Page 6 - DEFENSE & SECURITY 2022 - Day 1 | DAILY NEWS

THAILAND DEVELOPING COLT EYEING M16 TO
M4/M5 UPGRADE
LITHIUM-ION BATTERY OPPORTUNITIES

PACKS AND CHARGERS IN THAILAND

FOR DEFENCE APPLICATIONS

Defence equipment today is batteries can be used continu-
crammed with electronic equip- ously for 24 hours without charging
ment which usually consist of highly and can be charged quickly in 3-4
sophisticated electronic circuits and hours. It features three times higher
rely on batteries as a power source. capacity efficiency as compared to
As a result the development of indig- the batteries earlier in use and have
enous battery packs and battery passed safety tests at the cellular
chargers for security applications level and at the pack level.
is of vital importance as otherwise Work on developing these indig- Colt a long-term supplier of small
security agencies need to purchase enous lithium Ion battery pack arms to the Thai armed forces is
and import such equipment from and chargers began in 2017 with eyeing various opportunities related
abroad at high prices. Thailand a grant from the Office of the to the sales of pistols and rifles. Colt is
has been working on development Science Promotion Board to the show casing a wide array of revolvers,
of lithium-ion battery packs and National Science and Technology 1911 pistols and rifles in 5.56, 7.62 and
chargers under a joint research Development Agency (NSTDA) 9mm calibers at the ongoing show,
programme between the National and the Royal Thai Army Military with a focus on the firm’s enhanced
Energy Technology Center (SSC), the Research and Development Office M5 and M7. The small arms manufac-
National Electronics and Computer (NSTDA). The research team under- turer already supplies weapons to all
three wings of the Thai armed forces.
Center (SAI), and the Technology took the research and development Colt also has a large presence in the
Center for National Security and of prototypes and transferred the commercial Thai market for 1911’s.
Commercial Applications. Following technology for producing pro- “Colt is committed to supporting its
the completion of over two years totype battery packs to private existing customer with replacement
and spare parts for the mainte-
nance of existing product. We are
also actively engaged in promoting
upgrade capabilities such as con-
verting an M16 to an M4 or M5,” a
company spokesperson told Daily
News on the eve of the show.
Colt has been supporting the RTAF on
the upgrade of its old M16s to the M4.
Colt’s Manufacturing Company
LLC is now a member of the COLGT
CZ Group. Colt CZ Group (Colt CZ),
together with its subsidiaries, is one
of the leading producers of firearms
for military and law enforcement,
personal defense, hunting, sport
shooting, and other commercial use.
Colt CZ subsidiaries include Colt’s
Manufacturing Company, Česká
zbrojovka, Colt Canada Corporation,
CZ-USA, 4M Systems, and CZ Export
Praha. Colt CZ also owns a minority
stake in Spuhr i Dalby, a Swedish
of field trials in 2021, the Oscar companies in Thailand. The tech- manufacturer of optical mounting
Holding Company Limited deliv- nology for indigenous battery packs solutions for firearms. Colt CZ markets
ered the battery packs produced and battery chargers has now tran- and sells its products mainly under
by the company to the 31st Artillery sitioned to industrial production the Colt, CZ (Česká zbrojovka), Colt
Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment of and use, with the research results Canada, CZ-USA, Dan Wesson, and
the Royal Thai Army. being transferred to Oscar Holding 4M Systems brands.
The indigenously developed Company Limited.
6 AUGUST 29 2022 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/DAILY NEWS