DTI to Launch AAPC Amphibious Wheeled Armor for Thai Marines

04 November 2017

AAPC 8x8 amphibious wheeled armour (all photos : AAG)

National Defense Technology Institute DTI and Chawalit Public Company Limited will launch the 8x8 Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (AAPC) developed in Thailand for the first time at the "Defense and Security 2017" exhibition at the Impact Exhibition & Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand from 6-9 November.

This wheeled amphibious vehicle research and development project aims to research and develop a prototype of a wheeled armour vehicle for the mission of Marines of Thai Navy. It is based on the 8x8 Black Widow Spider armored vehicle for the Royal Thai Army, which has been developed, built and tested a number of prototypes.

The AAPC Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier, the body size of the car is increased so that it can carry more troops and floating in the water better, including the upper chassis that support the gun turret. A 30mm cannon is seen from the front of the vehicle, which is attached to a large water slide that folds up and down. Including the rear of the vehicle mounted floating system in the water is more powerful. In order to achieve higher float speeds in the water than the Black Widow Spider.

The prototype amphibious vehicle, the following properties are defined:
- The staff can be loaded. 1. Commander, 1 driver and 1 officer, and no less than 11 soldiers.
- The speed of land travel is not less than 80km/h
- Maximum speed in water is 15km/h
- There is an operating distance of 600km
- The air inlet and drop down automatically.
- The main weapon system is 12.7-30mm and the secondary weapon system is 7.62mm.
- Armor side can be ammunition according to the standard of armament Ministry of Defense KM. 2/2004 Level 3
- Absorbed under NATO standard Level 2b (STANAG 4569)
- There is a nuclear biochemical defense system inside the cabin.
- There is a camera system around the car and the display.

Mr. Surachet Thaveungsakul Thai Chief Executive Officer The President of Chawalit  Public Company Limited said that the company is ready to produce cars on demand, whether 10-20 or how many cars. Two years ago, a neighboring country of Thailand bought a car with the company. We have talked with DTI to produce together and export abroad. The number of production lines per month is expected to reach about 20-20 cars per month. 

Colonel Chatchapong Phonpayak, the project director of the Defense Technology Institute said the challenge of this project is not production or research. It is the confidence of the users. Must be able to submit the work to the user testing force until the confidence.

Wing Chun and its consulting firm, ST Kinetics, Singapore have provided DTI's knowledge of design, integration and testing, which is useful for Research, development and production of wheeled armour for the Thai Army in the future.

It is noted that Thailand's AAPC Amphibious wheeled Treadmill is similar to Terrex 2 / Terrex 3 wheeled manufactured by Singapore Technologies Kinetics. ST Kinetics has teamed with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) offers Terrex 2 to US and competes in the supply of wheeled armored amphibious Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ( ACV 1.1) for United states Marine Corps (US Marine Corps).

"The need to integrate public, private and educational partnerships to develop research and development knowledge to achieve the best results," said Dr. Sun Yuthip, this prototype vehicle will be delivered to DTI and Marine Corps Royal Thai Navy. To carry out performance testing and evaluation in the future.

(AAG)