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Army Equipment

Armor

In July 1997, the Royal Thai Army started receiving 82 newly built M113A3 derivative tracked vehicles. The vehicles are being made at the United Defense LP factory in San Jose, California. The order included a recently exercised option for 12 additional systems. Final deliveries are expected by the end of next year. Six vehicle configurations are being built, including M113A3 ambulance vehicles, M577A3 command posts and M113A3 versions of a maintenance recovery vehicle. All are equipped with the 275 bhp 6V53T engine package. The Royal Thai Army's fleet of Stingray light tanks is being repaired and modified by manufacturer Cadillac Gage Textron following the discovery of cracks in the hulls. FMC and associated contractors are completing the refurbishment of 100 each M113A1 armored personnel carriers to M113A2 standard. All M60A1 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) will be upgraded to A3 standard. Also, 101 each additional M60A3 MBTs have been approved for purchase from the US. Funding for the program is to be spread over four years, beginning with the FY95-96 budget. By late 1998, deliveries of these MBTs were reported to have been completed. Thailand asked the US to supply 107 excess M60A3 MBTs, equipped with Tank Thermal Sights, at a cost of approximately US$100 million in 1997. Whether delivery was made or not is unknown.

Armored personnel carriers

In early 1998, the Royal Thai Army completed field trials of competing designs to fulfill a requirement for up to 200 each wheeled armored personnel carriers (APCs.) The new vehicles were incorporated into elements of the Thai 2nd Division, although it is unknown whether the new vehicles replaced or supplemented existing types. The following systems: Giat's VAB-NG, Steyr-Daimler-Puch's Pandur, the Sisu XA-180; Thyssen Henschel's Fuchs; Textron Marine and Land Systems V-600; the Chinese WZ 551 (all of the 6 configurations); General Motors of Canada's LAV (reportedly an ASLAV-PC- LAV Bison - leased from the Australian Army) and a version of the Russian BTR-80, conducted trials over several weeks. All vehicles were reportedly of the basic APC configuration, reflecting the requirement for a troop carrying vehicle, rather than a dedicated infantry fighting vehicle.

Artillery Enhancement

The Royal Thai Army received the last of 24 105 mm LG1 Mk II light guns ordered from Giat Industries of France in July 1997. It has been reported that Giat supplied Thailand with kits to enable 285 old US-supplied 105 mm M101 towed howitzers to be upgraded with the complete barrel of the LG1. The upgrade work was reportedly carried out in RTA facilities and enables the M101 to fire Giat's new High Explosive Base Bleed (HE BB) projectile. The LG1 Mk II, in addition to firing the standard HE M1 projectile to a maximum range of 11.5 km, will also fire a Giat 105 mm HE BB projectile to a maximum range of 17.5 km. The RTA took delivery of 10,000 105 mm HE BB rounds. The second order was for 25,000 rounds, which were manufactured in Thailand, with some parts supplied from France. A further 35,000 rounds have since been ordered. A recent order for a second batch of 18 155 mm GH N-45 howitzers from the NORICUM Division of T & T Technology Trading will enhance the RTA's artillery capability. The NORICUM 155 mm GH N-45 howitzer, firing an Extended Range Full-Bore - Base Bleed (ERFB-BB) projectile, has a maximum range of 39.6 km, making it the longest range artillery system in RTA service. The self-propelled artillery systems in-service with the RTA are 20 of the 155 mm M109A5s manufactured by the United States’ United Defense LP, which are supported by 20 M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles.

Time needed to pay for UAVs

The RTA was reported to have negotiated an extended payment plan with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) over its purchase of Searcher long-endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The contract, worth about US$12 million, covers one ground-control station and four platforms, although the version obtained is not known. Deliveries began in late 1998. The acquisition fulfils a long-standing requirement to replace a UAV capability lost through attrition. Finalization of the deal was delayed for several years due to political and budgetary constraints combined with a fierce competition between IAI's Malat UAV Division and a US supplier. An IAI team visited Bangkok in mid-1998 to help resolve RTA problems in funding the Searcher purchase. It was reported that the company offered an extension of the payment period.

Procurement Detail

Thailand has traditionally placed an emphasis on internal security and counter-insurgency warfare. Over the past decade it has pursued a doctrinal shift emphasizing conventional warfare instead. This is partly the result of growing stability within the country, together with Bangkok's view of itself as a regional power. Thailand's priority to develop a well-rounded conventional warfare capability is not driven by any obvious threat; rather, it reflects an interest in having the means to react quickly to unforeseen developments, as well as in national pride. The recent improvement in the economy following the late 1990s economic downturn has given rise to procurement funds being more readily available. Capital equipment procurement over the past decade includes the 11,400-ton HMTS Chakri Naruebet vertical/short take off and landing (VSTOL) carrier (US$350-million), two 2,270-ton Yarrow-class frigates (US$680-million), and Chinese Jianghu IV type missile frigates, OPVs and replenishment vessels. The Thai government has also purchased two GKN Westland Super Lynx 300 multirole helicopters for US$35.6 million. The helicopters are scheduled to be deployed on the Yarrow-class frigates and will perform anti-submarine and surface surveillance duties.

In the post-war period, the U.S. has been Thailand's main source of military equipment; the relationship was particularly strong during Washington's involvement in Vietnam and immediately after the conflict. China's contribution has also been relatively significant. However, Thailand is now more open towards trade with a wide variety of suppliers as it is poised to join Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and other Asian countries in procuring cheap (yet effective) Russian military hardware. In addition, the Thai government is interested in procuring systems from Western non-European nations such as Canada and Australia, along with European arms suppliers like the Czech Republic, Spain, and Sweden. (The acquisition of their VSTOL carrier from Spain is a case in point.) New buying has also been carried out in Pakistan, North Korea, Singapore and other suppliers of niche products. It has been reported that Thai Armed forces sources recently said that the air force has expressed an interest in Russian ground-to-air missiles. Thailand played host to a defense exhibition (Defense Asia), in December of 2003.

Prime Minister Thaksin of Thailand has said he favors a three-billion-baht increase to 20 billion baht a year in the defense budget for arms procurement and development during 2005 -2013. He has also given the green light to the army's plan to buy 33 new Black Hawk helicopters by 2009 and an air force proposal to upgrade F16 and F5 jet fighters. At recent meetings on the structure of the armed forces at Government House, the prime minister agreed with all arms procurement proposals for the years 2005-2013, submitted by the Supreme Command and the three armed forces. He was also quoted to have said``Whatever they want to buy, even if it costs billions of baht, I am willing to support if they have good reasons and supporting facts. It does not matter how much it is.'' A problem with Thai procurement, some analysts argue, is that the armed forces have often stressed procurement of high-tech arms at the expense of support, maintenance and training.