CIA base in Udon

[Faraday]

Faraday
What jets are they ?
Big Grey ones

The ones that fly over nsr most mornings, grey.

Mrs F said they're F16, but someone else told me the Thai air force don't have any.

[JimboPSM]

The main combat aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force are:

• Saab JAS 39 Gripen
• General Dynamics F-16
• Northrop F-5
• Dornier Alpha Jet

List of aircraft (including model variants) of the RTAF can be found here:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... _Air_Force

.

[Faraday]

Thanks Jimbo.

[Little Italian Udon]

F16 from Singapore

[Bandung_Dero]

Having lived in Ban Dung since late 2001 I'll just make a few points here:-

VOA = CIA I have no idea, just a few rumors about a mini van doing daily trips to and from Udon with American personal on board.

Early in 2002 I bought an expensive multi band radio (SW MW LW and FM) just so as I could listen to the VOA, theoretically living just 20 km from VOA (the way the 'black hawk' flies) the signal should have blown my sox off. No such thing, I could get Radio Australia from Darwin much clearer. If it is a transmission site the frequencies are not available to the general population.

There has always been a very long, straight, wide 4+ lane carriage way from the VOA site heading toward Ban Dung which was well kept (not so much now) out in the middle of no where??? Then it had no power or communications lines across it. All other roads within a 70 km radius were crap. A Clayton's runway? You go figure!

I guess one of the most plausible theories I have heard is it's just a listening post for Chinese communications used primarily through the Vietnam war. Look at it's V shape footprint (antenna array) on Google Earth covering China.

The skies over Ban Dung and surrounds are used by both the Thai and Singapore air-forces for maneuvers and flight practice, we get jets flying/dog fighting overhead 3-4 days a week

[maaka]

The Chief Air Commodore or some such thing, from Singers was/ is here to meet his Thai counterpart, so perhaps the F16's are his escort.

The spooks had a shack in Udon during the Great Unpleasantness next door, so I wouldnt expect them to release that foothold once here.

[FrazeeDK]

The Singaporean Air Force has a training agreement with the Thai government to use Udon RTAFB as well as the Thai Air Force air strip located northeast of Khon Khaen at Nam Phong (formerly used by the USMC during the Vietnam war). Nam Phong is a 3000 meter strip with apron and maintenance buildings.. It also has a practice bombing range (not live explosives) west of the strip.. Located here: [url]https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E0%B ... 562777[url]

[FrazeeDK]

on the VOA site.. I last visited the site was in March 2010.. I was told then that the Shortwave mission would likely be phased out which if it has (I'm not sure) would explain why you don't hear VOA broadcasts. The Thai government was using it as part of the deal to host the station (as well as it being a big power consumer for EGAT) to transmit Radio Thailand.. It may just be in a stand by mode aside from its possible use by the Thais. Could it be a possible SIGINT site with things being remotely controlled via SATCOM? Possible but doubtful.. Those huge 100 meter tall antennas could be used for HF receiving but I'd honestly question if possible target nations are still using HF for any significant comms...

[Giggle]

But ... a senior former Thai national security official has confirmed to the BBC that Detention Site Green was located inside the Royal Thai Air Force base in Udon. You guys on a wild goose chase?

BBC would never get it wrong, would they?

[FrazeeDK]

as I said earlier it may well have been Udon RTAFB.. The Agency had a building (the Bunker) on the base for a long time, at least until around 1993 when the U.S. Consulate in Udon closed.