The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has procured four new M21-class patrol boats from local shipyard Marsun Company Limited, a company official confirmed on 1 September.
A contract for the vessels was signed on 14 July 2015 at the RTN head office in Bangkok, Marsun's head of marketing, Theerabhat Sroisena, said in response to queries from IHS Jane's . The RTN currently operates three M21-class patrol boats, which were delivered by Marsun in May 2013.
According to specifications provided by the shipyard, the M21 patrol boat is 21.4 m long, has a beam of 5.56 m, and a draught of 1.05 m. Powered by two MAN diesel engines driving two fixed pitch propellers, the vessel has top speeds in excess of 30 kt, a range of 350 n miles, and an endurance of 24 hours. It can accommodate nine crew and can carry 4,000 litres of fuel and 1,200 litres of water.
The aluminium-hulled platform is equipped with X-band radar, and has one bow-mounted Denel GI-2 20 mm gun as its main weapon. The vessel also carries a stern-facing 12.7 mm machine gun with a co-axial 81 mm grenade launcher. It also can embark one rigid hull inflatable boat.
Like the previous three vessels, the boats are likely to be deployed primarily for exclusive economic zone (EEZ) patrolling and other constabulary and protection duties with the RTN's Coast Guard Squadron.
(Jane's)
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