Ukraine completes delivery of Oplot tanks to Thailand
The Ukroboronprom State Concern recently announced completion of the contract for supplying Oplot-T tanks to Thailand.
According to a statement on the website of the company, the last batch of tanks was tested in the presence of the customer and will soon be sent to Thailand. Work on the manufacture of tanks was carried out by the Malyshev Plant.
The contract with Thailand was signed in 2011 and is worth over $240 million. In accordance with the export requirements, Ukraine was commissioned to supply Thailand with 49 combat vehicles.
Post completion of the export contract with Thailand, Ukroboronprom will begin to produce tanks for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During production, the tanks will also be slightly modernized. Plans for modernization will take into account the past experience of military equipment use in the ATO zone. In particular, the tanks will receive advanced digital equipment, such as a targeting system and fire control system.
The Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau created the Oplot Tank on the order of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine. The design was adopted by Armed Forces of Ukraine in May 2009. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine ordered 10 Oplot-M Tanks in the same year—however, only two tanks were delivered to the troops, and the contract was thwarted due to lack of funding in subsequent years.
In 2018, 10 Oplot tanks are expected to be provided to the Ukrainian army.