DUSSELDORF - The Royal Thai Army placed an order with Rheinmetall AG for air-defense technologies according to a company press release of January 11. The order marks the first major contract by the service branch with Rheinmetall, and will involve four Oerlikon Skyguard 3 fire control systems and eight 35mm Oerlikon GDF007 Twin Guns, plus Ahead airburst ammunition.
The Royal Thai Army currently operates a mix of self-propelled and towed anti-aircraft platforms. These include the 20mm M163 Vulcan ordered from the U.S. in 1980 and 40mm M14/M42 systems in the self-propelled category, and the 20mm M167 Vulcan ordered from the U.S. in 1982, plus 37mm Type 74, 40mm L/70 and 57mm Type-59 systems in the towed category.
The Rheinmetall order is estimated in the multi-millions in euro currency, and indicates a shift away from U.S.-sourced platforms at a time a ruling military junta in Bangkok has seen ties with its traditional ally in Washington come under strain over its 2014 coup.
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