The first of eight Boeing AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters for the Royal Thai Army successfully completed its inaugural flight at Boeing’s facility in Mesa, Arizona. This milestone marks a significant step in Thailand’s efforts to enhance its aviation capabilities and modernize its defence forces.
“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 U.S. 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.”
Following the delivery of the fleet, Boeing will provide training for Royal Thai Army pilots at its Mesa site and at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground. Pilots will learn to operate the Little Bird and harness its versatile mission capabilities.
The procurement of the AH-6 is part of the Royal Thai Army’s ongoing initiative to improve aviation readiness and modernize its national defence framework. The helicopter features a purpose-built military fuselage, an integrated cockpit, and the latest fully integrated weapons systems, making it suitable for a variety of missions and operating environments.
Boeing was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Defence in February 2022 as part of a Foreign Military Sales order, which includes eight Little Birds along with spares, training devices, support equipment, and technical publications for the Thai customer.
