Thailand main customer of Ukraine combat vehicles with BTR-3E1 armoured and Oplot tanks 0404144.

Defence & Security News - Thailand

Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess of Kingdom of Thailand, accompanied by Thai Army Chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha, visited Sakeav polygon (Thailand), where the examination of weaponry and vehicles of Thai Royal Army was carried out. Among the samples of military vehicles the newest BTR-3E1 8x8 armored personnel carriers and Oplot tanks of Ukrainian production were presented in Thai Army.

Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has highly appreciated Ukrainian armored vehicles: “We are satisfied with the quality of Ukrainian military equipment supplied and we are going to deepen the military technical cooperation with Ukraine.”

Thailand is the main Costumer of Ukrainian armored vehicles, in particular BTR-3E1, and Oplot MB. This is proved by contacts signed between Ukrspecexport and Thailand in 2008 and 2011 for the supply of BTR-3E1 and and Oplot MB.

The Oplot MBT armament includes a 125mm gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun. The tank crew is also equipped with sub-machine guns, hand grenades and a signal pistol.

The BTR-3E1 is an 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle designed to carry infantry troops, arms and supplies on the battlefield while providing fire support from a turret mounted gun.

The BTR-3E1 is fitted with the BM-3 Shturm turret. The turret is armed with a ZTM-1 30 mm automatic gun which can be remotely operated to provide increased solider protection in hostile environments. The 30mm gun has a maximum firing rate of 330 rounds per minute and can fire AP-T (Armour Piercing - Tracer), HEF-I (High Explosive Fragmentation - Incendiary) and HE-T (High Explosve - Tracer) rounds. A 7.62 mm machine gune is mounted at the left side of the main armament.