16th Cavalry Battalion The Royal Thai Army has Retired the M41A3 Light Tank and Switched to the V-150 Wheeled Vehicle

03 Januari 2022

16th Cavalry Battalion, 5th Infantry Division, Fort Thepsatri Srisoonthorn, 4th Army Area, Royal Thai Army (RTA) farewell to aging M41A3 light tanks and transitioned from Tank Cavalry Battalion to Reconnaissance Cavalry Battalion (wheeled) with V-150 4x4 wheeled armoured vehicle (all photos : tank16th)

The decommissioning of the M41A3 Walker Bulldog light tank, which has been in service in the Royal Thai Army (RTA) since 1962 by the 16th Cavalry Battalion 5th Infantry Brigade Thepsatri Si Sunthon Camp, Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province the 4th Army Region M. Col. 16, Gen. 5 had been stationed with a M8 Greyhound 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle that was a light armored patrol vehicle which was retired in the year 1973 with a long history of field operations since the communist terrorist era in the south until helping people in the current peacetime.

The conversion of the unit's armament reorganization ratio from a M41A3 light tank cavalry battalion to a wheeled cavalry battalion using a V-150 Commando 4x4 wheeled armored vehicle consists of a troop version, a gun mount version. Large tank size 90mm and version equipped with 81mm grenade launcher making the 4th Army Region there are no more direct units that are used tanks with the 31st Cavalry Battalion The 15th Infantry Brigade, M.K. 31, Pol.R.15, Lopburiramet Camp, Thepha District, Songkhla Province, is a M.L.A. (rubber wheels) who also use V-150 armored vehicles.

The M41A3 is in its final phase of use. 9th Cavalry Battalion 4th Infantry Brigade Switched to the Stingray light tank received from the 6th Cavalry Battalion. 6th Cavalry Regiment 3rd Cavalry Brigade Using the VT4 main tank. Previously, the M41A3 cavalry battalion, which was originally stationed in the M41A3, has now switched to other vehicles, such as the 8th Cavalry Battalion. 3rd Infantry Brigade Received the M48A5 main battle tank from the 2nd Cavalry Battalion 2nd Infantry Brigade, the King's Guard, who received all the Oplot-T main battle tanks.

At present, it is understood that the last tank cavalry battalion that still uses the M41A3 light tank is the 4th Cavalry Battalion, 1st Royal Guard Brigade, which still finds that the M41A3 light tank is being deployed for the fiscal year's field training year 2022, starting from October 2021.

According to the M41A3, part of it was stored at Ordnance Repair Factory Division Ordnance equipment repair center Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department. Understand that by the end of the year, it is now time to leave all units permanently, however, it is unclear whether or not there will be a full replacement of the new tanks.

(AAG)