Navy awaits cabinet nod for new frigate

The cabinet is today expected to approve the navy’s plan to procure a new frigate worth 14.6 billion baht from South Korea, a navy source said.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reportedly backs the plan and met navy commander Adm Surasak Rounroengrom last Friday to discuss it, the source said.

Under the proposal, the navy will contract Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering to build the frigate that will include stealth technology.

The frigate will be completed within 1,800 days after the signing of the contract, the source said.

The scheme is part of the navy’s plan to procure two new frigates with a budget of 30 billion baht to replace HTMS Phutthayotfa Chulalok and HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai, which will be decommissioned in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

The cabinet approved in principle the navy’s plan to buy the frigates late last year.