The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has allocated THB170 million (USD5.2 million) to procure 30 mm naval gun mountings from MSI Defence Systems for its Khamronsin-class corvettes. According to Janes.com, Royal Thai Navy Naval Ordnance Department do not specify the variant that the RTN intends to procure, but the service is likely to sign for the MSI-DS Seahawk DS range of mountings. The system is being fitted to Krabi-class offshore patrol vessel, Angthong class LPD , Naresuan-class frigates (during MLU), HTMS Laemsing Patrol vessels and Inshore patrol vessel T.991-T.996 and DW3000f
The MSI-DS is a ship-protection system made by MSI-Defence Systems consisting of a 30mm Mark 44 Bushmaster II cannon on an automated mount. It was designed to defend Royal Navy frigates from fast inshore attack craft armed with short-range missiles, rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns or explosives. The DS30M Mark 2 system consists of a 30mm Mark 44 Bushmaster II[1] on a fully automated mount or manual controlled[2] with an off-mount electro-optical director (EOD).
The gun and the EOD are controlled from a remote operator console elsewhere on the ship. The mount is a single cannon naval mount that is gyro stabilized, electrically operated and self contained gun mounting featuring a choice of cannon, control mode and sights. It has low magnetic, radar and IR signatures and excellent ergonomic availability, reliability and maintainability (ARM). In theory the unique dual feed system of the Bushmaster series allows the operator to select different types of ammunition for use against a variety of targets. The safety, reliability and low life-cycle costs of the Bushmaster system added to its overall value.
