Delivery of the latest 12 Norinco VT4 main battle tanks at 6th Cavalry Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Cavalry Division, 2nd Army Area, Royal Thai Army (all photos : RTA)
6th Cavalry Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Cavalry Division, 2nd Army Area, Royal Thai Army held a ceremony to receive 12 VT4 main battle tanks at Sripatcharin Camp, Sila Subdistrict, Mueang Khon Kaen District Khon Kaen Province. Pictures of the ceremony to receive the new VT4 main battle tank with vehicle nameplates named after ancient Thai artillery were published on the official Facebook page of the 6th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Regiment, on October 12, 2023.
12 new VT4 main battle tanks of the 6th Cavalry Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment, the 3rd Cavalry Division, 6th Infantry Regiment, 6th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division came into existence after the 21st Cavalry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division held a ceremony to receive 5 VT4 main battle tanks entered service on 28 September 2023 along with inspecting the high-tech training simulator building for VT4 main battle tank training at Somdet Phra Phuttha Yot Fa Chulalok the Great Camp, Pho Sai Subdistrict, Si Somdet District, Roi Et Province.
This makes it the latest within two weeks that the Royal Thai Army has received VT4 main battle tanks developed and built by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco), a state-owned arms manufacturer of the People's Republic of China. 17 vehicles entered service in parallel in the two tank cavalry battalions of the 2nd Army Region.
According to information previously available to Norinco, China has awarded a contract to build its VT4 main battle tank to the Royal Thai Army in four phases, namely Phase 1, 28 vehicles, in 2016, which has delivered the vehicles, first set of the year 2017. Phase 2, 10 vehicles plus 1 maintenance vehicle in 2017. Phase 3, 14 vehicles in 2018, and Phase 4, 10 vehicles in 2019, totaling 62 vehicles, including the VS43 ARV (Armoured Recovery Vehicle) in each battalion, 1-2 vehicles.
Where the 6th Cavalry Battalion and the 21st Cavalry Battalion It was stated that the VT4 main battle tank had been delivered at a number per battalion 35 tanks (understand that one tank company will have three tank platoons, 3-4 tanks per tank, totaling 10-13 tanks per tank company) when combined with the training and education section of the Cavalry Center should there are more than 70+ cars.
(AAG)