Thailand’s second Krabi-class OPV seen here at its ceremonial launch. (Royal Thai Navy)
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has commissioned its second Krabi-class missile-capable offshore patrol vessel (OPV).
The ship, HTMS Prachuap Khiri Khan (552), was inducted in a commissioning ceremony at Sattahip, Chonburi, on 27 September, the RTN has confirmed in a statement posted on its official social media channel.
Prachuap Khiri Khan is the second of two Krabi-class vessels that derive its design from the UK Royal Navy’s River class. It underwent its ceremonial launch at the RTN’s Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard in August 2019. First-of-class HTMS Krabi (551) was commissioned by the RTN in August 2013.
The Krabi class has an overall length of 90.5 m, an overall beam of 13.5 m, and a draught of 3.5 m. The vessel has a top speed of 25 kt and a range of 3,500 n miles at 15 kt. It can operate in nautical conditions of up to Sea State 5.
Prachuap Khiri Khan is armed with an Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid gun in the primary position, two MSI 30 mm guns turrets, and two M2 12.7 mm machine guns.
The vessel has also been equipped with four (two twin) launchers for the Harpoon Block II anti-ship missile and these have been mounted diagonally amidships. The launchers are not found on the first-of-class.
Prachuap Khiri Khan will take on general law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and maritime-resources protection duties with the RTN as part of its peacetime operations, said the service in its statement.
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