Keel Laying Ceremony of the First S26T Submarine for Royal Thai Navy

16 September 2019

Keel laying ceremony of Thai S-26T submarine (all photos : AAG)

It is the latest progress in the construction of a ship in the 1st S26T Submarine Procurement Project, which carried out the first steel cutting ceremony on September 4, 2018, which is the 'Thai Submarine Day'. It was about a year ago.

Although the modern warship building is not currently being laid down. The 'keel' is actually the hull's axis. Instead, it was built to build a block-hull assembly, but the navy around the world still maintains the first block-building ceremony that the keel laying ceremony. Earlier it was reported that Admiral Luechai Ruddit, the commander of the fleet and the group traveled to China to perform the first S26T submarine keel ceremony as the navy is pushing for the second phase of the S26T submarine, the second ship.

On 18 April 2017, the Thai government cabinet at that time approved the purchase of the first phase of one S26T submarine from China, with a budget of around 13,500,000 baht ($ 410 million). Subsequently, May 5, 2017, the Thai Navy signed a contract for the supply of black vessels phase 1 of one S26T diesel engine with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co., Ltd. (CSOC), China.

It has informed that S26T vessels. The first of the Thai Navy It is based on the most advanced Type 039B class submarine, built into service in the PLAN: People's Liberation Army Navy.

Should have the ability to combine equipment systems Battle Management System and weapon systems from China and the West, expected to be able to launch (around 2022) and sent delivering can serve in the year 2023.

Submarine Tender

Ceremony to lay the keel, the first S26T submarine of the Thai Navy it was followed by the signing of a contract to supply landing ship dock (LPD: Landing Platform Dock) Type 071E  worth 6.1 billion baht ($ 200,460,066.6) on 9 September 2019. The signed a contract between the Thai Navy and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). This is the first export of the Type 071 landing ship also serving in the People's Liberation Army of China.

In addition to Type 071E, which is expected to be delivered in early 2020s (around 2022-2023), which will be stationed at the landing squadron and service battle Amphibious Squadron, Royal Thai Fleet, with some reports that the ship might be named 'Luang Chang'  (the 3rd name boat)' will be the second set of landing boats of the Royal Thai Navy. That will help ease the burden of the Ang Thong Royal Navy (Ship No. 3) which is the first and only LPD ship of the Royal Thai Navy at this time. That will be used in training, logistics, and personnel transportation And disaster relief to people already.

Note that the three-dimensional model of the Type 071E LPD at the signing ceremony shows the ship has a large crane in front of the helicopter hangar. And a S26T docked at the starboard side of the boat with a rubber bumper (Balloon Mooring Rubber Fenders) those two points.

As a result, the Royal Thai Navy plans to have a Type 071E LPD from Chinese shipyard to be used as a Submarine Tender. This is a project to procure both Chinese naval vessels from the Thai Navy. Great value, complete range unlike those with bad intentions, trying to frame the navy.

(AAG)