Chanborn’s Weblog

Royal Thai M119 Howitzers

Thai m119 howitzers in Iraq 2 years ago

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Royal Thai type 59 howitzer

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Royal Thai m101 howitzers

M-72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) Today’s light infantry and Special Operations Forces must rely on weapons they can carry into battle without degrading their mobility to effectively engage and defeat the enemy. The improved M72 satisfies these important requirements by delivering increased lethality and reliability at longer standoff ranges, while retaining the battle-proven design and operational features of the combat-tested original M72 LAW. Propelled by higher velocity rocket motor and armed with a variety of more effective warheads, the Product Improved LAW provides the individual soldier with the capability to defeat the wide spectrum of targets likely to be encountered on today’s battlefields.

Although the new M72 family of weapons is designed primarily to defeat light armor, these weapons retain a moderate capability against main battle tanks when engaged from top, side and rear angles of attack. They are also effective against concrete and brick walls, as well as both hasty and prepared field fortifications.

These next generation M72LAWs are affordable, highly proliferable weapon systems, compatible with the needs of most modern armed forces. The new M72LAWs offer greater lethality, increased range, better accuracy, and more versions of the M72. These improved capabilities are provided without significantly increasing system size, weight, complexity, or cost.

Prior to the fielding of the AT-4 the M-72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) was the Army’s primary shoulder-fired, man-portable, light anti-tank rocket. The M72 66mm LAW (Light Anti-armor Weapon) was developed in the 1960s. It was a revolutionary idea: a pre-packaged rocket which could be fired and the launcher then thrown away. Like the RPG-7, the M72 is capable of penetrating a foot of armor, but its effective range is only 170 to 220 meters. Manufactured by Talley Industries in the U.S. and under license in Norway, it not only became a NATO standard but was copied and produced in Czechoslovakia and Russia (as the RPG-18 and RPG-26). Early versions were frequently inaccurate, corrected by an improved sight and a more powerful rocket motor.

The M72-series LAW is a lightweight, self-contained, antiarmor weapon consisting of a rocket packed in a launcher. It is man-portable, may be fired from either shoulder, and is issued as a round of ammunition. It requires little from the user–only a visual inspection and some operator maintenance. The launcher, which consists of two tubes, one inside the other, serves as a watertight packing container for the rocket and houses a percussion-type firing mechanism that activates the rocket.

Outer Tube. The trigger housing assembly (which contains the trigger assembly) is on the upper surface of the outer tube. So are the trigger arming handle, front and rear sight assemblies, and the launcher’s rear cover.
Inner Tube. The inner tube telescopes outward toward the rear, guided by a channel assembly that rides in an alignment slot in the outer tube’s trigger housing assembly. The channel assembly also houses the firing pin rod assembly, which includes a detent lever assembly. The detent lever assembly moves under the trigger assembly in the outer tube, locking the inner tube in the extended position and cocking the weapon. All this must occur before the weapon can be fired.
Rocket. The rocket is a percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, fixed munition. It is attached by the igniter to the inside of the launcher. The rocket consists of a 66-mm HEAT warhead, a point-initiating, base-detonating fuze, and a rocket motor. Six spring-loaded fins are attached to the rear of the rocket motor. These fins are folded forward along the motor when the rocket is in the launcher. When ignited, the propellant in the rocket motor burns completely, producing gasses about 1,400F(760C). The gas pressure pushes the rocket toward the target and exits to the rear of the launcher as the backblast.
The M72-series LAW is issued as a round of ammunition. It contains a nonadjustable propelling charge and a rocket. Every M72-series LAW has an integral high-explosive antitank (HEAT) warhead. The warhead is in the rocket’s head (or body) section. The fuze and booster are in the rocket’s closure section. The propellant, its igniter, and the fin assembly are in the rocket’s motor. No inert versions are available. Although the M72-series LAW is mainly used as an antiarmor weapon, it may be used with limited success against secondary targets such as gun emplacements, pillboxes, buildings, or light vehicles.

The four methods of engagement with a LAW are single, sequence, pair, and volley firing. The two best methods of engagement are volley firing and pair firing.

Single firing. In single firing, you fire at a target with only one LAW. This method is used only at ranges of 50 meters or less. Beyond that range, single firing is ineffective, as the chance of a first-round hit is low.
Sequence firing. In sequence firing, you prepare several launchers for firing. After firing the first LAW, note its impact. If you get a hit, continue to fire, using the same sight picture, until the target is destroyed. If the first round is a miss, adjust the range and lead of succeeding rounds until you get a hit. Then continue to fire until the target is destroyed.
Pair firing. In pair firing, you and another gunner prepare two or more LAWs each, and fire at a target one at a time. You swap information when firing at the target. The gunner seeing a target identifies it and gives the estimated range and lead he will use (for example, TANK, 150 METERS, FAST TARGET), then fires. If the first gunner misses, the second gunner quickly announces a revised estimate of range and lead (as appropriate) and fires. Both gunners continue exchanging range and lead information until one gets a hit. Once the range and lead are determined, gunners fire at the target until it is destroyed. Pair firing is preferred over sequence firing, as it lets the gunners get hits fasten the gunner firing the second round can be ready to fire as soon as the first round impacts. In sequence firing, you must get another LAW, establish a sight picture, and fire. Pair firing also has the advantage of having two gunners track the target at one time.
Volley firing. In volley firing, you and one or more other gunners fire at once. Before firing, each gunner prepares one or more LAWs Gunners fire on command or on signal until the target is destroyed for example, TANK, 100 METERS, SLOW TARGET, VOLLEY FIRE, READY, AIM, FIRE. Volley fire is used only when the range to the target and the lead have been determined. Range can be determined by map, by pacing, or by the results of pair firing after a target has been hit. The volley method is best because more rounds are fired at a target at one time. That increases the chance of a hit.

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ROYAL THAI ARMY M901A3 Improved TOW Vehicle

The M901A3 Improved TOW Vehicle (ITV) is a weapon system using present TOW components, mounted on a modified M113A3. It incorporates the RISE powerpack and improved driver controls. The TOW components are mounted in a launcher platform that is attached to a modified M27 cupola.

An elevating mechanism positions the launcher platform into reload and elevated positions. The system is capable of firing two missiles without reloading and carries ten TOW rounds in the missile rack. Maximum protection is provided the crew during reload.

PM-M113’s intention is to block materiel changes (MC) as funding becomes available. Possible changes include:

Auto Stow

This MC will enable the operator to stow the weapon station without prepositioning the head prior to initiating the stow procedure. Under combat situations, this procedure subjects the crew and vehicle to enemy fire and increases the time necessary to take evasive action. This MC will enable it to be stowed automatically at the touch of a switch.

Enhanced Night Sight Collimator

This MC consists of an installation of remote adjustment knobs. Remote collimation reduces the crew’s exposure to hostile fire during boresighting and provides quicker and more accurate boresighting when one operator is able to perform adjustments while he is viewing the scene himself.

Night Sight Lens Cover

This MC provides a remotely controlled cover for the night sight. Presently the night sight lens is vulnerable to damage from rocks and other objects. The cover will reduce damage to the lens and reduce set-up time by keeping the lens free of dirt.

Operator Selectable Filter

The purpose of this MC is to provide laser protection to the AN/TAS-4 Night Sight to prevent operator eye injury from damaging laser energy. This change provides a switch mounted in the operators station for control of the filter.

WFOV Laser Protection

The purpose of this MC is to provide laser protection for the Wide Field of View optical devices (M26) to prevent operator eye injury from damaging laser light.

Additional M113 FOV MCs which could be applied to the M901A3 include: Armor enhancements; BCIS; Contact Spall Liner, Driver’s Night Viewer; EPLRS; Improved Cold Start; M17 Laser Protection; PLGR Brackets; Swim Mod; VIS; and Water/Ration Heater.

TOW MISSILES, the RTA uses.

ROYAL THAI SAMSAspide Mk1/Mk2
The Italian Aspide, basically a licensed version of the American Sparrow, is similarly employed as both an air-to-air and surface-to-air missile, and in the later role it is launched from both ships and ground platforms. The AIM-7E Sparrow entered service in 1962 and was widely used as a standard for other variants such as the Sky Flash (UK) and Aspide (Italy). Alenia Difesa offers a complete range of systems, including the air to air and surface to air systems based on Aspide missile (Spada, Skyguard, Albatros, ARAMIS).

The Chinese PL-11 medium-range AAM is based on the Aspide, which was acquired by China in the late 1980s for use in the air-to-air roles, and as with the American and Italian version, subsequently in the LY-60 system modified for both ground and naval air defence applications. In reaction to the Tiananmen Square massacre, the European Council–an EU decision-making body comprised of ministers from EU member countries–imposed several sanctions in June 1989, including “an embargo on trade in arms with China.” The deliveries of Italian Aspide air-to-air missiles appear to have been made in connection with pre-embargo agreements. Although a contract for the Aspide system has been signed with Italian firm Alinea, the government in Rome had not given its permission to export the missiles to Cyprus, fearing the deployment would only fuel existing tensions.

Through Alenia Difesa, Finmeccanica offers a complete range of systems, including the surface to air systems based on the Aspide missile (Spada, Skyguard, Albatros, ARAMIS;.

Hey, Sirikittong. Can you bring some more pics of a Soldier and their battle dress?

^Sure bro. Aye aye aye, i see you’re a military punkie such as myself You make me smile.

ADATS firing. The enemies of Thailand will surely SUFFER immediate righteous salvation
Royal Thai Eryx manual missile pod. Divisional inventory

Royal Thai ADATS Tua mobile pod

Royal Thai Beaver variant missile launcher. Delivers death to our enemies 20+ KM away

Royal Thai m113 Phalanx Air Guard.

Royal Thai Air Shield Post. (one of many regional points throughout the country)

ADATS firing

I think that Thailand need to replace their MBT with Leopard 2

^ I agree with you brother. However we have over 100 MBTs, our sheer number can overwhelm any enemy armored cavalry force.I dont think it is wise to choose one tank, i think its best to invest and look at our options.

What do you think about the:

1) Chinese PLA type 98
2) Indian Arjun
3) American Abrams
4) Leopard II

These are all possible additions.

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Pictures to help you:


Indian Arjun Tank

Impressive show of force by the PLA and Type 98 battle tanks on the foreground.
The Mighty Red Dragon…

American Abrams Battle tank

German Leopard II