Ukrspecexport to send another 22 BTRs to Royal Thai Army

KYIV, February 28 /UKRINFORM/. Ukrspecexport, Ukraine's state-controlled arms exporter, is sending another batch of armored vehicles of 22 units to the Royal Thai Army, Ukrspecexport's acting Deputy Director General Vadym Kozhevnikov told UKRINFORM.

"February 27, 2013 a certificate of mechanical acceptance in Ukraine of the next batch of BTR-3E1 in the amount of 22 vehicles for the Royal Thai Army was signed at the Kyiv armor repair factory," he said.

In particular, 15 vehicles of the batch are linear BTR-3E1, four - mortar BTR-3M2, two - BTR-BR and one - commander BTRZ-K.

The final transfer will take place after the appropriate tests in Thailand. The shipment of the armored vehicles is planned for the second half of March.

Kozhevnikov added that Ukrspecexport has already shipped to Thailand more than 120 BTR-3E1. "Some of these vehicles have been in operation for over two years and have a range of more than two thousand kilometers. Despite the difficult climatic conditions, the Ukrainian vehicles confirmed the high performance characteristics. Ukrainian specialists constantly stay in Thailand to provide technical maintenance," he said.

According to Kozhevnikov, all existing programs regarding the supply of BTR-3E1 to Thailand are valid until 2015.