Chaiseri Thailand Completes Delivery of Seven New 8x8 AWAV Amphibious APC to the Royal Thai Marines

20 September 2024

Chaiseri metal & rubber Co. Ltd. completed the delivery its all 7 of new AWAV (Armoured Wheeled Amphibious Vehicle) 8x8 for Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) in September 2024 (photos: Chaiseri via Defense Info TH, Champp Heliman Models)

Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Co. Ltd. (Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Co. Ltd.) Thailand has completed the delivery of seven of its new 8x8 Armoured Wheeled Amphibious Vehicle (AWAV) for the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) in September 2024.

Chaiseri Thai Company has won the procurement of 7 wheeled armored vehicles (8x8) type personnel carriers by selection method, budget 448,000,000 baht ($12,918,115) at a unit price of 64,000,000 baht ($1,845,445) announced on August 3, 2023. Development, construction, testing and delivery of the vehicles were completed according to the contract within approximately one year.

According to Chaiseri, the Thai AWAV 8x8 amphibious armoured vehicle is 9.2m long, 3.1m wide and 3m high. It weighs 23.2tonnes and is powered by a 711hp diesel engine. It has a top speed of 105km/h on land and 10km/h in water and has a combat range of 600km. It can carry 11 personnel plus 3 crew members (gunner, commander and driver). 

The weapon system installed is a Guardian 1.5 remote weapon station (RWS) from Escribano Mechanical and Engineering (EM&E) Spain with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 76mm smoke grenade launcher, following the first prototype launched at the Defense & Security 2023 exhibition from 6-9 November 2023.

The seven 8x8 AWAV amphibious wheeled armored vehicles that have been inducted into the Marine Assault Amphibian Vehicle Battalion, Marine Division have been modified from the first prototype in several ways, including the front of the vehicle, which has been designed to be suitable for operations at sea and beachhead areas to prevent mud and sand from spreading up to the rear of the vehicle.

The driver's station is fitted with large-caliber ballistic glass which is highly effective in providing the driver with a confident view while manoeuvring on land and at sea. The AWAV 8x8 amphibious wheeled armoured vehicle will be used alongside the AAV7A1 RAM/RS amphibious vehicles of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Amphibious Vehicle Battalion, which is also being modernised by Chaiseri Thailand.

As the design of the AWAV 8x8 amphibious wheeled armored vehicle has focused on having performance similar to the AAVP7A1 amphibious transport vehicle , which will operate from the Royal Thai Navy's landing platform dock (LPD), HTMS Angthong and HTMS Chang, together with the AAV7A1 and the VN16 amphibious assault vehicle.

(AAG)