The Royal Thai Navy has selected the Spanish company Navantia as the contractor to upgrade the Type 071E Landing Dock (LHD) “Chang,” which was built by China. The project, with an estimated budget of approximately €25 million, is still awaiting a signed contract. Navantia’s systems division will equip the LHD with the CATIZ combat management system and the DORNA fire control system. Additionally, two remotely operated Sentinel-30 weapon modules from EME&E will be installed for defensive armament. The financial details of Navantia’s proposal remain undisclosed, as does the timeline for contract finalization. Previously, in September 2019, a contract with China’s CSIC for the construction of the Type 071E LHD was signed, valued at 6.1 billion baht ($200 million), marking China’s first export of this class of vessel. Launched in December 2021, the “Chang” completed trials in December 2022 and was formally delivered to the Royal Thai Navy on April 17, 2023. This multi-role vessel, measuring 210 meters in length and displacing around 25,000 tons, will enhance Thailand’s maritime operational capabilities, supporting territorial patrols, troop transport, and disaster relief, while also serving as a platform for future submarine operations amid ongoing procurement strategies for additional amphibious vessels.
