The Royal Thai Navy Holds an Anointing Ceremony for the HTMS Chang Type 071ET LPD

27 Mei 2024

Royal Thai Navy (RTN) held ship anointing ceremony for LPD-792 HTMS Chang (III), the Type 071ET Landing Platform Dock (LPD) at Chuk Samet Pier, Sattahip Naval Base, Chonburi Province, Thailand on 18 May 2024 (all photos: Royal Thai Navy)

Large multi-purpose landing craft The Royal Chang Ship (III) received overwhelming grace from His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn. His Majesty came to perform the royal boat anointing ceremony on 18 May 2024 at Chuk Samet Pier, Sattahip Naval Base, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province It is considered the most auspicious blessing for the naval personnel and the Royal Thai Navy.

The previous anointing ceremony for the royal ship of the Royal Thai Navy was the anointing ceremony for the frigate HMS Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 16, 2019 at Chuk Samet Pier. Sattahip Naval Base which His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn His Majesty the King came to perform the royal ceremony as well which was approximately a time apart 5 years in the ship anointing ceremony for the new capital ship of the Royal Thai Navy.

Type 071ET LPD (Landing Platform Dock) HTMS Chang (III) that is stationed in the Amphibious and Combat Support Service Squadron (ACSSS) Royal Thai Fleet (RTF),  Royal Thai Navy is an export version of the Type 071 class landing craft of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). 

Since traveling from the shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group (HZ), metropolitan Shanghai, is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a Chinese state-owned shipbuilding enterprise. came to Thailand in April 2023. The floating dock landing ship HMS Chang also performed a qualification testing mission of the ship and participate in various training exercises continuously.

On the past April, 4 2024, Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard Naval Dockyard Department, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province Proceed with bringing the HTMS Chang into dry dock for limited repairs in order to check the condition of the ship below the water line. before the end of the warranty period from China Shipbuilding Trading Company(CSTC), the trading division of CSSC, a Chinese shipbuilder. The results of inspection and maintenance of the boat did not find any problems.

Later, the website of the Government Procurement System, Comptroller General's Department, Ministry of Finance of Thailand has published an announcement document of Naval Equipment Procurement Office Royal Thai Navy on May, 15 2024. Regarding the table showing the allocated budget amount and details of procurement expenses that do not use procurement. Project to purchase a combat management system, surveillance system, fire control system, weapon system, and gyro system along with related supporting equipment For the project to increase the capability of combat systems for naval operations, 1 system, by selection method. Budget limit allocated 920,000,000 baht ($25,330,406) date of setting the median price (reference price) as of 14 May 2024, source of the median price (reference price) uses the price obtained from investigating prices from the market. Quantity 7 companies as follows:

1.Leonardo SpA Company, Italy

2. Thales Nedeland BV, Netherlands

3. Navantia SASME Company, Spain

4. Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi Ticaret AS Türkiye Company

5. Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) Company, Israel

6. Hartech Technologies Ltd., Israel

7. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Israel

Although no additional details were specified, from the budget and the name of the project it is understood that this is a project to purchase various systems to increase the capability of the combat system for the amphibious landing craft at the HTMS Chang (III).  Since the ship was delivered, it has not yet been fully equipped with a combat management system (CMS), a surveillance radar, a fire control system (FCS), and a weapon system.

According to plans released by the Royal Thai Navy to Thai media, HMS Chang is currently armed with weapons already operational in Thailand, consisting of four M2 .50cal heavy machine guns on the ship's left and starboard and an Oerlikon machine gun. GAM-CO1 20mm 2 launch platforms on starboard and right in front of the bridge. Other weapons systems planned include one 76mm gun at the bow, two 30mm or 40mm machine gun launchers, and four decoy launchers.

The seven companies listed have products in demand, including Leonardo, the Italian manufacturer of the 76/62 naval guns used on a series of ships in the Royal Thai Navy, including the Royal Ang Thong landing craft, Thales Europe, Navantia Company Spain, ASELSAN Company Turkey, IAI Company Israel, Hartech Company Israel, and Rafael Company Israel also have various types of CMS, Radar, FCS, weapons and Gyro systems.

(AAG)