Thailand interested in Ukrainian BTR-4MV1
Thailand’s military is interested in acquiring Ukraine’s new BTR-4MV1. The Ukrainian armored transports could become the primary vehicles for the Royal Thai Marine Corps, as reported on the website of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) following the “Weaponry and Security” exhibition and the Aviamir XXI aerospace showroom.
The BTR-4MV1 is a thoroughly revamped version of the BTR-4 which takes into account NATO standards and experience from operating in the NATO zone. It has a new front section with an effective slant and enhanced protection.
The driver is afforded a panoramic view through five safety glass windows. There is also a 360 degree digital viewing system by means of cameras which can even “see” at night time. New seats with explosion protection have been installed for the crew and passengers, as well as a new air-con and heating system.
The BTR is an 8x8 vehicle with a German Deutz engine and American Alisson transmission. It has a top speed of 110 km/h on land and 1km/h in water, and weighs in at 24-25 tons.
NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov held negotiations with Royal Thai Marine Corps Vice Admiral Sangkorn Pongsiri, discussing matters related to increased bilateral collaboration in the military technology sector.
According to senior Thai officials, the military equipment and weaponry that has been purchased from Ukraine, including tanks and BTRs, has successfully passed all tests and been adopted into the Thai armament.
During the exhibition, Turchynov said that Ukraine’s foreign partners are satisfied with Ukrainian weapons and equipment. The NSDC secretary discussed defense collaboration with the heads of the delegations from Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, the Czech Republic, Turkey and Thailand.
In 2017, Ukraine exported weapons to six countries, with its largest client being Thailand, which purchased 16 Oplot tanks.