Royal Thai Navy Tests FK-3 Air Defense System Linked to Kronos Radar and ACCS Air Network

12 April 2023

Air and Coastal Defence Command (ACDC), Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has training and testing its FK-3 medium-range surface-to-air missile system to linked situation data from Leonardo KRONOS mobile multifunctional radar system (air search) and Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)'s Air Command and Control System (ACCS) on 10 April 2023 (all photos : RTN)

The Facebook page of the Air and Coastal Defense Command (ACDC), Royal Thai Navy has published a set of images and information on training and testing of surface-to-air missile systems. Its FK-3 medium range airborne in the detection and operation of the missile launcher system and linkage with the Leonardo KRONOS air surveillance radar system and Air Command and Control System (ACCS) with the Royal Thai Air Force at the Military Operations Demonstration Ground, Royal Thai Navy, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province on April 10, 2023.

The air defense system FK-3 self-propelled surface-to-air missiles was put into service in the Aircraft Combat and Coastal Defense Command, Royal Thai Navy in the year 2022. It is manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC), a state-owned rocket and missile manufacturer of the People's Republic of China. It is the export version of the HQ-22 medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile defense system. The FK-3 has a maximum missile speed of Mach 6. It has a maximum firing range of 100km. The system consists of a command vehicle, a radar base vehicle and a self-propelled launch vehicle (TEL: Transporter Erector-Launcher) 3 vehicles, each equipped with a 4-shot vertical weapon launcher, including a 12-shot system.

The Royal Thai Navy signed a contract for the supply of mobile airborne surveillance radar systems KRONOS from SELEX Sistemi Integrati (SI), Italian company Finmeccanica (now Leonardo, Italy) in the amount of 25 million Euros ($ 34 million) in 2011. A set of pictures confirming that Air and Coastal Defense Command, Royal Thai Air Force, received a mobile air surveillance radar KRONOS around the end of 2017. KRONOS is a versatile and multi-mission AESA (Active Electronically Scanning Array) radar system. With the ability to detect and track small air targets to missiles at a range of 250km, it can be deployed on ground systems and on surface ships.

The ACCS Air Command and Control System, based on the Swedish Saab 9AIR C4I system, has been used by the Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Navy for more than a decade, and the Royal Thai Army is in the discussion. It's possible to join ACCS integrates the Saab 9LV CMS (Combat Management System) mounted on helicopter carriers HTMS Chakri Naruebet, frigate HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej and frigates of the HTMS Naresuan Royal Navy Series, HTMS Naresuan and Taksin of the Royal Thai Navy with fighter aircraft type Saab Gripen C/D and air control and warning aircraft type Saab 340 Erieye of the Royal Thai Air Force However, linking the FK-3 to the KRONOS radar and the ACCS has no further details at the time of writing.

(AAG)