Thailand will Build Third OPV in 2022

15 April 2021

Second OPV HTMS Prachuap Khiri Khan 552 (photo : RTN)

According to the latest news, for the fiscal year of 2022, the Navy may be able to supply a new offshore patrol vessel or OPV, priced at 6.5 billion baht, which is 1 billion baht higher than in the era of supplying the Royal Navy, Prachuap Khiri Khan which is a set of HMS Krabi, according to the original budget of the Royal Prachuap Khiri Khan ship at 5.5 billion baht during the year 2016.

Of course, at different times Prices may increase over the years as well. But look at it in another way The Navy may have a need for OPV ships with a helicopter hangar. But the length of the Krabi boat at 90 meters is not enough. If you look at the specification of the Royal Ship Prachuap Khiri Khan that can expand the flight deck to accommodate S-70B helicopters, it is highly likely that the new OPV will also have a helicopter hangar for the S-70B, with an additional budget of 1 billion baht.

The issue is why the Navy wants to take S-70B helicopters to operate from OPV, which is primarily a peacetime ship. This is another interesting issue as well, how the Navy intends to work together between a helicopter like this and an OPV.

The S-70B has a water surface radar that can be used to locate targets beyond the horizon for surface anti-ship missiles, or AShMs. In which case the Navy may want to replace the missile-OPV at a fast-speed attack rate disconnected (missile launch weapons) that have been disengaged in order to have sufficient ships equipped with surface anti-ship missiles at the required rate.

Another use could be to use the OPV as a terminal, refueling and arming helicopters in the case of naval combat, and then send the OPV to the radar picket away from other ships. This will either act as a ship or aircraft forward or separate operations outside the fleet to increase the radar detection area to cover more areas.

See full article TAF