The Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute (DTI) conducted rigorous testing on a bridge laying vehicle equipped with robust support equipment. This testing, aimed at assessing the vehicle’s capabilities under heavy loads of up to 30 tons, was conducted in accordance with the Royal Thai Army’s testing and evaluation standards and the DTI-STD-003 bridge laying vehicle testing protocol. The testing took place at the Corps Engineer, Camp Burachat, in Ratchaburi Province, with the participation of a team from the Royal Thai Army’s testing and evaluation unit. The team observed and evaluated the performance of the prototype bridge laying vehicle across various parameters.
Key aspects of the prototype bridge laying vehicle testing included:
- Construction Time: Determining the duration required to erect a bridge using the vehicle.
- River Crossing Capability: Assessing the vehicle’s ability to deploy, position, and retrieve a river-crossing bridge, considering each stage of the process.
- Supporting Disaster Relief Missions: Evaluating the vehicle’s capacity to aid in disaster relief efforts by transporting technical equipment across a river safely and efficiently, making two round trips.
The objective was to scrutinize and confirm the quality of the prototype bridge laying vehicle. Following comprehensive testing and evaluation, the bridge laying vehicle prototype successfully met the criteria set by the Royal Thai Army for each testing aspect. As a result, the prototype is now poised to undergo the accreditation process for military research and development standards set by the Royal Thai Army. This successful testing marks a significant milestone in Thailand’s efforts to enhance its military capabilities, particularly in the realm of bridge deployment and logistical support during disaster relief operations.
The Defence Technology Institute (Public Organization) (DTI) is a research and development agency operating as a public organization under the oversight of the Thai Ministry of Defence. The DTI was founded on 1 January 2009 as part of a programme to increase domestic arms manufacturing capabilities. Their vision has to do the regional leader in selected defence technology offering solutions to the Royal Thai Armed Forces and ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations,) alliances.
