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Vietnam to add 2 locally-built warships to naval fleet this quarter
TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 04/20/2015
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A system of missiles against warships is seen on the side of HQ377, one of the first two fast-attack missile ships of the Molniya class handed over to the Vietnam People’s Navy in July, 2014.
The Vietnam People’s Navy will add two warships to its fleet in the next two months following the recent successful test run of two fast-attack missile ships of the Molniya class, the first of its kind to have been built locally, according to government websitechinhphu.vn.
The two warships, HQ379 and HQ380, have been accepted by a joint council made up of Ministry of Defense and Vietnam People’s Navy officials after the test run.
This is the second patch of a series of six such missile warships designed on the basis of a Russian version in accordance with an agreement over technology transfer signed by Vietnam and Russia in 2009, chinhphu.vn reported.
They will be officially added to the country’s naval fleet within this quarter, chinhphu.vn said.
Like the first two Molniya-class missile warships, which are equipped with advanced weapons and state-of-the-art functions, the latest duo were built at the Ba Son shipyard under the General Department of Military Industry.
They can operate at sea for 10 straight days despite winds as strong as 74kph and are able to attack targets both in the air and in the sea, chinhphu.vn said.
Compared to an older Russian version of its kind, the new vessels have a more modern engine system.
The ships are designed to destroy teams or groups of warships, amphibious ships, corvettes, and other enemy fleets independently.
They can also help protect submarines and amphibious ships, and perform reconnaissance missions at sea.
In addition to a modern radar system that can track targets accurately, each of the warships is equipped with 16 sea-to-sea Uran-E missiles arranged into four modules for launch on its sides with a range of 130 kilometers.
Each of them has two AK-630 ship-borne artillery systems with 4,000 shells each, which can fire 4,000-5,000 shots per minute at a range of 4-5 kilometers, and an AK-176M automatic gun having a range of 15 kilometers for sea and land targets and 11 kilometers for air targets, according to chinhphu.vn.
The first two Molniya-class warships, HQ377 and HQ378, were handed over to the Vietnam People’s Navy in July last year.
The last two will be given to the navy in the second quarter of 2016.
Besides the Molniya-class shipbuilding program, the Ba Son shipyard is also building patrol boats, reconnaissance ships, search and rescue vessels, and tugboats for the Vietnam People’s Navy and the Vietnam Coast Guard.
Its seem that our only BPS-500 (HQ-381) will be given a new number and its current number will be given to one of the new Mol , poor guy
BTW , not really relevant but do you know Silent Knight ? the guy that from "rice rice" ?
What if i tell you that im working for "rice rice" ?![]()
I post here the article. curious about the exact wordings of the philipine president revealing to the press.
News›Asia›Diplomacy
PUBLISHED : Monday, 20 April, 2015, 8:03am
Vietnam asked Philippines to form pact to counter China, Aquino reveals | South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
21 Apr 2015
Philippine President Benigno Aquino during the interview at the presidential palace. The yellow ribbon is a symbol of his famous parents. Photo: SCMP Pictures
A new “strategic partnership” being negotiated between two states fending off China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea was suggested by Vietnam, Philippine President Benigno Aquino has revealed.
It had been widely assumed that the proposed pact between Vietnam and the Philippines was initiated by Manila, which has taken a high-profile stand against China.
In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, the Philippine president said China’s moves in the South China Sea were even more alarming than a year ago, when he likened global inaction to China’s push to appeasing Hitler – comments that angered China.
In the interview last Thursday, Aquino stood by his remarks. Pulling out a map of the South China Sea, he said: “Perhaps it’s even worse today.”
I do not start a day [thinking] ‘how do I tweak the noses of these people?’
President Aquino on his relationship with China
But he added that it was never his intention to rile China by speaking up about the issue. “I can assure them that that is not a priority with me. I do not start a day [thinking] ‘how do I tweak the noses of these people?’… Put yourself in my position. I do have to protect my country’s interest and my countrymen’s rights. I’d like to view their actions as also doing the same thing.”
He also said it made sense for the Philippines to pursue closer ties with countries with which it had common interests and goals, adding: “Vietnam is asking us for a strategic partnership.”
According to media reports, when officials from the Philippines and Vietnam met earlier this year, they agreed on a joint statement that focused on the South China Sea, expressing concern about China’s “massive reclamation activities” in the area. No date for signing the pact has been set.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino gave his longest ever interview to the Post's Raissa Robles. Aquino revealed that Vietnam had suggested a new “strategic partnership” to fend off China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. Photo: SCMP Pictures“We’re actually just defining what it is … We’re working out the details,” Aquino told the Post.
Vietnam and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, as do China, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
During the interview that lasted well over two hours at Malacanang Palace, a relaxed Aquino fielded a wide range of questions but the focus returned several times to the South China Sea.
On the proposed pact with Vietnam, Aquino said: “Anyway, when your strategic partner starts with the overlapping claims, there’s more room to have a reasonable dialogue rather than reacting with the national interest, separate national interest.”
The Philippines has two strategic partners - the United States and Japan, and both have criticised China for its expansionist moves in the South China Sea.
Asked if it was wise for Manila to push strategic partnerships with countries that China viewed warily and adding a third that China had exchanged fire with, Aquino said this was not intentional.
“We had them [the US and Japan] as strategic partners before China looked at them suspiciously,” he said.
“We’re not forming these partnerships with the end point of forming a coalition against somebody.” He said such partnerships were formed “if somebody feels we have a lot of common interest with, who can help us achieve our goals, our national goals.”
When asked how useful the country’s alliance with the US was, given the strict limits on an armed US response under the Philippine-US Mutual Defence Treaty, Aquino replied: “I cannot answer that question in the sense of telling them how the Americans, for instance, have been helping us.”
We’re not forming these partnerships with the end point of forming a coalition against somebody
“For instance, [in] maritime domain awareness,” he said.
Asked to elaborate, Aquino said: “At the end of the day you know what is happening in your waters.”
On whether this meant “real time” awareness, Aquino said “that’s the part I’m not confident in answering you”, and then chuckled.
“When we advertise this, I think we also announce weakness … I think it’s against our national interest to say what we are capable of.”
US assistance for maritime domain awareness was first included in the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which Manila signed with Washington a year ago. The EDCA made no mention of Manila’s conflict with China in the South China Sea.
However, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said then that the EDCA was in response to the “rapidly evolving regional architecture” that necessitated “strengthening maritime security and maritime domain awareness”, among others.
Del Rosario, who was present during the Post’s interview, also said Manila was expecting to present its case in oral arguments before an ad hoc arbitral tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in July. A decision could be delivered within six months or by early next year.
China has refused to take part in the proceedings. Asked what the point was in obtaining a decision that China would possibly not follow, Aquino said: “We were cognizant of that … in deciding whether or not to go into arbitration. We were told that this body really does not have that enforcement capability.”
But Aquino warned that if China ignored a tribunal ruling in Manila’s favour, it would have a negative impact on China’s dealings with other nations.
“If suddenly, sometimes you will follow and sometimes you will not, that I think will give pause to the trading partners whose doors have to be open for the growth in their economy,” he said.
Was there any condition under which the Philippines would consider pulling out of the arbitration as China has urged it to do?
“Given the fact that we’re expecting a decision either this year or early next year, and then we go back to a status quo of uncertainty, I think that denigrates the original decision to go into the mode of finally settling this ambiguity,” Aquino said.
INFOGRAPHIC: Territorial disputes between China and the Philippines
Pressed on whether there was any hesitation on his part to pursue the arbitration to its final conclusion, Aquino replied that even if his government and China came to a bilateral agreement on the issue, any deal would be next to useless because there are - besides the Philippines and China - four other claimants. “How can we have an agreement binding on the other four?” he said.
“So perhaps there’s an agreement amongst the six. And it’s signed. Then perhaps there’s no need for arbitration.”
However, he indicated that was far-fetched: “That is not a – let us table everything and discuss this continuously for the next 10 generations. Who’ll agree with something like that?”
Aquino also indicated the high-stakes engagement that the Philippines was in. New light has been shed on China’s rapid reclamation efforts to build an air strip on Mischief Reef. And Aquino said he was taking seriously reports of a possible surprise occupation by China of Manila-occupied Pagasa Island, though these have been officially denied by Beijing. Contingency plans were in place, he stressed.
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A crewman from the Vietnamese coastguard ship 8003 looks out at sea as Chinese coastguard vessels give chase to Vietnamese ships that came close to the Haiyang Shiyou 981, known in Vietnam as HD-981, oil rig in the South China Sea in this July 15, 2014 file photo. Photo: ReutersAsked to assess China’s possible reclamation of more reefs and shoals in the disputed waters, Aquino said: “I will tend to sound like a rabble rouser. Can I just say, I hope not.”
“I don’t see the logic of their move. Therefore I hope that logic and rationality prevail. Since there is no gain, why embark on something like that?”
He said the world was watching China.
“There’s a certain downside anytime they decide that ‘we want this, we want that’, they just go ahead and do it. And everybody will say, please do so. You’re welcome to it. I don’t think that will be the world reaction.”
He added that it was in China’s interest to promote stability in the region, especially in the South China Sea, a conduit for more than 40 per cent of world trade, because not doing so would not help China improve its own economy.
Asked if Aquino had a message for Xi, he said: “In his downtime, when he’s taking a break, perhaps, I really would ask him: ’Put yourself in our position, perhaps, even that of Vietnam, and how would you respond to the challenges that are happening in the South China Sea?’ ’Put yourself in our shoes, please’. And, then, hopefully, we will be able to achieve a better relationship especially with these contentious issues.”
“Perhaps, we should also focus on the fact that, to a large degree, this is the only contentious issue between our relations. And removing that is really, I think, a worthwhile goal.”
are you one of the webmasters?What if i tell you that im working for "rice rice" ?![]()
we have a small overlapping claim with the philippines. I think we can work out a deal. that is what the vietnam government has in mind. yellow: vietnam, blue: philippines. our sea border to malaysia, indonesia and brunei is settled.He is shooting in several directions man, and in one of those directions he is warming up to china. He is basically saying to them, hey, I'd like to make a deal with you. Lets also make a grand deal with all the claimants.
are you one of the webmasters?
we have a small overlapping claim with the philippines. I think we can work out a deal. that is what the vietnam government has in mind. yellow: vietnam, blue: philippines. our sea border to malaysia, indonesia and brunei is settled.
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Hey don't forget to invite me![]()
I need an invitation from the cool kids first before I join the party!
Vietnamese kite and firework festival is something I want to stay away!!!
Lol... first, you post a detailed summary of vietnam security report here then we will talkWhat?? You rate @Viet higher than me??? I've been banned waaaaay more times than Viet or Carlosa, that's evidence of my ability and as BoQ77 say, dangerousness.
Only BoQ77, NiceGuy, EastSea is above me.
Why not me?
I don't get what you say about the first part about the trees... are you saying I'm one of the funny guy?![]()
danang seems to get all attentions, my hometown nha trang is slowly diving into a no-name townCome over to Danang man, lets party!
The international fireworks festival starts in 5 days.
no matter if I join the club or not, I warn you in advance: I will forever say Saigon, never "HCMC"and for you Yoro , Luckily..........i mean unfortunately followning recent activities ( No-U gathering , trees cut down , etc ) we ask opinions about a person within the "secret order" before recruting them (to make sure that no funny guys get in and release our info )about Viet and Carlosa i think Silent Knight will talk to them soon ,.........not sure about you though :v
and i go with 6 , "dont know , dont care"![]()