Thai Army Inspects Armoured Recovery Vehicle to Repair VT4 MBT

25 Mei 2019

Armoured Recovery Vehilce of VT4 (all photos : Royal Thai Army Cavalry)


Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department committee inspect Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) variant of Chinese NORINCO VT4 main battle tanks at 6th Cavalry Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment in Khon Kaen, Thailand, 23 May 2019.

The basic car recovery vehicle with the base car VT4 is a repair vehicle that is part of the VT4 main battle tank supplied from NORINCO, the state-owned weapon manufacturer of the People's Republic of China. The Royal Thai Army has been given 28 cars in first phase and the second phase is 10 cars, a total of 38 cars and the Thai Army plans to add procure VT4 main battle tank. Phase 3 is another 14 cars a total of 52 vehicles, in which the total number of vehicles will include at least 2 VT4 ARV recovery vehicles.

The VT4 main battle tank has been stationed in two cavalry battalions. The tank is the 7th Khon Kaen Cavalry Battalion and the 21st Cavalry Battalion. Otto the 6th Cavalry Regiment. 3rd Cavalry Brigade in parallel with the plan to strengthen the cavalry forces in the 2nd Army Region area.

After the Thai Army received the 46th Oplot-T main tank from Ukraine, which included 2 Atlet recovery vehicles as part of the supply contract at the 2nd Cavalry Battalion. 2nd Infantry Division keeping him there. It is understood that for the VT4 main battle tank supply program, the Royal Thai Army still needs at least 100 main battle tanks. This tanks to replace the M41A3 light tank from US that has been in operation since the year 1962, which is in the process of decommissioning. Which is only in the unit of the direct division of the 3rd Cavalry Battalion, 9 Nakorn Ratchasima Cavalry Regiment 6 was awarded 34 M48A5 main battle tanks after the Oplot-T main battle tank has already received completed.

Including in the Army Region 3, the 7th Cavalry Battalion of 4th Infantry Brigade received a light tank Stingray, and the Army Region 4, the 18th Cavalry Battalion of 5th Infantry Brigade that has been awarded the M48A5 main battle tank to replace the light tank M41A3. Since delivery of the main battle tank VT4 has shown combat readiness in many exercises and plans to set up a maintenance center factory in Khon Kaen to support long-term use.

However, even if the user unit is satisfied with the performance of the car but there is a resounding sound that China is not sincere to transfer technology, systems or important equipment such as engines in depth to Thailand. Which seems to be a bargain that the Chinese will come to control the maintenance center in Thailand using their own people

(AAG)