Air and Coastal Defense Command

The Air and Coastal Defense Command or ACDC (Thai: หน่วยบัญชาการต่อสู้อากาศยานและรักษาฝั่ง) or shortly called in Thai as (Thai: สอ.รฝ.) is the Anti-aircraft warfare and Coastal defence force of the Royal Thai Navy. This Command is composed of the two Air Defence Regiment and one Coastal Defence Regiment.[3] Even though they are artillerymen, but they are trained in skills related to self-defense on the battlefield if the fire base is attacked or attacked while moving. However, they are trained protecting equipment, facilities and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness.

Air and Coastal Defense Command
หน่วยบัญชาการต่อสู้อากาศยานและรักษาฝั่ง[1]
Air and Coastal Defense Command insignia
Active13 August 1990[1]
Country Thailand
Branch Royal Thai Navy
Size42,000[2]
Garrison/HQACDC headquarters, Sattahip, Chonburi
Anniversaries13 August[1]

History

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In 1975 the Ministry of Defense approved the principle of air defense[1] with the Royal Thai Navy establishing Air defense fighting unit doing Air defense duties in the area of responsibility of the Navy, such as naval bases and important military locations. On 23 November 1981, the Navy upgraded the air defense unit to the Department of Air and Coastal Defence go directly to Sattahip Naval Base using the area that has been returned from the Royal Thai Air Force. Department of Air and Coastal Defence has been greatly expanded in 1992, following the government's decision in 1988 to charge the Royal Thai Navy with the responsibility of defending the entire eastern seaboard and Southern Seaboard Development Project.[1][2] As a result of the 1988 government resolution, the responsibility of the navy has been expanded. Beyond the strength of the department, therefore, on 13 August 1990 the Navy upgraded the Department of Air and Coastal Defence to The Air and Coastal Defense Command.

Coastal Defence Command was formed in 1992 under the control of the Royal Fleet Headquarters, with one coastal defence regiment and one air defence regiment. Personnel were initially drawn from the Royal Thai Marine Corps, but are now being recruited directly. The First Coastal Defence Regiment is based near the Marine Corps facility at Sattahip. The First Air Defence Regiment was near the Naval Air Wing at Utapao. Coastal Defence Command was greatly expanded in 1992, following the government's decision in 1988 to charge the RTN with the responsibility of defending the entire eastern seaboard and Southern Seaboard Development Project. The Second Air Defence Regiment, based at Songkhla, was then formed the following year. Some analysts believe that this element will eventually grow to a strength of up to 15,000 personnel.[2]

Structure of Air and Coastal Defense Command

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21th ACB
 
13th ACB
 
12th ACB
 
11th ACB
 
13th CDB
 
22nd ACB, 11th CDB
 
23th ACB, 12th CDB
ACB = Air Combat Battalion
CDB = Coastal Defense Battalion

The headquarters of Air and Coastal Defense Command has 12 commanding units as follows;[3]

  • Personnel Division
  • Intelligence Division
  • Operations Division
  • Logistics Division
  • Division of Communication and Information Technology
  • Budget Division
  • Science and Safety Aviation Division
  • Division of Engineering Plans
  • Administration Department
  • Finance Department
  • Judge Advocate Department
  • Chaplain Department

Combat Structure

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  • 1st Air Defence Regiment: their mission is to provide anti-aircraft warfare for the northern Gulf of Thailand with three anti-aircraft battalions.[3]
  • 2nd Air Defence Regiment: to provide anti-aircraft warfare for the southern Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea with three anti-aircraft battalions.[3]
  • 1st Coastal Defence Regiment: has three artillery battalions.[3]
  • Air and Coastal Defence Operations Centers[3]
    • 1st Air and Coastal Defense Operations Center Region
      • 1st Control and Reporting Center
      • 2nd Control and Reporting Center
    • 2nd Air and Coastal Defense Operations Center Region
      • 1st Control and Reporting Center
      • 2nd Control and Reporting Center
  • Air and Coastal Defence Supporting Regiment:[3]
    • Transportation Battalion
    • Medical Battalion
    • Communications and Electronics Battalion
    • Repair and Maintenance Battalion
    • 1st Headquarters Annex
    • 2nd Headquarters Annex
    • 3rd Headquarters Annex
  • Air and Coastal Defense Training Center (ACDTC)
    • Air and Coastal Defense School
    • Air and Coastal Defense Private Training Division
    • Air and Coastal Defense Training Battalion
    • Support Section

Equipment

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Weapons

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Model Origin Type Notes
Howitzers
Type 59-I   China 130 mm towed howitzer [4]
GHN-45   Austria 155 mm towed howitzer [4]
Anti-aircraft gun
Type 74   China 37 mm; auto cannon gun [4]
Bofors   Sweden 40 mm; auto cannon gun 40L60 (M1)[4]
40L70[4]
Surface-to-air missiles
FK-3   China Surface-to-air missiles [4]
9K38 Igla-S   Russia MANPADS [4]
QW-18   China MANPADS [4]

Radar

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Name Origin Type Notes
Radar
ST Mk.2   United States
  Germany
Short range radar Raytheon Anschutz Pathfinder/ST Mk.2[4]
Thales BOR-A 550   France Short range radar [4]
AN/GPN-20/27   United States Medium range radar Northrop Grumman ASR-8 (AN/GPN-20/27) [4]
KRONOS LAND 3-D   Italy Medium range radar KRONOS LAND 3-D Multi-function Mobile Radar[5]
Saab Giraffe AMB   Sweden Medium range radar [4]

Logistic vehicle

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Name Origin Type Notes
Truck
Isuzu Forward   Thailand
  Japan
Truck 2 1/2 Tons, Isuzu Forward 4×4.[4]
Pinzgauer 716   Austria Truck 2 1/2 Tons, BAE Systems Pinzgauer 716 4×4.[4]
Pinzgauer 718   Austria Truck 2 1/2 Tons, BAE Systems Pinzgauer 718 6×6.[4]
Dongfeng EQ240/EQ2081   China Truck 2 1/2 Tons, Dongfeng EQ2081E (EQ4D) 6×6.[4]
Ashok Leyland Stallion   India Truck 5 Tons, Ashok Leyland Stallion 6×6.[4]
Pegaso 3055   Spain Truck 7 Tons, Pegaso 3055/7323 6×6.[4]
Shaanqi SX2190   China Truck 7 Tons, Shaanqi (Yanan) SX2190 6×6.[4]
Steyr 1491   Austria Truck 10 Tons, Steyr 1491 (Percheron) 6×6.[4]

Historic Equipments

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Name Origin Type Notes
Historic Equipments
Madsen   Denmark 20 mm; auto cannon gun [4]
PL-9   China Short-range SAM [4]

Engagements

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Rank structure

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Equivalent
NATO Code
OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 Cadet Officer
Officer
ranks
                     
จอมพลเรือ พลเรือเอก พลเรือโท พลเรือตรี พลเรือจัตวา1 นาวาเอก นาวาโท นาวาตรี เรือเอก เรือโท เรือตรี นักเรียนนายเรือ
Admiral of the Fleet Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore
or
Rear Admiral
(lower half)1
Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Lieutenant
Junior Grade
Sub Lieutenant Midshipman
Equivalent
NATO Code
OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-1
Enlisted
ranks
              No insignia
พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ พันจ่าเอก พันจ่าโท พันจ่าตรี จ่าเอก จ่าโท จ่าตรี พลทหาร
Master Chief Petty
Officer
Senior Chief Petty
Officer
Chief Petty
Officer
Petty Officer
1st class
Petty Officer
2nd Class
Petty Officer
3rd Class
Seaman Seaman apprentice

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e "History of Air and Coastal Defense Command". Acdc.navy. 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c John Pike. "Air and Coastal Defense Command". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Organization of Air and Coastal Defence Command". Acdc.navy. 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "ยุทโธปกรณ์ในกองทัพเรือ". Thaiarmedforce.com. 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  5. ^ "KRONOS LAND 3-D". aagth1.blogspot. 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
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