The Air Force Commander led the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to wear pilot gear and test the performance of the F-16 aircraft for surveillance along the western border.
At 09:00 on 19 May 2026 at Wing 4, Takli District, Nakhon Sawan Province, Air Chief Marshal Seksan Kantha, Commander of the Air Force, led Air Chief Marshal Ukrit Boontanont, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to inspect the Air Force's combat readiness. They conducted performance tests on an F-16 aircraft, during which the Supreme Commander was presented with a 403 Squadron F-16 patch before taking flight. The Supreme Commander donned F-16 pilot gear and flew the aircraft, with Squadron Leader Chanont Satyayuk, commander of 403 Squadron at Wing 4, as the lead pilot. They conducted reconnaissance over training areas and the western border for about one hour. Air Chief Marshal Rawin Thanomsingh, Commander of the Air Operations Control Headquarters, also piloted an F-16, while Air Chief Marshal Anurak Romnarak, Air Force Chief of Staff, flew a T-50 TH aircraft alongside them.
Air Chief Marshal Ukrit, known by the call sign "UK Biker," had previously undergone medical examinations to meet the Air Force's flight safety standards. The Supreme Commander passed blood tests, urine tests, vision and hearing assessments, electrocardiograms, dental checks, and participated in training on aircraft ejection systems (ejection seats), flight condition simulators, and tests in a hypobaric chamber to simulate low-pressure environments. These procedures are part of strict preparation measures to ensure pilots are fit to fly and capable of performing their missions effectively.
