M36 Class Patrol Boats

Marsun's M36 class patrol boats are built at the company's shipyard in Samut Prakan, Thailand. Credit: Marsun Company.

Royal Thai Navy is the sole operator of the M36 class patrol vessels. Credit: Marsun Company.

A total of three M36 vessels are in service with the Royal Thai Navy. Credit: Marsun Company.

The patrol boat is manned by a crew of 28. Credit: Marsun Company.

The M36-class patrol boats are built by Marsun Company and intended to serve the maritime patrol requirements of the Royal Thai Navy.

The patrol boat can conduct a range of missions, such as marine law enforcement, prevention of onshore or sea infiltrations, and protection of shipping and fishing boats.

It is also able to participate in search-and-rescue (SAR) missions and perform security operations for VIPs.

The first three vessels in the class were designated as T111, T112 and T113.

The boats were launched by Marsun in March 2014 and delivered to the Royal Thai Navy later the same year.

Marsun laid the keels for the fourth and fifth M36-class vessels in June 2018 at its shipbuilding facility in Samut Prakan.

The latest vessels are named T114 and T115, respectively.

M36-class patrol boat design

The M36-class patrol boats feature a mono-hull design with integrated aluminium hull and superstructure.

The mono-hull design ensures the vessel’s high performance and durability and is designed to offer extended service life, even when operating in harsh weather conditions.

In addition, the vessel offers a clear deck space of 63m² and accommodates a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) at the rear deck area.

The deck has a load capacity of 50t and can house two 20ft containers at the aft.

The boat can accommodate up to 28 crew members as well as 13 special operation forces.

It has an overall length of 36m, beam of 7.6m and draught of 1.7m.

The on-board fuel tank has a maximum fuel-carrying capacity of 34m³, while the vessel’s freshwater storage unit has a capacity of 7.6m³.

Armament on board M36 class

The forward bow deck is fitted with a single 20mm or 30mm machine gun.

Its duel-fed cannon is assisted by a hydraulic device for rearming process, while two large boxes are stationed near the weapon station to house the cartridges.

The M36-class vessels also feature two weapon mounts that can hold machine guns, which are able to fire 0.50-calibre (12.7mm) ammunition.

The aft deck is capable of accommodating a pedestal-mounted surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, allowing it to launch weapons such as Mistral SAMs.

Navigation and communications

The M36-class is equipped with navigation systems such as 25kW and 12kW marine radars, a differential global positioning system (DGPS), and direction and wind speed measuring devices.

The vessel also features an echo sounder, automatic identification system (AIS), gyro compass and Navtex receiver.

Its communication equipment includes high-frequency citizen band (HF-CB) radios, global maritime distress and safety systems (GMDSSs), a normal high-frequency single-side band (HF-SSB) and frequency-hopping HF-SSB, as well as very high-frequency (VHF) / HF and low-band VHF frequency modulation (FM) radios.

Propulsion and performance of M36 class patrol boats

The M36 class patrol boats are powered by three Cummins KTA50-M engines, which each have a rated power output of 1,800 brake horsepower (bhp) at 1,900rpm.

The engines drive three fixed-pitch propellers through three shafts.

Auxiliary power systems on board the patrol boat include two Cummins generators with a capacity to produce 112kWe of power each, as well as a three-phase AC power supply with a rated voltage of 380V at 50Hz and a single-phase 220V AC electric power supply operating at 50Hz.

The vessel has a maximum speed of more than 27k and is able to travel up to a range of more than 1,200 nautical miles.