Website Thai Government Procurement System, Comptroller General's Department CGD, Ministry of Finance of Thailand Has published an announcement document from the Signal Department of the Royal Thai Army (RTA).
On September 11, 2023, the winner of the project to purchase one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) for the Artillery unit, worth 188,654,710 baht ($5,284,075) Budget commitments across fiscal years 2023-2025 the specific method, is China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco), a state enterprise that produces weapons and equipment in the People's Republic of China. No further details were available regarding Norinco's selected UAV system at the time of this writing.
It is understood that the unmanned aerial vehicle for the artillery soldiers is a project to procure a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL UAV: Vertical Take-Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) for the target search company FATAB (Field Artillery Target Acquisition Battery), Artillery Division to replace the unmanned aerial vehicle Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Searcher II, which has been in service for a long time. The system is a product of Norinco China that should meet the needs of the Royal Thai Army's projects, including the SKY SAKER FX80 vertical unmanned aerial vehicle.
According to information published by Norinco China at the Airshow China 2022 international aviation show in Zhuhai from 8-13 November 2022, the SKY SAKER FX80 VTOL UAV has a range of 100km, a longer operating time than 8 hours with Hybrid drive system, speed 90-110km/h.
The SKY SAKER FX80 VTOL UAV has previously been reported as being of interest from several countries looking to procure new equipment from China, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. However, the Royal Thai Army's recent announcement of the project winner makes it appear that Thailand will be the first customer.
China's Norinco has beaten the PATHUM 4 vertical unmanned aerial vehicle based on the Orbiter 4 UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) proposed by Israeli company Aeronautics and Thai company RV Connex, which offers production in Thai and the DP6 vertical unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Aero Technology Industry Company Limited (ATIL), Thailand, which has already been tested as a prototype which also offers production in Thailand.
(AAG)