A white paper recently published by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) lists a requirement for up to four new frigates over the next 14 years as the first of its six most important programmes. An estimated budget of THB80.4bn (USD2.28bn) has been allotted to the frigate programme, which Thailand wants to produce locally. CTO speaks to two industry experts to explore these developments and how Thailand can navigate the procurement of these frigates.
After months of negotiations, the US Congress officially passed the USD874bn 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on 14 December. The bill includes the legislation which enables the transfer of two US Navy Virginia-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy in 2032 and 2035 under the SSN-AUKUS boat programme.
Babcock Australasia, Bechtel Australia and shipbuilding company, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) will collaborate to support Australia for the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme. The companies signed an MoU on 18 December to identify ways to develop a skilled workforce, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defueling and decommissioning, and nuclear waste and material management.
Canada signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) on 19 December for the procurement of 11 MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). The project is expected to generate approximately 700 jobs annually and contribute USD97m to Canada’s GDP over the next decade. A new ground control centre will also be built in Ottawa to support RPAS operations.
The Global Combat Air Programme’s (GCAP) International Government Organisation (GIGO) will be headquartered in the UK. This decision was announced following the signing of an international treaty during the GCAP Trilateral Defence Ministerial held in Tokyo on 14 December. Under the treaty, GIGO will be led first by a Japanese CEO, with the role expected to rotate among the three partner countries.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will upgrade and boost the indigenisation of 84 of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fleet of Russian-developed Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft following approval by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on 30 November. The project aims to bring the first tranche of 84 of the fighter jets to 78 percent indigenisation.