According to information published by the "The Haiger" website, the Royal Thai Navy confirms its plan to acquire two more S26T submarines from China. A budget was submitted last week to the parliamentary budget committee with respect to the fiscal budget for the 2022 year.
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China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation has unveiled the design of the S26T submarine during the edition 2017 of the Defense & Security defense exhibition that was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
The acquisition of these submarines is part of the Royal Thai Navy submarine acquisition plan, first unveiled six years ago, to buy a total of three diesel-powered Chinese submarines. In January 2017 the Thai National Legislative Assembly tacitly approved the expenditure of 13.5 billion baht (US$383 million) to buy one Chinese S26T submarine, a derivative of China's Yuan Class Type 039A submarine.
Citing Naval Post website, the keel laying ceremony for the Royal Thai Navy’s first S26T submarine was held by Chinese shipbuilding group CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) on September 5, 2019, at Wuchang Shipbuilding’s yard in Wuhan, China.
The S26T is based on the Type 039B Yuan-class submarine operated by the Chinese Navy. It is expected to displace at around 2,600 tons, has a top speed of 18 knots, and a submerged endurance of up to 20 days. It will be armed with up to 16 torpedoes and up to 30 mines.
In November 2017, Chinese shipbuilding group China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) unveiled three new submarine designs including the S26T at the Defense & Security defense exhibition that was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
