Japan seeks to win Thai air defense radar contract: sources

Exclusive - Japan seeks to win Thai air defense radar contract: sources

By Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo | TOKYO

TOKYO: -- Japan is seeking to win a contract to supply Thailand with an air defense radar system built by Mitsubishi Electric Corp, as it looks to counter growing Chinese influence in the Southeast Asian nation, according to four Japanese government officials and one industry source.

The effort is part of a wider push by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration to bolster its position in the region along with its U.S. ally. The Chief of Staff of Japan's Air Self Defense Force, Yoshiyuki Sugiyama, traveled to Bangkok last month to discuss areas of possible cooperation.

Japan expects the Thai military government to begin accepting competitive bids as early as next year as it upgrades and adds to its existing U.S. and European radar systems, the sources said. It is unclear who else may be bidding.

Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-thailand-radar-idUSKBN14B0YI

 

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