Phutthayotfa Chulaok
Frigate
Warships designed to carry on independent operations or to carry on joint operations with attack forces, antisubmarine warfare forces, or amphibious forces in order to counter threats posed by submarines, aircraft, and surface ships are usually equipped with 3- and 5-inch dual purpose guns and various other modern anti-submarine weapons. These ships are called "frigates." In the past, the Navy had several well-known frigates. These were the Prasae and the Tha Chin, as well as the Makutratchakuman, the Rattnakosin, the Pin Klao, and the Sukhothai.
Because most of the Navy's frigates and corvettes were old ships with outdated weapons, even though some of these ships have been upgraded, their capabilities were still limited. And even though some of the ships had modern weapons systems, the Chinese ships acquired in the early 1990s were too small to operate far out at sea. This is a limitation in carrying on coastal operations based on estimated needs. It would be some time yet before the Navy has the capability to build its own large ships or frigates. If something happened during that period, the Navy would not have enough frigates.
But the Navy needed larger frigates with a hull designed to make the ship less visible to radar, with a more modern weapons system, and with helicopters and a helicopter hangar. Such ships were needed in order to increase operations capabilities far out at sea, because the first four frigates built by China did not have such capabilities. This would increase confidence in carrying on important operations.
Thus, a committee was established to procure a second group of ships. This committee was responsible for drafting a contract or agreement on the construction of frigates so that things are done in accord with the wishes of the chief of staff. It was also responsible for monitoring construction—with the focus being on the weapons systems, the engine, the electrical equipment, the hull characteristics, the various pieces of equipment concerned, and the logistics support system—to ensure that things are done in accord with modern shipbuilding principles.
The Royal Thai Navy acquired two former U.S. Knox class Frigates in service. The Ouelet and Truett were renamed Phutthaloetla Naphalai and Phutthayotfa Chulaok and served in the third fleet.
The Ouelet (FF-1077) was decomissioned in 1993 and sold to Thailand in 1996. Decommissioned on July 30, 1994, the TRUETT was subsequently leased to Thailand where she was recommissioned as Phutthayotfa Chulaok. Stricken from the Navy list on January 11, 1995, the TRUETT was eventually purchased by Thailand on December 9, 1999. USS Truett, was the Navy's first training frigate and the second Navy ship to be homeported in Naval Station Ingleside, Texas. Knox-Class frigates have been in service since 1969.
USS TRUETT was the 44th KNOX-class frigate and one of the eight ships of her class transfered to the Naval Reserve Force serving as Reserve Training Frigates (FFT). Each of the eight Reserve Training Frigates had its own reserve crew, and was also assigned four "nucleus crews" which would man the 32 decommissioned KNOX-class frigates in the case of a reactivation of these ships.
The former United States Navy frigate USS Ouellet (FF-1077), recived a $14 million conversion and recommission for her new owners, the Royal Thai Navy from Cascade General Shipyard in Portland, Oregon, USA.
Work performed by Cascade General on the 440-foot (134 m) Knox-Class frigate included system reactivations, electronic and equipment upgrades and repairs to the boilers, pumps, propulsion systems, stabilizer and rudder. The reactivation also included drydocking and coating. The vessel was built in 1970 at Avondale Shipyards in Louisiana and remained in active duty until 1991. She was re-christened the HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai (FF-462).
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | Standard - 7000 Full Load - 4,250 |
| Length | 438' |
| Beam | 47' |
| Draft | 6.2 m |
| Speed | 27 kts maximum 16 kts cruising |
| Armament | 8 - ASROC (from MK 16 launcher) 8 - Harpoon (from MK 16 box launcher) 4 - MK-46 torpedoes (from single tube launchers) 1 - 5-inch / 54 caliber MK 42 gun 1 - 20mm Phalanx close-in-weapons system 8 - Sea Sparrow BPDMS (on some ships) |
| Torpedoes | NA |
| AA Guns | 4 x Vulcan Phalanx CIWS(not installed) 2 x 30mm |
| Aircraft | 1 light Helicopter |
| Crew | ~250 |
Ships | |||||||
| Name | Number | Homeport | Builder | Ordered | Commissioned | Decomm | |
| Phutthayotfa Chulaok Phutthaloetla Naphalai | 461 462 | Phuket? | Avondale | NA | 1994 1997 | ||
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