Defense & Security 2025: Thailand's D11A passes army trials

Thailand's second D11A prototype is seen displayed at the Defense & Security show in Bangkok. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)

Thailand's state-run Defence Technology Institute (DTI) is set to hand over an initial D11A Multi-Purpose Rocket and Missile Launcher to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) for operational deployments.

An official from DTI told Janes at the Defense & Security 2025 show in Bangkok that the initial platform to be handed over has already received accreditation from the RTA to fire at ranges of up to 40 km.

This initial unit will be supplied to the RTA later in November following a series of user tests and trials in recent years, which were carried out by the RTA's 71st Artillery Regiment in Lopburi.

Concurrently, DTI is developing and building a second D11A prototype, which was displayed at the Defense & Security 2025 show and has the capability to fire rockets at ranges of between 150 km and 300 km.

This testing of the second prototype is scheduled to take place in 2026, although a potential stumbling block is a lack of local testing facilities that have the required space to test rocket launchers at longer ranges. The DTI official said testing of the second D11A prototype could take place outside of Thailand, but he declined to elaborate.

The official confirmed that the RTA has a plan to procure an initial six D11A units, with potential follow-on acquisitions in later years. While DTI is committed to building the initial two prototypes, production of follow-on units will likely be conducted by the RTA's own manufacturing facilities.