Boeing Flies Thailand’s First AH-6

Thailand’s Little Bird Takes Flight

The first of eight Boeing AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters for the Royal Thai Army completed a successful first flight on Aug. 22 at the company’s Mesa, Ariz. site.

“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.”

After completing Thailand’s fleet, Boeing will train Royal Thai Army pilots at its Mesa site and the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground. There, they will learn to operate the Little Bird and leverage its versatile mission capabilities. The Royal Thai Army has procured the AH-6 as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance aviation readiness and modernize national defence capabilities. The AH-6 was designed for various missions and operating environments to meet customers’ needs worldwide. It features a purpose-built military fuselage, an integrated cockpit, and the latest fully integrated weapons.

In February 2022, Boeing received a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for eight Little Birds as part of a foreign military sales order. The order includes spares, training devices, support equipment, and technical publications for the Thai customer.