New Partnership in AFV Field

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Ukrainian state-owned defense industrial group UkrOboronProm has partnered with Thailand to build a new command version of the BTR-3 8×8 armored fighting vehicle (AFV). The Ukrainian company stated that it has sent to Thailand the “first machine kit” of its BTR-3KSH that will be produced locally under license.

No details were published regarding the number of vehicles to be produced in Thailand, nor about the deal supporting the arrangement, Janes.com reports.

“We view this export supply as a marker of [our] deepening cooperation with Thailand, Ukraine’s strategic partner in Southeast Asia,” director general Pavlo Bukin said in the company statement. 

“Ukraine has serious prospects in this direction and we must use [this collaboration with Thailand] in our national interests.” He added that the licensed production of the BTR-3KSH is linked to a framework agreement signed by Thailand and Ukraine “a few years ago”. This accord would cover the local production of the BTR-3E1 AFV as well as vehicle modifications and the provision of related support services, he noted.

Bukin said that production of the BTR-3KSH will be facilitated by the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), a research, development and industrial agency under the Thai Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the BTR-3 is the Kharkov Morozov Design Bureau (KMDB) in Ukraine.