Jet TH (Phase 2) - Royal Thai Air Force’s Renovated Alpha

Hi and welcome to my 42th, which is about the Thai Alpha Jet after its second overhaul, hope you like it. :popcorn:

First of all:

  • This is a suggestion for an aircraft we could see in game at some point in the Future , that doesn´t mean next Patch or somewhere in the near Future
  • Feel free to share more Information and / or correct me if something is wrong
  • Discuss respectfully, any aggressive kind or verbal abuse will be reported, the Forum rules also apply here

grafik

Background History

Development of the Alpha Jet began in the 1960s due to the need to move fighter pilot training back into Europe and to develop new aircraft for the air forces of Germany and France. The German Luftwaffe was looking for a successor to the Fiat G.91, while the French Armée de l’Air needed a replacement for the Fouga Magister.
Once the specifications were established, studies were requested from three consortia. Ultimately, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm/SNIAS and Dassault/Dornier were awarded the contract to develop prototypes, while VFW/Fokker were excluded because their study did not meet official specifications. The engines were manufactured by SNECMA for the French machines and by MTU and Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz for the German machines to ensure an equal development and manufacturing share. In 1972, prototypes of the Alpha Jet were ordered and development progressed.
Series production of the Alpha Jet began in 1975. The Alpha Jet A officially entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1979. After the reunification of Germany, Germany had to reduce the number of its aircraft due to international agreements. In the early 1990s, the Alpha Jet was retired from the Luftwaffe. However, the flight training group in Fürstenfeldbruck continued to operate and used the Alpha Jet A for basic tactical training of prospective Tornado crews until it was decommissioned on June 30, 1997.
In 1999, the Royal Thai Air Force planned to purchase 55 Alpha Jets, but US political pressure resulted in only 25 Alpha Jets being acquired, along with F-16s. The Alpha Jets were overhauled in Germany before being transferred to Thailand.
The Alpha Jets were acquired from the Royal Thai Air Force’s 231st Squadron and based at RTAFB Udon Thani. Most of the Alpha Jets were prepared for flight operations, while six served as spare parts donors. Between 2004 and 2007, all active Alpha Jets were equipped with chaff launchers in the rear, could now also carry AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and redesignated to Alpha Jet TH.
Starting in 2021, Thailand began to overhaul and modernize the remaining Alpha Jet THs again but more significant than before; the original cockpit, analogue displays and some electronic parts were completely replaced with modern computers and multi-color MFDs and a new mission computer allows better training of the pilots, Thailand’s tactical Link-T is now also onboard.

The Dornier Alpha Jet TH (Phase 2) Overall

The Alpha Jet was developed as a light fighter-bomber and weapons trainer and has an important contribution to the training of Thai fighter pilots to this day. Various modernizations have been carried out, like the first overhaul of the Alpha Jet A which enabled the ability to deploy up to four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The second overhaul (Phase 2) contains a modernized cockpit with a glass cockpit that includes three color displays and a new Head-Up Display (HUD). The avionics systems are from CMC Electronics Canada, and the cockpit features a HOTAS control stick similar to that of the Lockheed-Martin F-16 and new AT-6TH.


Cockpit after renovation

grafik


As part of the project to improve the capabilities of Alpha Jet TH Phase 2 attack aircraft, 8 sets of pilot ejection chairs and ground support equipment were purchased. The winner of the contract was Martin-Baker Aircraft and the ejector chair procured is believed to be the latest model Martin-Baker Mk.16, similar to those in the F-5TH Super Tigris.

Armament of the Alpha Jet TH

The armament of the Thai Alpha Jet is not particularly different from that of the German original. What stands out however, are Hydra-70 and the ability to use up to four AIM-9P missiles. The BK27 Mauser pods for the Alpha Jet were never acquired by the RTAF. Efforts to mount an M39A2, which came from F-5THs, were unsuccessful as there were problems in the computer systems and weather data.

Air-to-Air Missiles

  • 4x AIM-9P
  • 4x AIM-9P-4

Dumb- Rockets / Bombs

  • 6x Mk.82
  • 4x CRV7
  • 4x Hydra-70

grafik

Specifications, Electronics and Internal

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 13,23 m
  • Wingspan: 9,11 m
  • Height: 4,19 m
  • Max. takeoff weight: 7.500 kg
  • Powerplant: 2x SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac 04-C20
    • Thrust: 14,23 kN
  • Maximum speed: 1000 km/h
  • Service ceiling: 14.630 m
  • Rate of climb: 57 m/s
  • Maximum g-load: +8g / -3g

Thanks for your time, hope you liked it :salute:
[Will add more if there are some (more) important / declassified things]
[PM or comment if a Link or Picture isn´t working]

Sources:

Links

AAG_th บันทึกประจำวัน: เครื่องบินโจมตี Alpha Jet TH กองทัพอากาศไทยที่ผ่านการปรับปรุงขีดความสามารถทำสีพรางใหม่แล้ว
AAG_th บันทึกประจำวัน: กองทัพอากาศไทยทำการบินครั้งแรกของเครื่องบินโจมตี Alpha Jet ที่ได้รับการปรับปรุงขีดความสามารถ
Historische Flugzeuge auf Fursty: Kampfflugzeug mit vielen Spitznamen
DEFENSE STUDIES: The Royal Thai Air Force Performs the First Flight of the Enhanced Alpha Jet
AAG_th บันทึกประจำวัน: กองทัพอากาศไทยจัดแสดงเครื่องบินโจมตี บ.จ.๗ Alpha Jet TH ที่ปรับปรุงขีดความสามารถในงานวันเด็ก ๒๕๖๖
RTAF Alpha Jet


List of Suggestions of ASEAN region

10 Likes

Should be the Larzac 04-C20 engine, which all Luftwaffe Alpha Jets were upgraded to.

image

6 Likes

Corrected, thx

4 Likes

+1, probably one of my most wanted two-seat trainer additions lol

1 Like

+1, out of curiosity does this alpha jet get Countermeasures? I cant seem to find anything about them in the suggestion.

3 Likes

Yea it does, as the Alpha Jet A we have in-game;

5 Likes

ah thx, so would probably be a good 10.0/10.3 aircraft then if it gets its AIM-9P4s

would have been quite hard to balance without CMs or cannons but all aspect missiles

4 Likes

I have a hunch the germans actually tested this modification after it rolled out of the factory at WTD-61 for testing some new weapon systems.
Is there any sources that point to that?

1 Like

They are in basically the same configuration as when they were in Lw service anyway. We already know WTD61 tested them with AIM-9L.

1 Like

I’m more interested in whether they had the mfds…

The MFDs were a later addition by Thailand in 2021, so WTD61 would have nothing to do with them.

1 Like

Yeah sadly i think the AJ WTD61 just used direct target designation for the SMAT AGM

1 Like

It can also carry Chaff-Flare dispenser pod as well

Screenshot 2024-07-22 204335
(This one is being used to disperse Silver iodide)

image

(Document showing the development of Chaff/Flare system for Alpha Jet)

6 Likes

Cockpit looks great!

4 Likes