HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442)

Guided-Missile Corvette Warship

Thailand | 1987

"HTMS Sukhothai was lost during rough seas in December 2022 after taking on seawater and losing power."

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442).

2 x MTU 20V1163 TB83 diesel engines developing 16,000 horsepower to 2 x Shafts under stern.
Propulsion

24.0 kts
27.6 mph
Surface Speed

3,567 nm
4,105 miles | 6,606 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442).

87
Personnel
Complement

251.9 ft
76.78 meters
O/A Length

31.5 ft
9.60 meters
Beam

4.5 ft
1.37 meters
Draught

960
tons
Displacement

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442).

1 x 76mm / 62 caliber OTO-Breda turreted main gun.
8 x Albatross surface-to-air missiles.
8 x RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
1 x 40mm L70 Bofors Anti-Aircraft (AA) gun.
2 x 20mm Oerlikon GAM-B01 AA autocannons.
6 x Mark 32 torpedo systems in two triple-tubed launchers.

Ships-in-Class (2)
Notable series variants as part of the HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442) family line as relating to the PFMM Mk 16-class (US) group.

HTMS Ratanakosin (FS-441); HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442)

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 12/19/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The modern Roayl Thai Navy operates two of the Rattanakosin-class guided-missile corvettes in HTMS Rattanakosin (FS-441) and HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442). Both were built by Tacoma Boat Building Company of the United States to the "PFMM Mk 16" standard and carry a mix of American and European systems and armament. The pair were built from the period spanning 1984 to 1986 and entered commissioned service in 1986. Both ships are in active service as of this writing (2018).

NOTE: This article covers the various qualities of HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442).

HTMS Sukhothai displaces 960 tons and has an overall (bow-to-stern) length of 76.8 meters, a beam (width) measuring 9.6 meters and a draught (height) down to 4.5 meters. The propulsion scheme involves 2 x German MTU 20V1163 TB83 marine diesel turbines developing a combined 16,000 horsepower and these are used to drive 2 x Shafts located under the stern section. The warship can make headway at speeds up to 24 knots when dashing and 18 knots when cruising. Aboard is a crew of 87 personnel made up of officers and sailors.

The warship is completed with the usual systems and sensors allowing it to take on a "multi-mission" mindset. This includes both surface-search and air-search radar as well as a complete fire control radar suite. A sonar system is installed at the bow for undersea detection of unseen enemy elements. The warship's profile involves a low-profile superstructure, running from the forecastle to the afterdeck, complete with slab-siding adding a stealth quality. The bow is slightly raised and the forecastle short. The bridge is set at the extreme forward-end of the superstructure with a commanding view out over the forecastle. The main mast, of an enclosed, pyramidal design, is integrated into the bridge section and clearly carries the WM 25/41 fire control radome installation. Aft of this, at midships, are the low-profile, tapered smoke funnel structures which give the vessel another stealth-like quality. The second mast, much shorter than the forward mast, is of an enclosed design and carried the DA05 air/surface-search radar aerial fit. This is set over the rear superstructure area.

The warship is classified as a corvette and its dimensional compactness does not allow it to carry helicopter launch and retrieval capabilities (in the form of a helideck and hangar). Its "guided-missile" classification also implies an armament scheme reliant on missile-minded weaponry.

Towards the bow are a pair of traversing turrets (in the "A" and "B" positions). The forward-most emplacement sports a single 76mm (3") OTO-Breda (Italian) deck gun with the secondary emplacement fielding a 40mm /70 caliber twin-gunned weapon system. For extreme close-in support, the warship relies on 2 x 20mm Oerklikon (Swiss) autocannons. Ranged airspace denial is through 8 x "Albatross" surface-to-air missiles fired from a single launcher found at the right aft side of the quarterdeck. The armament suite is rounded out by 2 x "Harpoon" (United States) anti-ship missile launchers in quad-launcher fittings (located at the afterend of the hull superstructure) as well as 2 x Triple-tubed torpedo launchers.

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December 2022 - HTMS Sukhothai sunk on December 18th after taking on water, losing power, and losing control.

Operators
Global operator(s) of the HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

[ Thailand ]

1 / 1

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

Going Further...
HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442) Guided-Missile Corvette Warship appears in the following collections:

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