The existing Thai-Chinese joint air flow force exercises were two years in the making and have nothing to do with the ongoing stress between China plus Taiwan, the Regal Thai Air Force (RTAF) insisted upon Tuesday.
Codenamed Falcon Hit 2022, the 12-day drill is being kept in the northeastern state of Udon Thani until next Thurs.
“It’s a totally different point. The current exercise did not simply spring up out of nowhere. This is the 5th of its kind and it also was planned two years ago, ” RTAF spokesman VM Prapas Sonjaidee said on Tuesday.
He was addressing reporters’ questions concerning the timing of the army drills amid heightened tensions between Tiongkok and Taiwan.
The Chinese forces participating in the particular drill and spreading experience and knowledge with their Thai alternatives were all from Kunming, he stated.
Nevertheless, no specific security situation or discord is being simulated throughout training as the exercise is geared more towards familiarising Thailänder and Chinese atmosphere forces with each other’s operational methods, he said.
“Both sides have also taken this opportunity to strengthen their particular relationship, cultural connections and foster enhanced communication and consultation, ” he mentioned.
The environment force spokesman terminated concerns raised over whether the drills with China would influence the RTAF’s bid to buy F-35 jet fighter jets from the US, saying this is also a different matter.
Each device of military equipment purchased from the US comes with a clear agreement outlining which nations the US allows this to be used with regards to joint air exercises, he said.
China provides deployed six J-10C/S fighter jets, a JH-7AI bomber as well as a Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning plus control aircraft for that exercises, a source stated, adding Su-27 jet fighter jets will not be active in the drills.
Meanwhile, the RTAF has deployed five Gripen combat plane, three Alphajet assault aircraft and a SAAB 340 AEW earlier warning and control aircraft.