First Oplot tanks for Thailand successfully undergo driving and firing trials

BULLETIN RELEASED: 16/09/13 9:26AM GMT

UKRAINE-THAILAND-DEFENSE-TANKS-TRIALS

Kyiv, September 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The first two Oplot main battle tanks produced under an order from Thailand at the Malyshev Plant (Kharkiv), have successfully undergone driving and firing trials at a firing ground near the village of Chuhuiv (Kharkiv region), the press service of the Ukroboronprom State Concern told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday, referring to the concern’s director general, Serhiy Hromov.

Hromov said that during the first stage of driving and firing tests, the tanks had demonstrated maneuverability at various speeds. During the firings both tanks fired their 125-mm cannons, 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun and 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine guns. All targets were hit.

“In general, the trials of the Oplot main battle tank confirmed the high quality and technical specifications of the battle tank, as envisaged by its designers,” he said.

The tests of three more tanks from the first batch are scheduled for the near future, he added.

In September 2011, Ukraine and Thailand signed a contract worth over $200 million on supplies of 49 Ukrainian Oplot main battle tanks to Thailand. Ukroboronprom’s Malyshev Plant started fulfilling the contract in the spring of 2012.

In recent years Ukraine has been actively developing military and technical cooperation with Thailand. The contracts for supplies of Ukrainian military hardware, particularly BTR-3E1 armored personnel carriers and Oplot tanks, concluded with Thailand in 2006-2011 and being implemented today, are estimated to be worth $500 million.