Posted on 05/20/2016 11:30:09 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Thailand’s military has inked an agreement with China to purchase tanks from the Asian giant, officials said earlier this week.
Thai officials have confirmed that the Royal Thai Army (RTA) has formally signed a pact to buy the MBT-3000 main battle tank produced by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO). Deliveries are expected to begin before the end of the year and continue within a two-year timespan.
If the deal is realized, it would make Thailand the first known export customer of the MBT-3000, also referred to as the V-4.
Specifics on the agreement, including the number of tanks to be purchased and the price, are yet to be publicly disclosed. IHS Jane’s cited Thai military officials as saying that the contract features an initial 28 units and is valued at around $150 million, though the RTA could procure additional tanks to meet its requirement for up to 150 MBTs. Meanwhile, Chinese state media cited Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as saying that Thailand had planned to buy as many as 100 new tanks. Prawit is also the country’s defense minister
Commenting on the decision to purchase tanks from China, Thailand’s army chief Teerachai Nakwanich said he had full confidence in the high quality and performance of Chinese hardware.
“I have confidence in the performance since I personally went to see them,” Teerachai said Wednesday according to the Thai newspaper The Nation.
Earlier, Thailand had said that it would consider buying Russian T-90A main battle tanks. But Prawit and Teerachai both confirmed this week that the Southeast Asian state had decided on Chinese MBT-3000s instead.
(Excerpt) Read more at thediplomat.com ...
Interesting remake of the Romanian T72 with additional refinements and a modified clone of a Ukrainian engine.
These are probably meant for use during their frequent military coup d’états rather than for battle, where manned armored tanks are now obsolete. A tank is a sitting duck for a swarm of fast moving drones.
wonder how compares to the M1A1 Abrams?
Thailand?
I wonder what this means for COBRA GOLD?
good points!
Bangkok and Beijing want to build closer thais
A Chinese designed and built turbo diesel and auto transmission.
Simply laughable...even if it can target and shoot.
Poorly even Chinese mbts are better
With improved ScanJam technology it may be the drones that have seen their best days. To take terrain the tank as part of a combined arms team is NOT obsolete.
Looks like an M1A2..... how about that....
Thailand doesn’t need MBT’s For what ?
Unfortunately, each tank will arrive in 4,782 small boxes, with incomprehensible instructions, quite a few extra or unidentifiable parts, and a 10mm wrench made of stamped pot metal.
Just more kill rings.
Thailand?
Thailand?
Thailand?
...
Somebody had to be first.
How much of Thailand could even be considered “tank country?” Other than the capital/cities, where could the roads, bridges, and terrain support a big MBT?
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