Singapore Airshow 2020: Thai army to operate disaster relief Kamovs

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Singapore Airshow 2020: Thai army to operate disaster relief Kamovs - Defence Helicopter - Shephard Media: 

5th February 2020 - 06:15 GMT | by Sompong Nondhasa

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) signed an MoU with the country’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) on 30 January, to use Ka-32A11BC helicopters for disaster relief and to maintain their readiness for operations.

The MoU’s objective is to promote aviation co-operation between the two agencies to use equipment and Ka-32A11BC aircraft, including aviation personnel, with the aim of increasing disaster relief effectiveness.

For the RTA’s part, it will support air operations and aircraft management, including arranging personnel to operate and use the helicopters.In addition, a joint aviation working group has been appointed to supervise aircraft utilisation for the purposes of both departments. In the past, the RTA made available personnel such as pilots and mechanics, plus aircraft hangars, for disaster prevention and mitigation.

The Ka-32A11BC disaster relief helicopter is specially designed for firefighting in urban areas, and it can be adapted for missions such as forest firefighting, search and rescue, disaster prevention and the transportation of people and equipment.

Special equipment includes water spray devices, chemical fire extinguishers, a 3,000-litre water tank that can be filled without having to land, a ten-litre foam tank, a 5,000-litre water basket, electric rescue hoist and emergency lifesaving equipment.

The DDPM purchased two Ka-32A11BCs from Kamov for THB1.862 billion ($60 million), and they were delivered in September 2019 under the supervision of the Army Aviation Centre in Lopburi.

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