TSAMTO, August 11. As it became known, the command of the Thai Navy may purchase Chinese-made engines to equip a non-nuclear submarine of the S26T Yuan class being built in China for the Thai navy.
As the Bangkok Post newspaper reported on August 9, a representative of the Thai Navy, Pokkrong Monthatphalin, announced that China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) had submitted specifications for an improved version of its CHD620 diesel engine to replace the German-made MTU396 diesel engine.
Earlier, the Chief of Staff of the Thai Navy, Admiral Taloengsak Sirisawat, indicated that any alternative must meet the agreed specifications, and the navy will conduct a thorough evaluation of the proposal by September 15. If it is found satisfactory, the Navy will invite CSOC to submit the engine for testing. If they are successfully completed, there will be no need to amend the contract. According to him, in accordance with the contract, CSOC is allowed to make changes to any elements of the submarine, provided that the replacement does not worsen the parameters of the equipment. If the replacement proposed by CSOC fails to pass the tests, the contract must be terminated and the parties will have to negotiate to discuss compensation. At the same time, the Thai Navy is not inclined to re-conduct the procurement procedure.
CSOC is expected to use the new CHD620 engines on its submarines, as well as on NAPS ordered by the Thai and Sri Lankan Navies.
When asked whether the replacement violates the condition of the contract, according to which the engine should already be operated by any country, the representative of the Navy replied that the fleet would have to resolve this problem.
Earlier, the command of the Thai Navy set August 9 as the deadline for CSOC to fulfill the terms of the agreement for the supply of the S26T Yuan class submarine with German-made MTU396 diesel engines. The timing was changed because the German company MTU finally announced its refusal to supply its engines for the Chinese submarine.
As reported by TSAMTO, following the consideration of the proposals of shipbuilding companies from China, Russia, Germany, the Republic of Korea and Sweden, the Thai Navy decided to acquire the proposed Chinese Shipbuilding Industry Corporation CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) S26T class NAPL, which is a modified export version of the Yuan class NAPL ("Type-041"). The project was frozen for some time due to the wave of criticism that arose in the country and resumed in 2016, when the government approved a fundamental plan for the purchase of three submarines built in China with a total cost of 36 billion. baht.
The contract is worth 13.5 billion. The command of the Thai Navy signed baht for the supply of the first NPL of the S26T project with the Chinese Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Corporation CSOC on May 4, 2017.
Steel cutting for the construction of the submarine began in China in September 2018, the keel laying ceremony took place at Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan on September 5, 2019. The construction was expected to be completed in mid-2023. However, at the beginning of 2022, problems arose due to Germany's refusal to approve the export of MTU396 engines to China.
The Thai Navy planned to conclude a contract for the supply of two additional S26T submarines in 2020-2021, but it has not yet been signed due to the difficult economic situation in the country and the technical issues that have arisen. It is assumed that in connection with the replacement of the power plant, the delivery dates of the head NPL may be postponed to April 2024.
