The Royal Thai Air Power has employed its F-16A/B fighter plane for 5 days of intensive air strikes on Cambodian targets, following the launch of Operation Sattawa on December 10 which is aimed toward seizing plenty of localities in northern Cambodia. The service first procured the plane within the early Nineteen Nineties, which had been equipped from the U.S. Air Power’s post-Chilly Struggle surpluses, after which seven further F-16s had been delivered as support by Singapore in 2005. The F-16 first entered service in 1978, and even within the time was thought-about to have extremely constrained capabilities in comparison with rival plane such because the a lot heavier and longer ranged F-15 air superiority fighter, and the Soviet MiG-23ML fighter and MiG-25 interceptor. Though the fighter has seen its worldwide standing proceed to say no, and is extensively being phased out of service the world over, the Thai-Cambodian Struggle stays the only real theatre the place it has continued to retain dominance.
F-16 operations had been first reported to have been launched round 7:15 on December 10, supplementing heavy artillery hearth concentrating on the the Ta Moan Thom, Thmar Doun and Ta Krabey temple areas by launching air strikes with unknown forms of ordinance. Operations subsequently intensified at 9:40, when a number of F-16s bombed a number of targets together with Mother Bei, An Ses Phnom Kmoch, and the Preah Vihear temple. At 9:45 F-16s flew over the O’Bei Choan commune and Poipet metropolis, and 5 minutes later additional F-16s had been reported to have overflown the Stueng Bot roundabout in Poipet metropolis, dropping two bombs on Slakram village in Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province. Additional strikes would proceed to be reported that day and over the next 4 days, with footage from the theatre displaying the plane ceaselessly overflying Cambodian territory.
Though Thailand’s F-16s are removed from excellent of their capabilities even by the requirements of the late Chilly Struggle period and Nineteen Nineties, they’ve been capable of present a significant benefit within the battle and function freely primarily resulting from Cambodia’s complete lack of fighters or any air defences past very quick ranged level defence techniques. Whereas even Vietnam Struggle period medium and lengthy vary air defence techniques such because the S-125 and S-75 have demonstrated the flexibility to threaten fighters extra succesful than Thai F-16s, Cambodia’s airspace is among the many most susceptible that any F-16 operator might launch strikes in opposition to.The F-16A/B’s lack of stealth or superior digital warfare capabilities and out of date radar leaves it extremely susceptible, significantly with out assist of superior digital assist plane, with the diploma of dominance the Thai fleet has exercised reflecting the Cambodian Armed Forces’ virtually complete lack of preparation to repel adversary air strikes.
The present battle raises the likelihood that Cambodia will in future put money into procuring air defence techniques such because the Chinese language medium vary HQ-16 or lengthy vary HQ-9, which even in restricted numbers would significantly restrict the F-16’s potential to function. Such ground-based techniques could possibly be significantly engaging for his or her a lot decrease sustainment prices and coaching instances in comparison with fighter plane. The way forward for the Royal Thai Air Power’s personal fleet additionally stays in query, as though america beforehand refused to provide F-35 fifth technology fighters underneath the Biden administration, indications of a extra lenient coverage in the direction of exports underneath the present Trump administration might pave the best way to a sale earlier than the top of the last decade.
