Thailand Show New Variant DTI-1 Rocket Launcher

Defence Technology Institute (DTI) of a research body of Thailand Ministry of Defense recently issued a new variant of multi-barrel rocket launcher vehicles DTI-1 to the public. DTI-1 is a cooperation between DTI and China National Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CPMIEC) with base WS-1 rocket launcher made ​​in China.

Significant difference from the vehicle's appearance from the previous serie is located on the driver's cabin was fully covered with steel plates. There is also a place for additional crew for blast-off line at the back of the driver's seat. Of vehicle allegedly used regular use of Volvo FM-400 6x6. Unexplained STANAG Level of fertilizer layer of protection for. 

As with WS-1 rocket launcher, the DTI-1 also has a diameter of 302 mm rockets and can reach targets as far as 180 km. The diameter of the rocket and the distance to reach the largest in the area. As we know, the Army corps artillery Thailand is indeed very powerful in arms

Royal Thai Navy joins nations using Evolved SeaSparrow Missile

The Royal Thai Navy has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government to purchase nine Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles for its two Naresuan frigates currently undergoing overhauls and upgrades. This LOA increases the total ESSM user community to 13 nations.

The Royal Thai ESSMs will be fired from an MK 41 eight-cell vertical launch system using an MK 25 Quad Pack canister. This capability will allow for up to 32 ESSMs on each ship.

"This agreement brings the enhanced kinematics of the ESSM to the Royal Thai Navy's inventory and provides unsurpassed defense against a new generation of threats," said Rick Nelson, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Naval and Area Mission Defense product line. "The addition of

US Transfers Two OHP Class Frigates to Thailand

H. R. 6649

To provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 11, 2012
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself and Mr. BERMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
A BILL
To provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012’’.
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF NAVAL VESSELS TO CERTAIN FOREIGN RECIPIENTS.

(a) TRANSFERS BY GRANT.—The President is authorized to transfer vessels to foreign countries on a grant basis under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 11 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j), as follows:

(1) MEXICO.—To the Government of Mexico,  the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS CURTS (FFG–38) and USS MCCLUSKY (FFG–41).

(2) THAILAND.—To the Government of Thailand, the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS RENTZ (FFG–46) and USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG–48).

Thailand's New tanks due in May

Ukraine will deliver its first batch of T-84 Oplot main battle tanks to the army in May, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

Under the staggered delivery schedule, five of the tanks will be delivered in May, with another 50 tanks due by the end of 2015, he said. The army has ordered a total of 200 of the tanks.

During recent talks with the Ukraine government, Gen Prayuth said he had requested a speedier delivery of the battle tanks.

The first round of five tanks will be used for training purposes, he said.

There's A Secret War In Thailand No One's Talking About

Dispatch: not far from Thailand's tourist beaches, Muslims and Buddhists are locked in a struggle in which thousands have died. David Eimer reports.
The young father walked slowly down the road, his face expressionless, as a light rain fell. In his arms he held the lifeless body of his 11-month-old daughter, killed just hours before when the tea shop in his village was sprayed with automatic gunfire that left six people dead.
Fellow residents of the Muslim Damabuah Village in Thailand’s Narathiwat Province walked behind in silence, while men and women from the security forces lined the road clutching rifles.
A few minutes later, the infant was laid to rest in a shallow, muddy hole under a mangosteen tree in the village cemetery, beside the newly dug graves of two other victims of the tea shop shooting.
Infami Samoh’s death, a couple of hundred miles from the tourist playgrounds of Ko Samui and Phuket, was shocking only because of her age. The 11-month-old was one of the youngest of nearly 5,400 people who have been killed in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand in the past eight years.
More than 9,500 have been injured since 2004, when the long-festering grievances of the majority Muslim population in the region erupted into outright guerrilla war against the overwhelmingly Buddhist Thai state.
With more than 20 million visitors a year and tourism contributing an estimated six per cent of the country’s GDP, Thailand is fiercely protective of its reputation as the Land of Smiles. But the deep south is a different world, the beaches deserted, foreign visitors non-existent.
Instead, the area is under a form of emergency law that gives special powers to the 150,000 soldiers, police and local militias deployed in the region.
Military convoys rumble through the towns and villages, checkpoints dominate the roads, while mobile phones are frequently jammed to prevent the insurgents using them to set off bombs, 2,500 of which have been planted since 2004.

ST KINETICS Launches The ExtremV – an Advanced All-Terrain Emergency Vehicle for Disaster Relief and Rescue

Singapore – ST Kinetics extends its offering of all-terrain vehicles to disaster relief and rescue applications with the launch of the ExtremV, an all-terrain tracked emergency vehicle specially customised for disaster relief and rescue missions. This is in response to a growing demand worldwide for more capable disaster relief and rescue solutions amid volatile weather conditions and devastating natural disasters.

For emergency personnel and supplies to get quickly to disaster-hit areas, it is crucial for countries to ensure the robustness of their disaster relief supply chains. The ExtremV enables quick response and relief into difficult-to-access areas with its high mobility and keeps the vital flow of emergency personnel and supplies going immediately after disaster hits with its high and versatile payload.

The ExtremV, an evolution of ST Kinetics' highly successful BRONCO family of all-terrain tracked vehicles, offers extreme mobility in difficult terrain. Its back cabin can be flexibly configured for multiple disaster relief missions, ranging from emergency rescue, medical evacuation, to fire fighting and transportation of essential supplies.

Thai navy deflects allegations of irregularities

The Royal Thai Navy yesterday countered the opposition's allegation of irregularities surrounding the navy's scheme to modernise combat systems on two frigates.

ADM Thaweewut Pongpipat, a special adviser to the navy who serves as chairman of the committee implementing the scheme, said Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat had nothing to do with the changes made to the procurement of the combat systems.

ACM Sukumpol had inquired with the navy about the changes, which were solely the navy's decision, said ADM Thaweewut.
The navy had changed from the New Generation Dagaie System (NGDS) revolving decoy system by Sagem to the non-revolving Soft Kill Weapon System (SKWS) by Terma because the first choice required too much space to be fitted to the frigates and cost a lot more, he said.
Saab AB, which was awarded the navy contract to upgrade the combat systems, had inspected the frigates and determined that the Sagem's NGDS could not be fitted to the warships due to a lack of room, said ADM Thaweewut.
The non-revolving decoy system, on the other hand, could be installed in a position that allows for ideal coverage in combat, he said.

Thai Army Receives M-198 Howitzer Worth of 850 Million

Royal Thai Army adds M198 artillery with enhanced capabilities, valued of 850 million. 

On Nov 21, the Army report said that U.S. Army Ordnance center has a 54 M198 field howitzer. Thailand purchases M198 approximately 850 million, credit line to the ship from the United States and arrive at Laem Chabang, Chonburi, Thailand on October 19. From the conveyor, which is stored inside the shed ports on Nov 20. M198 to be transported to artillery units in the Army at Prachin Buri, Kanchanaburi and Chonburi on 23 Nov for inspection.

The M-198 was purchased to replace field artillery M-114 A1 size 155 mm used since 1960. In 2009 the Army Ordnance and Senior High Officers of the army of Thailand to the United States to buy guns M 198 which stored and not being used. The  procurement system use Foreign Military Sale (FMS).

USA: Thailand Endorses the Proliferation Security Initiative

The United States welcomes the Kingdom of Thailand’s decision to endorse the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). President Obama has commended Thailand for its decision to participate in the Initiative, which advances our shared vision of a secure and peaceful Asia-Pacific where the rights and responsibilities of all nations are upheld. The United States looks forward to working with the Royal Thai Government to advance the nonproliferation goals of the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. Thailand is the 102nd state to become a PSI participant.

Launched in Krakow, Poland in 2003, the PSI will mark its tenth anniversary in May 2013. PSI participants commit to undertake measures, on a voluntary basis and consistent with their authorities and resources, to interdict illicit transfers of weapons of mass destruction- and missile-related items, exchange relevant information, and strengthen legal authorities to conduct interdictions. They also conduct exercises, workshops, and other activities to improve their capacities to fulfill their PSI commitments. The addition of each new participating state strengthens the Initiative and helps ensure that it will remain a durable international effort in the years ahead.

Thai Army To Acquire Starstreak Missile

The Royal Thai Army has purchased Thales UK’s Starstreak air defense missile. The deal was announced during a visit to London by Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The two sides declined to give a value or delivery date for the very-short-range air defense missile already purchased by British and South African armed forces.

The Thai military will deploy the weapon from lightweight, portable, multiple launchers rather than the vehicle-mounted option favored by the British.

Thailand Becomes the 34th Asia Pacific Region Country to Deploy Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Radar

When the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) activated its new TPS-77 radar recently, it greatly expanded the Thailand’s long-range air surveillance network capability.  In particular, the radar helps provide greater air sovereignty, security and safety over much of the Gulf of Thailand.

With this direct commercial sale and installation now successfully completed, Thailand became the owner of the 34th Lockheed Martin long-range radar operational in the Asia Pacific region. Thailand joins countries such as Korea, Taiwan and Australia, who have relied on Lockheed Martin’s family of 3-D, solid-state, L-band surveillance radars for decades.

More countries are recognizing the need to enhance their air surveillance with modern, cost-effective radar systems.  In February, Lockheed Martin and Indonesian technology firm PT CMI Teknologi signed a teaming agreement to pursue the National Airspace Surveillance – Republic of Indonesia (NASRI) program, a new network of radar systems that will improve airspace surveillance, safety and management over the Indonesian Archipelago.

Lockheed Martin ground-based air surveillance radars are the choice of more than 30 nations on six continents.  Today, 178 Lockheed Martin long-range systems operate around the world—more than all other competitive radars combined.

Lockheed Martin’s TPS-59, TPS-77 and FPS-117 family of radars are high-performing, reliable, solid state systems specializing in early warning, situational awareness, and ballistic and tactical missile surveillance and defense.

The Royal Thai Army Signs A Contract for Two AW139s

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the Royal Thai Army has signed a contract for two AW139 twin-engine helicopters. These aircraft will be delivered in 2014 to perform transport and utility missions across the nation. The contract, which also includes a comprehensive maintenance and training package, marks the entrance of the AW139 into Thailand’s military helicopter market and further expands the success of the type in the country.

Vincenzo Alaimo, Head of Region, AgustaWestland, said “It gives us great pleasure to sign this contract with the Royal Thai Army to support their transport requirements. We are confident this model, thanks to its unmatched performance, comfort and safety, has significant potential in Thailand in the future.” The Royal Thai Army adds to a growing number of military customers that have ordered or are already operating the AW139 for a wide range of roles including VVIP and government transport, utility, search and rescue, emergency medical service and homeland security. The armed forces of Ireland, Qatar, UAE, Italy and Egypt are just some of those operating the AW139 today.

MoD Sets Better Specs for MLRS - Thailand

A multi-barreled missile defense system will be changed from the TYPE-81 to SR-4 to keep up with technology and improved performance, it is necessary to add more than two million Baht.

       

It was reported that based on government sources disclosed that the Cabinet with the Prime Minister Ms Yingluck Shinawatra on October 2 meeting to discuss about the details of the project budget to provide a multi-barreled rocket launchers caliber 122 mm for 4 vehicles.

The source said, as a result of the meeting to the Cabinet of the Ministry of Defence suggested that procurement of multi-barreled rocket launchers 122mm caliber with loans from People's Republic of China worth 696 million from the

Thailand Army in new bid to get its airship flying

The army has agreed to pay 50 million baht more to an American airship producer to make its 350-million-baht airship fly for the first time since its procurement.

An army source said the army signed a contract with Aria International Inc on Sept 20 to make the surveillance airship stay up in the air.
The company was originally hired to provide the airship, which has not flown since its arrival in the country.my chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered the contract because he does not want the airship to rest in its hangar in Pattani province any longer.
The contractor is confident it can make the airship fly by November.
The airship has been unable to fly since its delivery about two years ago. The army formally accepted the airship in July last year. Since then it has had to pay for its maintenance.
The army has paid 200,000-300,000 baht a month to refill the airship with helium, to help the airship keep its shape and avoid leaks. The army has paid about 25 million baht altogether for refills in the past year.
The airship was ordered during the tenure of former army chief Anupong Paochinda who hoped it would

Saab to set up communication systems between Thailand’s frigates and Gripens

Royal Thai Navy has allocated a budget of THB 3,300 million for Swedish Saab Group to set up an electronic communication systems on the twin frigates “Naresuan -Taksin’ which will allow communication between the frigates and Thailand’s existing JAS-39 Gripen’s ERIEYE airborne early warning and surveillance system.

Early this year the navy has also installed a similar electronic communication system from Sweden on Royal Narubes vessel to connect with the Gripen’s advanced early warning system.

According to Jane’s defense and security news website, as part of the purchase plan of USD 1,100 million, Royal Thai Air Force will receive the second batch of six Gripen fighter aircrafts from Sweden next year, in which they will have another Gripen with Saab 340 airborne early warning system.

Eurocopter to Supply Four EC725 SAR Helicopters to the Royal Thai Air Force

A contract was signed today between Eurocopter and the Royal Thai Air Force for the supply of four EC725 helicopters, configured for search and rescue missions.

Signing the new agreement today were Air Marshal Paiboon Singhamat of the Royal Thai Air Force, and Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations.

“This latest endorsement underscores the role of our EC725/EC225 family as the helicopters of reference in Asia for search & rescue,” Lambert said. “It also marks a new step in Eurocopter’s expansion of its ties with Thailand as the country moves ahead with modernization programs for its helicopter fleets.”

Deliveries of the EC725, the twin-engine tactical rotorcraft from Eurocopter's successful Cougar family, will be in 2015.

“This contract for the EC725 will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Royal Thai Air Force, giving us added reach and effectiveness in search and rescue missions," stated Air Marshal Paiboon Singhamat, Chairman of the Purchasing Committee.

Thailand Cabinet okays frigate buy

The cabinet yesterday approved a navy proposal to buy two top-class frigates costing around 30 billion baht within the next five years.

According to a source, the navy has turned to frigates following the government's rejection of its preferred option to purchase submarines from Germany. The navy has yet to choose a supplier.
It favours frigates from European shipyards which have good track records of building such top-quality frigates, the source said.
Builders in Germany and Spain are tipped to win the contract to supply the warships for the navy, he added.
However, senior naval officers are concerned that some politicians might try to push for the purchase of Chinese-made frigates.
The navy currently has two frigate flotillas that are capable of launching surface-to-surface missiles. They are all equipped with helipads.
Frigates can defend national waters, operate with fast attack craft, battle other surface vessels, defend against aircraft, as well as protect other vessels and combat submarines.

Cabinet Approves 1.499 Budget for Rocket Research

BANGKOK - The Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra has approved the funding for a research project to develop a multi lauched rocket missiles systems DT1-1G Phase 1 which the Ministry of Defence presented to the Cabinet meeting. Total budget 1,499,943,634 per year implementation period from 2012 to 2014.

The study was carried by The Defence Technology Institute Ministry of Defence -Thailand and the expertise of the China National Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CPMIEC) of China as a consultant.

Cabinet Approved the Procurement of Four EC-725 Helicopters for RTAF

It has reported that the Cabinet approved the procurement of Air Force helicopters from Eurocopter 4 aircraft worth U.S. $ 4 billion, although the report did not specify the version that will be provided. But it is quite certain that the EC725 Super Cougar Search and Rescue.

Air Force plans to supply helicopters to replace UH-1H, Air Force will be supplied with 16 aircraft by dividing the project into three phases: Phase 1 acquisition of four aircraft, phase two : supply 8 aircraft, and phase 3 : 4 supply 4 aircraft.

The EC725 is a versatile long-range development from Super Puma or Cougar-2 family, pilot carrying troops or the weight of 28 tons, 2 Turbomeca Makila 2A1 engine, operating range 857 mile range, fly 1325 miles with a top speed of 175 knots. In service in France, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico, total orders to date (not counting the orders of the United States) are 131 aircraft.

Four Thai Pilots Completed Gripen Training by Swedish Armed Force

Following the news that Royal Thai Air Force has purchased the Gripen fighter aircrafts, four Thai pilots have now completed the 11-week Gripen control training course by Swedish Armed Force.  Swedish Air Force Commander Major General Micael Byden recently handed certifications to the four pilots who will be based in Wing 7 division in Surathani province in Thailand.

The four Thai pilots were trained both in theory and practice in Gripen simulator.

They are the third lot from Royal Thai Air Force to enter the training. Last year six Thai pilots were sent to train at Skaraborg Wing, F 7, which is the base of JAS 39 Gripen, located in the south of Sweden for six months.