On November 13, the Institute of Defense Technology (DTI) held a ceremony to hand over a series of new weapons to combat units. General Anupap Sirimonthon, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Thai Royal Army, represented the military to receive three systems including: D11A multi-purpose rocket launcher model, 105mm CS/AH2 light fighter artillery and DTI-1G guided missile system.
According to DTI Director, General Naphon Sangwongsom, all three types of equipment were developed within the framework of cooperation between the institute and the Army.
The 105mm rifle uses technology transferred from China, assembled entirely in Thailand.
Meanwhile, the DTI-1G guided missile system was also transferred from Beijing and has been used in real-life military situations related to border conflicts.
The biggest highlight in this handover is the D11A multi-purpose rocket launcher - a long-range firepower platform expected to bring Thailand's artillery capabilities to new level.
The D11A is capable of launching many types of rockets, including 122mm rockets (40km range), 306mm rockets (150km) and 370mm rockets (300km range). The technology was developed with Elbit systems Group ( Israel), allowing the system to achieve a maximum range of more than 450km in the future.
Not only serving as a launch vehicle, the D11A is also designed for multi-purpose missions. After starting the fire, the vehicle can be mobile reconnaissance, target authentication, or return to a safe position to be ready for re-fire.
The DTI-1G guided missile system also received great attention. This is a tactical - defensive weapon, designed to attack strategic targets such as airports, ammunition depots, command post, radar, or enemy fire clusters.
DTI-1G has a range of 150km, using a GPS/INS guidance mechanism with high accuracy. Each launcher can carry 4 missiles, launched consecutively with a 10-second cycle.
General Naphon affirmed that despite the sharp increase in firepower capacity, the Thai government's policy of using weapons is completely defensive. These are systems to protect sovereignty and national security. The use of weapons will depend on actual needs and the extent of need, he stressed.
When asked about the possibility of applying in situations related to the Cambodian border, the Director of DTI said that the decision was under the authority of the Army. DTI will continue to produce based on military demand, ensuring efficiency and aiming for technological autonomy.
He said that experiences from previous border cases are being studied to perfect the design and tactics of use.
In addition to the three financial assets, DTI revealed that it is researching a tactical robot system equipped with weapons, which has been handed over for testing to Military Region 2. The robot is capable of patrolling 3-5 km, remotely controlled with a 360-degree camera.
In addition, the institute also develops fighter jets, weapons to destroy bombs and mines and accelerates unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) projects, high-altitude surveillance satellites - the focus of the future technology strategy.
With a series of new long-range weapons and precision guidance, Thailand expects to increase deterrence and sovereignty protection capacity in the context of an increasingly complex regional security environment.
