Chakri Narubet-class
Thai light aircraft carrier, introduced in 1997, displaces 11,670 tons and has a crew of 601.
| Subtype | Light aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 11670 tons |
| Crew | 601 members |
| Width | 30.5 m (100.1 ft) |
| Length | 182.65 m (599.2 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 × GE LM2500 gas turbines providing 22,125 shp (16,499 kW), 2 × Bazán-MTU 16V1163 TB83 diesel engines providing 5,600 bhp (4,200 kW), 2 × shafts with 5-bladed propellers |
| Thrust | 12000 hp |
| Range | 10000 km at 12 knots |
| Maximum speed | 25 knots |
- 2 × 12.7mm machine guns
- 3 × sextuple Sadral launchers for Mistral surface-to-air missiles
- 4 x 20mm Rheinmetall Mk 20 Rh-202 autocannons
- 6 Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters
- 2 (+4) MH-60S Knighthawk
- Up to 14 additional helicopters when required
Description
HTMS Chakri Naruebet is a light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Thai Navy. The Thai government ordered the vessel from Spanish shipbuilder Bazán in 1992. The design is based on the Spanish Navy's Príncipe de Asturias, which utilized the United States Navy's Sea Control Ship concept. The hull was laid down in 1994, and the ship was commissioned into service in March 1997. It serves as the flagship of the Royal Thai Navy and operates from Sattahip Naval Base.
The Royal Thai Navy classifies the vessel as an Offshore Patrol Helicopter Carrier. The design features a flight deck with a ski-jump to facilitate V/STOL aircraft operations. The ship is powered by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) system. Its initial air group included AV-8S Matador aircraft and Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. The Matador fleet was retired from service in 2006. In 2012, the carrier’s command and control systems were upgraded to include a 9LV Mk4 system and Sea Giraffe AMB radar. Networked data links between the carrier and Thai Gripen fighters were established during exercises in 2021.
Operational activity has been restricted by funding constraints following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The vessel often remains in port but participates in maritime exercises such as CARAT and Cobra Gold. The carrier is used for disaster relief and search and rescue missions. It deployed for relief operations following Tropical Storm Linda in 1997 and flooding in the Songkhla Province in 2000. During the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the ship served as a base for search and rescue operations and medical treatment in the Andaman Sea. It further supported flood relief efforts in southern Thailand in 2010 and 2011. The vessel's only show-of-force deployment occurred in 2003 following civil unrest in Cambodia. When docked at its home port, the ship is open to public tours.