Ukraine ships third batch of new Oplot tanks to Thailand

Ukraine has shipped a third batch of 10 new main battle tanks (MBT) Oplot assembled at Malyshev Plant (Kharkiv) to Thailand under a contract signed in 2011 worth over $200 million.

The third batch recently arrived to the Sattahip Naval Base by sea.

The batch was prepared for shipping to the customer in December 2015. The next batch shipment to Thailand is scheduled for 2016.

Ukraine seeks to finish the contract in full by late 2016.

"Delivery of 29 more tanks under contract will be finished this year if the military agency agrees it," the source said.

The Oplot tank has been developed by the Kharkiv-based Morozov Design and Engineering Bureau. The first two Oplot tanks entered service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in May 2009. An over $200 million contract for the delivery of 49 Oplot tanks to Thailand was signed in 2011. The Malyshev company started implementing the contract in April 2012. Investment in the tanks' serial production amounts to $30 million, according to the company management.

Experts estimate the Oplot tank has an 80% processing complexity coefficient, one of the world's highest among new combat vehicles. The tank has advanced systems of protecting communication and control gear, including an active system for countering smart weapons, as well as night vision instruments and a remote- controlled machine-gun.