News Forum - Thai navy buys pilotless aircraft from Israeli for 4 billion baht

[Thaiger]

Thailand has signed a contract to buy Hermes 900 “unmanned aerial vehicles” (UAV) from an Israeli defense company, according to an announcement made today by the Royal Thai navy. The purchase will cost four billion baht ($US107,003,360). The pilotless aircraft will patrol Thailand’s seas to “protect the sovereignty of Thailand’s waters and shipping routes.” The drones will also assist in sea rescue missions, said the navy. The Hermes 900 drones will help to prevent and suppress illegal activities out at sea, said the navy. The UAVs are complete with a weapon system which can accurately “attack targets”, added the navy. […]

The story Thai navy buys pilotless aircraft from Israeli for 4 billion baht as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Pinetree]

a good decision, finally. 

[Janneman]

21 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

a good decision, finally. 

Yes, this will definitely stop the enemy from invading Thailand.

[Noble_Design]

I hope it will really be the Hermes UAV and not the Hermes Birkin

[TheDirtyDurian]

5 minutes ago, Janneman said:

Yes, this will definitely stop the enemy from invading Thailand.

Agreed. Those illegal trawlers should keep their hands off Thai fish. 

[palooka]

44 minutes ago, Janneman said:

Yes, this will definitely stop the enemy from invading Thailand.

Curious they bought Israeli UAV not Chinese. 

Oh sorry, forgot its the Chinese illegal trawlers they want to stop.

[Grumpish]

With or without engines?

[Rookiescot]

5 minutes ago, Grumpish said:

With or without engines?

Apparently has the engines but the wings are a different issue. 

[Pinetree]

2 hours ago, Janneman said:

Yes, this will definitely stop the enemy from invading Thailand.

It will help to control illegal border incursions by immigrants, so its sensible. 

[MrStretch]

One of the problems of a government run by generals; foolish weapons purchases like submarines and drones.

[Janneman]

2 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Apparently has the engines but the wings are a different issue. 

Pssh, wanna buy some remote controls? Special price for you my friend

[Vigo]

2 hours ago, MrStretch said:

One of the problems of a government run by generals; foolish weapons purchases like submarines and drones.

Why foolish? Are you saying that Thailand should not watch its borders, should not protect its fisheries, not protect against environmental dumping etc? Use of drones is cost effective and efficient and even safer. The drones can work for extended periods of time and don't need same number of personnel as other options. Drone can cover more area too. What's your solution to providing protection to the public?

[Fanta]

2 hours ago, Vigo said:

What's your solution to providing protection to the public?

 A new police force.

[Janneman]

58 minutes ago, Fanta said:

 A new police force.

Yup. You can catch illegal fishing ships with a drone, or with a good old patrol vessel. Rather useless if the owners can just hand over a little envelop to the right person and then sail away. And keep on fishing. Illegal immigrants? Sure, hunt em and catch em. The drones are armed so they can also, well, immobilize em. But a lot of illegal immigrants in Thailand are doing work for which the Thai are too lazy. Allegedly.

[Cabra]

A surveillance drone can certainly cover a lot more area (land or sea). But why it needs a weapons system is beyond me. Are they going to use it to sink illegal trawlers or kill illegal immigrants? 

[Vigo]

20 hours ago, Janneman said:

Yup. You can catch illegal fishing ships with a drone, or with a good old patrol vessel. Rather useless if the owners can just hand over a little envelop to the right person and then sail away. And keep on fishing. Illegal immigrants? Sure, hunt em and catch em. The drones are armed so they can also, well, immobilize em. But a lot of illegal immigrants in Thailand are doing work for which the Thai are too lazy. Allegedly.

You don't understand  the Hermes drone capabilities: It is NOT a weapons platform. it is primarily a monitoring and surveillance system. Its payload capacity is only 350kg.  The optional weaponry it can carry  is for identifying location, and is primarily electronic  in nature, intended to disrupt communications and the radar of the target. Such electronic interference facilitates the intervention by manned vessels.  The Hermes drones have an extensive deployment around the world and all are for similar intended use as Thailand;  Canada for use  in oil spill detection, environmental surveys, and monitoring Canada's Arctic; Chile - maritime Patrol;  Iceland - Monitor  exclusive economic zone; European Maritime Safety Agency - Monitoring sea lanes.

It's a smart purchase.

 

 

 

[Thaidup]

15 hours ago, Cabra said:

A surveillance drone can certainly cover a lot more area (land or sea). But why it needs a weapons system is beyond me. Are they going to use it to sink illegal trawlers or kill illegal immigrants? 

Drones would be a good idea if you wanted to do that, Just delete the hard drive with "bleachbit"

[Janneman]

3 hours ago, Vigo said:

You don't understand  the Hermes drone capabilities: It is NOT a weapons platform. it is primarily a monitoring and surveillance system. Its payload capacity is only 350kg.  The optional weaponry it can carry  is for identifying location, and is primarily electronic  in nature, intended to disrupt communications and the radar of the target. Such electronic interference facilitates the intervention by manned vessels.  The Hermes drones have an extensive deployment around the world and all are for similar intended use as Thailand;  Canada for use  in oil spill detection, environmental surveys, and monitoring Canada's Arctic; Chile - maritime Patrol;  Iceland - Monitor  exclusive economic zone; European Maritime Safety Agency - Monitoring sea lanes.

It's a smart purchase.

Well, I guess you are right. And indeed I do not know that much about drones. The article mentions 'weapon systems'  and 'attack targets'. Which is clearly something else than monitoring sea lanes etc.

Does that make the article 'fake news' ?

[Vigo]

17 hours ago, Janneman said:

Well, I guess you are right. And indeed I do not know that much about drones. The article mentions 'weapon systems'  and 'attack targets'. Which is clearly something else than monitoring sea lanes etc.

Does that make the article 'fake news' ?

Nope. Just incomplete. It's also how they translate and also how they reword media release information. 

[HiuMak]

For one that is always sitting on the fence profiteering on situations, I did not know that it has so many enemies.