Marines cadets from the Royal Thai Naval Academy (RTNA) recently visited the Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Co. Ltd. factory to study and observe the production processes. The visit, involving the 55th class of the Naval Officer Course, aimed to provide insights into the production of domestically manufactured armored vehicles and the capabilities of the Armoured Wheeled Amphibious Vehicle (AWAV), which the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is set to receive soon to ensure smooth operational integration.
Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Co. Ltd. has secured an order for seven new AWAV 8×8 vehicles for the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC), which are scheduled for delivery in the near future. The prototype of the AWAV was recently completed and delivered to Bangkok for an exhibition. Meanwhile, the company has already been awarded a contract to produce these seven vehicles for the RTMC, valued at $12.6 million (THB 448 million), as announced by the Thai government on August 3, 2023.
Chaiseri’s proposal was selected over competing models, such as the R600 by Panus Assembly and the Black Widow Spider by the Defence Technology Institute (DTI). While Chaiseri previously used the AWAV name for a 4×4 amphibious vehicle within its “First Win” family, the new 8×8 AWAV represents a completely new design. The 8×8 vehicle is crewed by three personnel and can accommodate up to 11 passengers. It offers ballistic protection up to STANAG 4569 Level 2 and mine protection at Level 3b.
Chaiseri expects to deliver the completed AWAV prototype to the RTMC by the end of 2024, at which point trials by the Royal Thai Navy can commence. Regarding its specifications, the AWAV is 9.2 meters long, 3.1 meters wide, and 3.08 meters high, with a ground clearance of 380 mm. It is powered by a 711 horsepower engine that allows for a top speed of 105 km/h on roads and 10 km/h in water, with the capability to ford water up to 1.2 meters deep. Additionally, the vehicle’s 600-liter fuel tank provides a combat range of 600 km.
