Type 071ET LPD, HTMS Chang, Arrives at Sattahip Naval Base, Royal Thai Navy

27 April 2023

Arrival of HTMS Chang LPD 792 (photos : Royal Thai Navy)

Large landing ship HTMS Chang (3rd ship), Royal Thai Navy (RTN: Royal Thai Navy) has arrived at Chuk Samet Pier, Sattahip Naval Base Chonburi Province Thailand at approximately 12:00 hrs on 25 April 2023 and an official welcome ceremony at 16:00 hrs on the same day. It was the end of the voyage for a period of 7 days after leaving the shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group (HZ) near Shanghai, People's Republic of China on April 18, 2023.

A large multi-purpose landing ship supporting submarine operations  HTMS Chang (the 3rd ship) sailed to the rendezvous point with the offshore patrol boats of the HTMS Pattani Fleet Series, HTMS Narathiwat on 21 December 2023 at 13:00 hrs near Hainan Island, People's Republic of China in the South China Sea by HTMS Narathiwat departing from Songkhla Naval Base Royal Thai Navy Region 2, Royal Thai Navy 2 (2nd NAC: Second Naval Area Command) south of the Gulf of Thailand since April 17, 2023 by sailing a distance of 1,273nmi.

HTMS Narathiwat has delivered the escort of the landing ships to the dock. HTMS Chang (the 3rd ship) for the Royal Thai Navy Region 1 (1st NAC: First Naval Area Command) when it enters the Gulf of Thailand on 25 April 2023 with a frigate of the HTMS Chao Phraya series HTMS Bang Pakong Provide joint escort with ships in the 1st Naval Area. It consists of a helicopter carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet, a landing ship HTMS Ang Thong (the 3rd ship), HTMS Naresuan frigate, HTMS Rattanakosin Corvettes, offshore patrol boat HTMS Pattani and large maintenance ships HTMS Similan.

Type 071ET LPD (Landing Platform Dock) HTMS Chang (3rd ship) is based on the Type 071-class landing dock ship stationed with the People's Liberation Navy (PLAN: People's Liberation Army Navy), with the Royal Thai Navy as the first export customer. With a length of 210 m, a width of 28 m, a depth of 7 m, a displacement of 25,000 tonsnes, a maximum speed of 25 knots, a ship of 196 people, consisting of 26 officers, 39 sergeants, 96 sergeants and 35 soldiers supporting 600 landing troops, will be a ship with the largest size of the Royal Thai Navy.

Commander of the Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Choengchai Chomchengphaet, also answered questions from the media on several issues. For example, the operational waste of the new amphibious landing ship HMS Chang that when doing a frugal speed of 18knots, it uses as much fuel as HTMS Chakri Naruebet or HTMS Ang Thong and will be more economical at travel speed of 12 knots.

The commander-in-chief also provided information that the Royal Thai Navy had requested a budget in the draft budget for the year 2024 for the installation of naval firearms 76/62 (presumably a Leonardo 76/62), two 30mm machine guns, a combat information center (CIC: Combat Information Center) and a water/air surveillance radar to HTMS Chang.

Whereby the initial multi-purpose amphibious landing ship HTMS Chang (3rd ship) will be equipped with four M2 .50cal heavy machine guns. 950 million baht ($27.6 million) for primary weapons and combat management systems will depend on the decision of the new Thai government after the elections in May 2023. 

Thai Submarine

The Thai Navy commander also answered additional questions about the S26T phase 1 procurement of submarines, which had a problem with the MTU 396 diesel engine that Germany refused to deliver to China to install for Thai ships and Pakistan, China offers a CHD 620 engine to replace it.

The Royal Thai Navy maintains the three main conditions that China CHD 620 electric power generator diesel engine must 1. Must be safe and reliable. 2. The People's Liberation Army of China must recognize and guarantee lifetime spare parts and service support 3. China must compensate for the opportunity cost for Thailand. The commander-in-chief also said China already uses CHD 620 engines in its aircraft carriers, and China-built diesel-electric submarines are now being switched to CHD 620 instead of MTU 396 in line with stricter EU sanctions

However, if the Royal Thai Navy decides to accept Chinese CHD 620 engines expected in June 2023, the construction of the first S26T submarine will be delayed no less than that 40 months or about 2025 and compensation from China will depend on the decision of the new Thai government after the election. Following the delay in procurement of the second and third phases of S26T submarines The Royal Thai Navy has pushed for a project to procure a second high-performance frigate instead, which will be built in Thailand by transferring technology.

(AAG)