The Royal Thai Army Tests the Firing of the Bofors 40mm L/70 OES with New Fire Control System

29 April 2024

Army Research and Development Office (ARDO), of the Royal Thai Army conducted live fire of new domestic modernized Bofors 40mm L/70 OES[Opto-Electronic System] (all photos: Royal Thai Army)

Research and development projects to maintain and increase the efficiency of military equipment fire control system (FCS) for the Bofors 40mm L/70 anti-aircraft cannon of the Royal Thai Army Research and Development Office (ARDO) of the Royal Thai Army, there have been recent developments, after preparing at the 5th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, Army Air Defense Command in Bangkok on 10 April 2024.

Firing test with real bullets 200 rounds of two Bofors 40mm L/70 OES anti-aircraft cannons linked to a new fire control system developed in Thailand, against a stationary target at a distance of 1,000m and a moving air target were established at the Khao Phu Lon artillery shooting range, Artillery Center Artillery Center, Lopburi Province, on 20 April 2024.

The Bofors 40mm L/70 anti-aircraft cannon OES [Opto-Electronic System] is a modern improvement by a set of equipment to repair and improve the efficiency of the 40mm L/70 anti-aircraft cannon of ARMISYS Supply Co., Ltd. Thailand in collaboration with Royal Thai Army Welfare Department together with Kasetsart University.

According to the Ordnance Department of the Royal Thai Army, The Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department has announced a project to hire and repair the Bofors anti-aircraft cannon, size 40mm L/70, set the median price as of February 26, 2020 (2020) budget limit. 446,500,000 baht($13,996,873.07) price per unit 23,500,000 baht ($736,677.53) 

and has been delivered for use in training within the Unit School of the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 2nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment between 18-20 October 2022.

This research and development project is the development of an external fire control system for controlling the fire of a group of 4 Bofors 40mm L/70 guns (firing units). This external fire control system,  it detects and tracks aerial targets received from the camera Opto-Electronic.

After that, the information will be sent to the 4 Bofors 40mm L/70 guns that are positioned in various tactical positions to allow the guns to move and follow the air targets in relation to each other, and when ordered to protect and destroy the target. This external fire control system immediately sends trajectory compensation and firing commands to each gun.

This is in accordance with the tactics of the Royal Thai Army Air Defense Command for increasing air defense efficiency with the Bofors 40mm L/70 OES anti-aircraft artillery group.

The OES fire control system can be used in conjunction with the Bofors 40mm L/70, both in the original Analog Synchro signal system and an improved version of the Digital signal system. This is in accordance with the arrangement of equipment according to the principles of the Combined Battalion of the Air Defense Command.

There must be several external fire control systems in the anti-aircraft artillery battalion, allowing the Royal Thai Army to expand its capabilities in air defense. Using a budget that is worth the investment because it is a research product developed by ourselves in Thailand.

The Royal Thai Army has been procuring Bofors 40mm L/70 rifles equipped with a Dutch Flycatcher fire control radar since the 1980s. This latest modernization will make them better able to deal with modern threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles: Drone (UAV) from a system modified from a drone for civilian use to a UAV designed for direct military use.

(AAG)

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