The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is reportedly seeking cabinet approval to procure additional VT-4 main battle tanks (MBTs) made by the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco).
Local media reported on 16 January that the RTA proposal features the acquisition of an additional 14 units at a cost of about THB2.3 billion (USD72.5 million).
The proposal, if approved by government, will take the RTA’s VT-4 inventory to 52. The RTA ordered 28 VT-4s from Norinco in 2016 for THB5 billion and another 10 in 2017 for THB2 billion.
The Royal Thai Army is reportedly looking to secure funds to procure 14 additional VT-4 MBTs made by Norinco. (Norinco)
The initial batch of 28 tanks was delivered in late 2017, making Thailand the first export customer of the VT-4, which is the export version of the MBT-3000 design.
The RTA has not yet confirmed the planned acquisition of an additional 14 VT-4s, although Jane’s understands that the proposed procurement is consistent with the service’s requirements.
Announcing plans to acquire a second batch of 10 VT-4s in 2017, Thailand’s Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon stated that the RTA would look to procure additional tanks over the next few years.
RTA sources have also previously confirmed to Jane’s an overall requirement within the service to procure at least another hundred MBTs to replace ageing and depleted inventories of US-produced M41 light tanks as well as increasing the army’s size and capabilities.
The Thai government has previously stated that its decision to procure the VT-4 was determined by both capability and price. The VT-4s already ordered from Norinco were acquired at one-third the cost of similar sales proposals from Western tank manufacturers, according to Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in 2017.
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