Thales has announced that the first C5I-enabled BTR 3CS armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) will be delivered to Thai Defence Technology Institute (DTI) by the end of December.
DTI is a research and development agency operating under the Thai Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The agency is procuring the upgraded armoured personnel carrier (APC) to deliver improved capabilities to the Royal Thai Army on the battlefield.
According to British publishing firm Jane’s, BTR 3CS is a command version of the Ukrainian BTR-3 8×8 AFV.
The vehicle was developed in a collaborative effort involving DTI, Ukroboronprom, Thales and Datagate.
Thales is equipping the APC with a computerised, command, control, communications and combat information (C5I) system under a memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed with DTI and Datagate last year.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe advanced communications solutions being incorporated into the vehicle will enhance the Royal Thai Army’s battlefield digitisation.
Enhancements will enable quick decision-making and deliver an advantage to soldiers on the battlefield.
As part of the project, the vehicle will be equipped with integrated digital radio communications with very high-frequency (VHF) combat net radios.
The combat platform will also include a battle management system for tactical command and control.
Thales Thailand country director Massimo Marzini said: “Thales supports the long-term ambitions of the Thai Government to grow its capabilities in the digital domain, including moving the country to Thailand 4.0.
“This extends to enhancing the armed forces’ capabilities in the battlefield by equipping them with the high-end communications solutions needed to gain an edge. We continue to enable Thailand to deepen its expertise in digital defence through close partnership with local industry and continued training and transfer-of-technology.”
The company’s C5I system is also expected to provide the potential for incorporation of self-protection, sensors and alert systems.
The upgraded communication capabilities will provide an integrated system to conduct command activities planning, radio communications and tactical information sharing.
DTI unveiled a prototype of the upgraded BTR 3CS fighting vehicle at the Defense and Security (D&S) 2019 event.
