Thai Army To Bolster Armour With Tanks, Armored Vehicles Worth US$ 116M

Thai Army has ordered 34 armored personnel carriers 8x8 ZBL-09 (VN-1) armed with 30mm turret from China’s North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).

Each VN-1 will cost U.S. $1.7 million per vehicle – for a total of $58 million for the full purchase, which will also include 30 mm cannons, 7.62 mm coaxial machine guns and ammunition, Soha News reports.

According to the report, ZBL-09 will be delivered by 2020. The contract also includes delivery of 12,506 rounds of 30 x 165mm guns for the ZBL09 artillery shells.

The VN-1 is the export version of the ZBL-09, which is powered by a 440 hp diesel engine and can travel a range of 800 km. It can carry 7 to 10 persons.

In addition, the Chinese side has signed a deal worth 400 million baht (about $ 11.6 million) to modernize the armored vehicle repair facilities for Thai Army. And have also committed to organize maintenance and repair of Chinese-made armored tanks and tanks - 85 VT4 tanks and ZBL09 armored vehicles ordered by Thailand.

Thailand will also add another 10 VT-4 MBTs to its outstanding order of 28. According to IHS Jane’s report, this batch will cost $58 million. A contract to support the VT-4 acquisition is expected to be signed soon.

The VT-4 is China’s latest export-grade MBT. Weighing 52-tons, the VT-4 draws from the People Liberation Army’s (PLA) ZTZ-99A; it is armed with a 125-mm smoothbore cannon that can fire anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) and is powered by a 1,300 hp diesel engine.