Terma Partners with United Defense Technology Offers to Upgrade Thai LPD and OPV

05 Juli 2024

Terma and UDT proposal to upgrade Chang LPD (photo: UDT)

In June 2024, Danish company Terma partnered with Thai company United Defense Technology to submit a proposal for a project to upgrade the capabilities of two HTMS Pattani-class offshore patrol vessels for a cost of 2,829,554,000 baht ($78,229,302) and a project to increase combat system capabilities for naval operations of large multipurpose landing craft HTMS Chang (3rd ship), floating dock landing craft, Type 071ET LPD (Landing Platform Dock), credit limit 920,000,000 baht ($25,330,406).

According to the announcement document of the Naval Equipment Acquisition Management Office (NAMO), Royal Thai Navy, which was published in May 2024, there were references to the median price sources from many companies from abroad, such as Leonardo-Italy, Thales-Netherlands, Navantia-Spain, Aselsan-Turkey, and many companies from Israel, etc.

The improvement of the Offshore Patrol Vessels HTMS Pattani and HTMS Narathiwat will include inspection, removal, design, improvement, installation, connection, and testing of the Combat Management System (CMS), Surveillance System, Electronic Warfare System (EWS), Fire Control System (FCS), Tactical Data Link and Engine Control System.

Terma and UDT proposal to upgrade HTMS Pattani and HTMS Narathiwat OPV (photo: UDT)

While the capability enhancement of the floating dock landing craft, HTMS Chang (3rd) will include the installation of Combat Management System (CMS), surveillance system, fire control system, weapon system and gyro system, which is understood to be similar to the system installed on the floating dock landing craft, HTMS Angthong (3rd) which is equipped with various Terma systems such as the Scanter 4100 C-Search surface-air surveillance radar and C-Flex combat management system. 

As for weapons, there is only information that it will be equipped with a 30mm machine gun, which is likely to be the same as HTMS Ang Thong, namely the MSI SEAHAWK DS machine gun from the United Kingdom, or another type of 30mm gun that uses the same 30x173mm bullet, while another main weapon is a 76mm naval gun that is likely to be the Leonardo 76/62 family of naval guns. Italy understands that it will have to wait for the next approval because the budget received in 2024 is very limited.

(AAG)