The Royal Thai Navy Retired the Last Exocet-armed Fast Attack Craft HTMS Ratcharit

14 Oktober 2021

FAC-321 HTMS Ratcharit, the Ratcharit-class fast attack craft missile boat was decommissioned in 30 September 2021 (photo : RTN)

All three fast attack craft missile launchers HTMS Ratcharit 321 were deployed on August 10, 1979, HTMS Wittayakhom 322 was commissioned on 12 August 1979, and the ship HTMS Luang Udomdej 323 was in active duty on February 21, 1980.

It is the second set of missile fast attack craft of the Thai Navy. Following the first set is a missile fast-attack craft Prabbrorapak class, all 3 vessels built by Singapore Technologies Marine-Singapore and originally armed with a surface-to-surface missile armed by Gabriel Israel, consisting of 5 firing tubes, consisting of HTMS Prabbrorapak  311 was put into service on 28 July 1976, HTMS  Hanhak Sudtru 312 entered service on 6 November 1976, and HTMS Soo Pirin entered service on 5 February 1977. 

A fast attack ship armed with a set of guided missiles, HTMS Prabbrorapak all three ships have been discharged before. The last ship of the series is HTMS Soo Pirin was discharged in October 2018, before this ship was removed from the Gabriel missile launch pad due to the expired rocket.

All three of  the Ratcharit-class fast attack craft missile boats, FAC-321 HTMS Ratcharit, FAC-322 HTMS Vitiyakom and FAC-323 HTMS Udomdej when in active list (photo : RTN)

According to the policy of the Naval Commander of the year 2020  HMS Ratcharit is scheduled to conduct the Exocet MM38 surface-to-surface launch training for the last time before discharge. However, in the 2020 and 2021 naval exercises that have passed, no Exocet missiles have been fired.

Understand that budget constraints from the Covid-19 outbreak force the Thai Navy to cancel such plans along with the cessation of launching weapons Navigation Exocet MM38.

HTMS Wittayakom was discharged in October 2016 , later handed over to Nakhon Si Thammarat Province to set up a monument to Admiral Phra Chao Boromwongse His Royal Highness Prince Aphakorn Kiatwong Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak. 

HTMS Udomdej retired in the year 2017, which was later on display at the Jesada Technik Museum. HTMS Ratcharit's decommissioning was the last of the series, marking the end of its service with an armed-launched fast attack ship. The second and the last set of missiles of the Thai Navy.

Some reports indicate that HMS Ratcharit, who was discharged on September 30, 2021, may be exhibited at the Royal Thai Navy Center. with an inauguration ceremony on September 23, 2021 by the criteria for naming ships after ancient sea warships .

(AAG)