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The first of eight AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters manufactured by American defence prime Boeing for the Royal Thai Army has completed a successful first flight.
Boeing is continuing production of eight AH-6 helicopters for the Royal Thai Army fleet and will also train the Royal Thai Army pilots to leverage the aircraft’s mission capabilities once the fleet is complete.
“With its superior performance and flexible, easily configurable mission equipment, the Little Bird packs enormous versatility into a small, combat-proven package to get the job done,” said Christina Upah, vice-president of Attack Helicopter Programs and senior Boeing Mesa site executive.
“We are proud to partner with the US Army to provide Thailand with these critical defence capabilities, and we look forward to supporting training for the first Thai Little Bird pilots in the near future.”
After completing Thailand’s fleet, Boeing will train the Royal Thai Army pilots at its Mesa site and at US Army Yuma Proving Ground, where they will learn to operate the Little Bird and leverage its versatile mission capabilities.
The Royal Thai Army has procured the AH-6 as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance aviation readiness and modernise national defence capabilities.
Featuring a purpose-built military fuselage, integrated cockpit, and the latest fully integrated weapons, the AH-6 was designed for a wide range of missions and operating environments to meet customers’ needs around the world.
Boeing was awarded a contract by the US Department of Defense as part of a foreign military sales order for eight Little Birds in February 2022, which includes spares, training devices, support equipment, and technical publications for the Thailand customer.
Robert Dougherty
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