The deal between Kiev and Bangkok by mutual organization of production of Ukrainian BTR within Thailand until not approved by the Thai Cabinet and Prime Minister, said Last news on Thursday a Source in the headquarters of the Thai army.
On Tuesday, the media said referring to the press service of the Ukrainian state concern " Ukroboronprom ", in Bangkok on the sidelines of the international exhibition "weapons and equipment of the 2015" Kiev and Bangkok signed an agreement about the total production of Ukrainian BTR models within Thailand. The exhibition finished its work on Thursday.
The source, a senior officer of the General staff, spoke to a journalist of the Agency under an NDA, because it was not authorized by the command to provide official explanations. He said that, in his vision, the development of similar techniques along with Russia could be More effective.
"A deal on joint production of armored personnel carriers within Thailand have to have the approval of the members of the Cabinet, and the last word remains for the Prime Minister. So what to say about this deal as fait accompli until it is not worth ", - said the head of the Department.
He believes that " no certainty until this moment, no."
"Around such deals are always very much politics. Besides often not the policy of the present moment, and of political decisions of recent or long-standing prior. Agreement on military equipment last for years, they often do not have time for political changes, " said the Source.
Armoured personnel carriers of the Ukrainian production participated in tenders of the Ministry of defense of Thailand in the middle-the end 1990-ies, the Source recalled.
"Traditional partner of Thailand for the supply of weapons Is the USA. In this respect, nothing has changed since the fifties to mid-nineties of the previous century. But then We began to diversify our own defence order, buying equipment from other countries: Sweden, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Israel ", - told the head of Department.
The Thai military with the most adjustment to look closely to Soviet and then Russian weapons, which, as everyone knows, are reliable and reasonably priced, He said.
"But We had no opportunity immediately, right now rejecting the procurement of the vehicles have one superpower, "jump" on buying another. It was just dangerous and not in Thai: historically, Thailand has always sought constructive compromise ", He said.
"We wanted to get weapons developed in the Soviet Union. To buy them from Russia, a superpower and a direct successor of the USSR, We at the moment have not had the opportunity. But Ukraine is also a former part of the USSR, and the Ukrainian APC Is a development of the Soviet model of wheeled armored vehicle. Such was the logic then. It was consensus: the Ukrainian armored personnel carrier of Soviet design instead of the Russian one, " He added.
The source said that in tenders the beginning of 2000-ies took part both Russian and Ukrainian Armoured personnel carriers, But the advantage was given to the Ukrainian cars.
"Semi-formal, through the media, it was announced that the preference of the Ukrainian armored personnel carrier in Ukraine proposed options: the APC is supplied with engines by choice of the customer, and on each machine, you set the climate control. But the decision was still no less political. I think the air conditioning could be installed on Russian equipment, " - said the Source Agency.
He explained that " the flywheel of the agreement with Ukraine is spun it is then."
"The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014, but the Deal is Thailand, and Ukraine APCS - not less than ten years earlier," said the head of the Department.
"The idea of a joint production of the BTR within Thailand has arisen not on an empty place. This is, to some extent, the need. The fact that the Ukrainian BTR-3E1 in its current form, the Thai side is not fully satisfied, " said the Source.
He explained that the Armoured personnel carriers of the Ukrainian production in the form in which they would have had to be put right now, have the opportunity to "work" only in certain areas of Thailand, where the rules of natural soil and allow them to apply without restriction.
"Thailand is a small country, But it is elongated from North to South, on its territory a lot of different climatic zones, which differ between them not only temperature and humidity But also by soil composition and vegetation. In addition, within many areas of the country mountainous and hilly terrain. We need a armored personnel carrier, which could act in any of these climatic zones, " said the Source.
"This means that we have a lot to change and improve. Must be another clearance. Must be other wheels and tires. There are a number of nodes that need to be modified to use in Thailand. Need uninterrupted supply of spare parts. In such a situation the holding of a General engineering works and the organization of joint production look the most optimal and practical solution ", - said the head of the Department.
"Politics beyond my competence. However, if we talk about purely technical aspect of a question, personally I Think that the use of design solutions of Russian developers BTR, common development with Russia, could be at least More efficient, " He said.
sections: Politics |
Russian News
[View all comments]
[Print]
