Military

Air and Coastal Defense Command

In December 1992 Paramax Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS), announced a contract award worth approximately $3 million from the Royal Thai Navy as the first of several multiple phased awards for the Royal Thai navy's Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (C3I) program. The program provides the Royal Thai navy with independent C3I capabilities between its navy headquarters, the Air and Coastal Defense Command headquarters, the Marine Defense headquarters and the naval regional centers. This program incorporates an adaptation of the Joint Air Defense Digital Information Network (JADDIN) architecture to provide the Royal Thai Navy with a cost-effective command and control system.

Coastal Defense Command was formed in 1992 under the control of the Royal Fleet Headquarters, with one coastal defense regiment (equipped with 155 mm artillery) and one air defense regiment (equipped with 40 mm and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns as well as HN-5A man portable SAMs). Personnel were initially drawn from the Royal Thai Marine Corps but are now being recruited directly. The Coastal Defense Regiment is based near the Marine Corps facility at Sattahip and the Air Defense Regiment near the Naval Air Wing at Utapao. Coastal Defense 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 Development Project. Some analysts believe this element will eventually grow to a strength of up to 15,000.