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| HTMS Krabi (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By ANDREW CHUTER
KUALA LUMPUR — Thailand may build a second offshore patrol vessel under a license granted by BAE Systems and is also starting to think about exporting the ship to other navies in the region, according to a senior executive at the British-based defense contractor.
Discussions are underway for construction of a second warship after a technology transfer deal between BAE and the state-owned shipyard Bangkok Dock resulted in the first of class, HTMS Krabi, being commissioned into the Royal Thai Navy in August 2013, said Alistair Castle, BAE’s Southeast Asia regional vice president.
“We are actively discussing a second of class as the customer wants to capitalize on the knowledge and skills already gained by Bangkok Dock,” said Castle during an interview at the Defence Services Asia show here this week.
The executive declined to discuss timescales but said that with the Thai Navy going through a modernization, the company was “trying to be responsive to their needs and requirements while ensuring the shipbuilding knowledge is not lost, that’s the key.”
Read the full story at DefenseNews