Defense & Security 2022: Royal Thai Army expands artillery production

The Autonomous Truck-Mounted Gun (pictured above) is produced by the Royal Thai Army with support from Israel's Elbit Systems. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is continuing to expand its programmes to produce mortar systems and howitzers based on Israeli technologies.

RTA officials told Janes at the Defense & Security 2022 show in Bangkok that the army's production facilities in Lopburi, central Thailand, have recently ramped up manufacturing on both platforms.

The mortar programme features the production of an Autonomous Truck-Mounted Mortar (ATMM), integrating Elbit's 120 mm Spear mortar system on a 4×4 truck supplied by Indian company Tata.

The howitzer programme features the Autonomous Truck-Mounted Gun (ATMG), incorporating Elbit's ATMOS 155 mm/52-calibre self-propelled howitzer on a 6×6 10 tonne Tatra truck from the Czech Republic.

RTA officials disclosed that the service has taken delivery of 22 ATMMs and that 12 more units will be delivered by the end of 2023 for infantry battalions and cavalry squadrons.

They also confirmed that the RTA's artillery regiments have taken delivery of 18 ATMGs and that six more will be delivered by the end of 2022. Six ATMGs have also been supplied to the Royal Thai Marine Corps.

Manufacturing of the platforms is undertaken by the Artillery and Mortar Production Division of the RTA's Weapon Production Centre (WPC) in Lopburi. RTA officials confirmed that the weapon system for both the ATMG and ATMM is imported from Israel and integrated locally onto the imported trucks. In addition to integration, the RTA locally sources most of the ancillary parts and subsystems.

Looking forward, the RTA officials said the WPC will continue to build both systems to fulfil future requirements. Janes