Vietnam Defence Forum

[Viet]

Singapore
14th Shangri-La Dialogue 2015.

Lieutenant General Vinh holds bilateral meetings with delegations of China, Israel, the Philippines, and Singapore.

“This security summit is not a place where concrete security issues will be resolved, but it serves as a forum for many countries to present their points of view related to the peace, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,” says he.

so that means we say to others what we think, while others do the same. after that, we go home. anyway the weather and foods in Singapore are worth coming.

 

[Viet]

Encounter with the chinese army delegation in Singapore, here Admiral Sun Jiangou.

a senior PLA official says China will make a decision on establishing air defence identification zone around disputed waters in the South China Sea based on its assessment of the security situation. One thing is certain. If China declares ADIZ, that violates Vietnam rights and sovereignty, we will ignore it, and declare own air defence identification zone. 100 per cent.

Welcome to the party.

 

[Aqsuperman]

To sum it up : 2 of our Sigma ( code 9814 ) will have a full hangar and deck (no need to to fold back the the propeller any more and the maintaince will be mush easier ) . About the radars and sensors , Thales will be much likely the choice due to the Damen close relation with them . The most interesting things are about the armarnents , while all other Sigmas go with Western weapons (Mostly from France : 76mm Oto Melara , Mistral , F2 20mm and Exocet missiles ) There are some speculations that we may change some of them to Russian weapons ( no doubt this happen right after France failed to deliver Mistral class ship to Russia , and also the Falkland Exocet scandal ) We do have the capability to self-produce Russian missles and weapons on ships , so in case China put pressure on Russia we can still manage the supply , but beside that the anti-aircraft on Sigma is not really impressive even when compare to our current Gepard , so we may need to put some extra firepower on them (AK-630 will be on the top choice ) . Sigma is nice but we do need something much better , probably this whole purchasing is for accessing shipbuilding technology and also get a few non-Russian ships

 

[Carlosa]

To sum it up : 2 of our Sigma ( code 9814 ) will have a full hangar and deck (no need to to fold back the the propeller any more and the maintaince will be mush easier ) . About the radars and sensors , Thales will be much likely the choice due to the Damen close relation with them . The most interesting things are about the armarnents , while all other Sigmas go with Western weapons (Mostly from France : 76mm Oto Melara , Mistral , F2 20mm and Exocet missiles ) There are some speculations that we may change some of them to Russian weapons ( no doubt this happen right after France failed to deliver Mistral class ship to Russia , and also the Falkland Exocet scandal ) We do have the capability to self-produce Russian missles and weapons on ships , so in case China put pressure on Russia we can still manage the supply , but beside that the anti-aircraft on Sigma is not really impressive even when compare to our current Gepard , so we may need to put some extra firepower on them (AK-630 will be on the top choice ) . Sigma is nice but we do need something much better , probably this whole purchasing is for accessing shipbuilding technology and also get a few non-Russian ships

Sigma is a bit better than the Gepard because it has a better air defense system (Mica) and the sensors are better, particularly the Smart S MK2 radar. Its also nice to have a full hangar for the helicopter. But in my view, a better way to arm the Sigma would be to install and integrate the KH-35 and to use Barak 8 instead of Mica.

But in the end, both Gepard and Sigma are not good enough, Vietnam needs real heavy frigates with better anti ship missiles such as Yakhont / Brahmos / Klub and a medium range air defense system.

There are some speculations that we may change some of them to Russian weapons

What you are saying applies to future Sigmas right? Because as I understand, Vietnam already agree to buy Exocet and Mica for the 2 Sigmas that are under construction.

 

[Aqsuperman]

Well about that , the first pair of Sigmas may come out look like their sister ships but due to the recent situation change (namely France delivery failure) The Navy already have a reserve option to make sure we wont end up like Argentina , either secure a blue-print production or a complete change on weapons load out , the better choice is still being consider but for now the first 2 Sigmas will come back with Exocet but who know in time of conflict Exocet can still be the primary anti-ship weapon of Sigmas ? The answer for that wont come out for a while

The purchasing of Sigmas is ( as i think ) mostly for accessing shipbuilding tech and get a few non-Russian ships for a change of pace the fleet anti-aircraft umbrella solution is not in sight yet , that fit both our pocket and requirements

 

[Carlosa]

Submarines: China Objects To Getting Klubbed

Submarines: China Objects To Getting Klubbed

May 31, 2015: China is making angry noises to the UN, Vietnam and Russia about the little publicized Russian sale of Klub submarine launched cruise missiles to Vietnam. China wasn’t happy about Russia selling Vietnam six Kilo class diesel electric submarines in 2009. Russia and Vietnam were quiet about the sale of 50 Klub missiles but the news eventually got out, in part because 28 of the Klub missiles have already been delivered, along with three of the Kilos. Another two Kilos are being delivered in 2015 and the last one will be completed in 2016 about the same time the rest of the Klub missiles arrive. Vietnam is one the many nations in the region threatened by Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea and given the long (over a thousand years) hostility between China and Vietnam, there is understandable fear that, even in defeat, Vietnam would use Klub missiles for one last attack on China.

The Russian 3M54 (also known as the SS-N-27, Sizzler or Klub) anti-ship missiles can also be aimed at targets on land and that’s what really bothers the Chinese. Klub is now used on Indian, Algerian and Vietnamese subs and is considered very effective. But it was not always that way. India (a major customer for the Klub) has feuded with the Russians in the past because of repeated failures of the Klub during six test firings in 2007. These missile tests were carried out off the Russian coast, using an Indian Kilo class submarine, INS Sindhuvijay. That boat had gone to Russia in 2006 for upgrades. India refused to pay for the upgrades, or take back the sub, until Russia fixed the problems with the missiles (which it eventually did).

Weighing two tons, and fired from a 533mm (21 inch) torpedo tube on a Kilo class sub, the 3M54 has a 200 kg (440 pound) warhead. The anti-ship version has a range of 300 kilometers, but speeds up to 3,000 kilometers an hour during its last minute or so of flight. There are also air launched and ship launched versions. The land attack version does away with the high speed final approach feature and that makes possible a larger 400 kg (880 pound) warhead.

What makes the 3M54 particularly dangerous when attacking ships is that during its final approach, which begins when the missile is about 15 kilometers from its target, the missile speeds up. Up to that point, the missile travels at an altitude of about 30 meters (a hundred feet). This makes the missile more difficult to detect. That plus the high speed final approach means that it covers that last fifteen kilometers in less than twenty seconds. This makes it more difficult for current anti-missile weapons to take it down.

The 3M54 Klub is similar to earlier, Cold War era Russian anti-ship missiles, like the 3M80 ("Sunburn") and P700 ("Shipwreck") which entered service at the end of the Cold War. These missiles are considered "carrier killers," but it's not known how many of them would have to hit a carrier to knock it out of action, much less sink it. Moreover, Russian missiles have little combat experience, and a reputation for erratic performance. Quality control was never a Soviet strength, but the Russians are getting better, at least in the civilian sector. The military manufacturers appear to have been slower to adapt. It is believed that Chinese warships have no effective defense against missile like Klub, which is why they are so outspoken about Russia selling them to Vietnam.

The Kilos weigh 2,300 tons (surface displacement), have six torpedo tubes and a crew of 52. They can travel about 700 kilometers under water at a quiet speed of about five kilometers an hour. Top speed underwater is 32 kilometers an hour. Kilos carry 18 torpedoes or Klub anti-ship or cruise missiles (launched underwater from the torpedo tubes.) Kilos can stay at sea 45 days at a time. It can travel at periscope depth (using a snorkel device to bring in air) for 12,000 kilometers at 12 kilometers an hour. The combination of quietness and cruise missiles makes Kilo very dangerous to American carriers. North Korea, China, India, Indonesia, Romania, Algeria, Vietnam and Iran have also bought Kilos. The main reason for purchasing Kilos is that they cost about half what equivalent Western subs go for. Kilos are very similar to the world-standard diesel submarine, the 1800-ton German Type 209.

 

[Viet]

To sum it up : 2 of our Sigma ( code 9814 ) will have a full hangar and deck (no need to to fold back the the propeller any more and the maintaince will be mush easier ) . About the radars and sensors , Thales will be much likely the choice due to the Damen close relation with them . The most interesting things are about the armarnents , while all other Sigmas go with Western weapons (Mostly from France : 76mm Oto Melara , Mistral , F2 20mm and Exocet missiles ) There are some speculations that we may change some of them to Russian weapons ( no doubt this happen right after France failed to deliver Mistral class ship to Russia , and also the Falkland Exocet scandal ) We do have the capability to self-produce Russian missles and weapons on ships , so in case China put pressure on Russia we can still manage the supply , but beside that the anti-aircraft on Sigma is not really impressive even when compare to our current Gepard , so we may need to put some extra firepower on them (AK-630 will be on the top choice ) . Sigma is nice but we do need something much better , probably this whole purchasing is for accessing shipbuilding technology and also get a few non-Russian ships

have you heard anything about the sigma to built in Vietnam?

Submarines: China Objects To Getting Klubbed

May 31, 2015: China is making angry noises to the UN, Vietnam and Russia about the little publicized Russian sale of Klub submarine launched cruise missiles to Vietnam. China wasn’t happy about Russia selling Vietnam six Kilo class diesel electric submarines in 2009. Russia and Vietnam were quiet about the sale of 50 Klub missiles but the news eventually got out, in part because 28 of the Klub missiles have already been delivered, along with three of the Kilos. Another two Kilos are being delivered in 2015 and the last one will be completed in 2016 about the same time the rest of the Klub missiles arrive. Vietnam is one the many nations in the region threatened by Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea and given the long (over a thousand years) hostility between China and Vietnam, there is understandable fear that, even in defeat, Vietnam would use Klub missiles for one last attack on China.

The Russian 3M54 (also known as the SS-N-27, Sizzler or Klub) anti-ship missiles can also be aimed at targets on land and that’s what really bothers the Chinese. Klub is now used on Indian, Algerian and Vietnamese subs and is considered very effective. But it was not always that way. India (a major customer for the Klub) has feuded with the Russians in the past because of repeated failures of the Klub during six test firings in 2007. These missile tests were carried out off the Russian coast, using an Indian Kilo class submarine, INS Sindhuvijay. That boat had gone to Russia in 2006 for upgrades. India refused to pay for the upgrades, or take back the sub, until Russia fixed the problems with the missiles (which it eventually did).

Weighing two tons, and fired from a 533mm (21 inch) torpedo tube on a Kilo class sub, the 3M54 has a 200 kg (440 pound) warhead. The anti-ship version has a range of 300 kilometers, but speeds up to 3,000 kilometers an hour during its last minute or so of flight. There are also air launched and ship launched versions. The land attack version does away with the high speed final approach feature and that makes possible a larger 400 kg (880 pound) warhead.

What makes the 3M54 particularly dangerous when attacking ships is that during its final approach, which begins when the missile is about 15 kilometers from its target, the missile speeds up. Up to that point, the missile travels at an altitude of about 30 meters (a hundred feet). This makes the missile more difficult to detect. That plus the high speed final approach means that it covers that last fifteen kilometers in less than twenty seconds. This makes it more difficult for current anti-missile weapons to take it down.

The 3M54 Klub is similar to earlier, Cold War era Russian anti-ship missiles, like the 3M80 ("Sunburn") and P700 ("Shipwreck") which entered service at the end of the Cold War. These missiles are considered "carrier killers," but it's not known how many of them would have to hit a carrier to knock it out of action, much less sink it. Moreover, Russian missiles have little combat experience, and a reputation for erratic performance. Quality control was never a Soviet strength, but the Russians are getting better, at least in the civilian sector. The military manufacturers appear to have been slower to adapt. It is believed that Chinese warships have no effective defense against missile like Klub, which why they are so outspoken about Russia selling them to Vietnam.

The Kilos weigh 2,300 tons (surface displacement), have six torpedo tubes and a crew of 52. They can travel about 700 kilometers under water at a quiet speed of about five kilometers an hour. Top speed underwater is 32 kilometers an hour. Kilos carry 18 torpedoes or Klub anti-ship or cruise missiles (launched underwater from the torpedo tubes.) Kilos can stay at sea 45 days at a time. It can travel at periscope depth (using a snorkel device to bring in air) for 12,000 kilometers at 12 kilometers an hour. The combination of quietness and cruise missiles makes Kilo very dangerous to American carriers. North Korea, China, India, Indonesia, Romania, Algeria, Vietnam and Iran have also bought Kilos. The main reason for purchasing Kilos is that they cost about half what equivalent Western subs go for. Kilos are very similar to the world-standard diesel submarine, the 1800-ton German Type 209.

carlosa, I like to add the link
Submarines: China Objects To Getting Klubbed

you know chinese have no humor. they have how many subs? 60 or more? who knows with what weapons onboard. if they complain meaning we do the right thing. our navy needs more subs.

Sigma is a bit better than the Gepard because it has a better air defense system (Mica) and the sensors are better, particularly the Smart S MK2 radar. Its also nice to have a full hangar for the helicopter. But in my view, a better way to arm the Sigma would be to install and integrate the KH-35 and to use Barak 8 instead of Mica.

But in the end, both Gepard and Sigma are not good enough, Vietnam needs real heavy frigates with better anti ship missiles such as Yakhont / Brahmos / Klub and a medium range air defense system.



What you are saying applies to future Sigmas right? Because as I understand, Vietnam already agree to buy Exocet and Mica for the 2 Sigmas that are under construction.

ha ha ha...that is what I said. we need powerful battleships that can take on chinese frigate and destroyer. as powerful as aegis destroyer. not necessary a billion USD a piece. Now our current surface fleet is good for hit and run.

 

[Carlosa]

you know chinese have no humor. they have how many subs? 60 or more? who knows with what weapons onboard. if they complain meaning we do the right thing. our navy needs more subs.
.

No worries about the 60 chinese subs, most of them are quite noisy.

Yes, that's what I always say, more subs, subs is what makes the difference, not surface ships.

ha ha ha...that is what I said. we need powerful battleships that can take on chinese frigate and destroyer. as powerful as aegis destroyer. not necessary a billion USD a piece. Now our current surface fleet is good for hit and run.

Heavy frigates with the right weapon systems is what is needed, not these Mickey Mouse Gepards and Sigmas at $350 million a piece. Better to buy 6 SU-30s for 350 million.

 

[Carlosa]

US defense secretary to ask Vietnam to end land reclamation
By LOLITA C. BALDOR

US defense secretary to ask Vietnam to end land reclamation - Yahoo News

HAIPHONG, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Sunday he will urge Vietnamese officials to give up their reclamation projects in the South China Sea, making a direct plea after earlier calling for all countries in the Asia-Pacific region to halt the construction of artificial islands.

China's rapidly expanding building projects has raised tensions and caused concerns among the United States and its regional partners.

Speaking to reporters during a stop at a Vietnamese Navy base, Carter said that all the claimants in the South China Sea must halt their reclamation and any further militarization of the sites. Those would include Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan, but their projects are dwarfed by China's building program on reefs and atolls, which now totals more than 2,000 acres.

China is vigorously defending the projects in the face of persistent criticism from U.S. leaders, who say that the building programs will not provide Beijing any additional sovereign land. The U.S. and others are concerned that China will use the artificial islands as military bases and to assert control over navigation in the South China Sea.

Carter also toured a Coast Guard ship a day before his scheduled meetings with Vietnamese leaders. Other topics expected to come up are maritime weapons sales

Carters' comments come in the wake of disclosures that China had placed two motorized artillery vehicles on one of its reclamation sites. Officials have said the artillery has been moved.

This is Carter's first trip to Vietnam as defense secretary, and the first time a U.S. defense secretary has visited a Vietnamese Navy base or toured a military ship.

Two years ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta visited the former U.S. air and naval base at Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam and went on board the USNS Richard E. Byrd, a cargo ship operated by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command.

Carter said he planned to talk with Vietnamese officials about ongoing efforts by the U.S. to provide maritime defensive weapons to the country.

Last October the U.S. partially lifted its ban on weapons sales to Vietnam to boost the country's ability to defend itself in the South China Sea. Only the sale of lethal maritime security and surveillance capabilities are allowed on a case-by-case basis, including boats and air assets based on an evaluation of Vietnam's needs. But to date no weapons have flowed to Vietnam.

U.S. Sen. John McCain said Saturday that the U.S. should gradually lift the weapons ban on Vietnam, amid heightened tensions with China over the reclamation projects.

China, Vietnam and other nations have conflicting claims over portions of the South China Sea. Both McCain and Carter attended an international security conference over the weekend in Singapore, where Carter urged the halt to reclamation projects by all in the region.

McCain, chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. should provide additional defensive weapons that could be used in case of a conflict with China. He added that the U.S. should continue its ban on weapons used for crowd control or to commit human rights abuses.

Carter said the U.S. will continue to discuss changes to the arms ban. He said the U.S. has some latitude to provide maritime weapons, including ships, now, but, "we'd obviously benefit from more latitude but we'd need legislative approval to do that" as well as endorsements from the administration.

 

[Viet]

Vietnam to build ships for maritime research, survey locally
tuoi tre news
Updated : 05/31/2015 17:01 GMT + 7

A file photo of chinhphu.vn shows a locally-built ship for maritime research and survey purposes operating in Vietnamese waters.

Vietnamese shipyards will be picked via limited tender procedures to be eligible to build specialized ships for maritime research and survey purposes following a decision recently approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, according to government website chinhphu.vn.

Accordingly, only member companies of the Hanoi-based Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC), previously known as Vinashin, are allowed to join those tenders to secure the rights to build such ships, the website said on Friday.

Prime Minister Dung has assigned the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to actively work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to allocate necessary capital for the project.

The premier has also agreed to extend the repayment of advance funding worth VND200 billion (US$9.2 million) to the end of 2015 to implement the project to build ships for maritime research and survey purposes as proposed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The three ministries are requested to choose shipbuilders to accelerate the implementation of the project and to meet the requirements of maritime research and survey tasks so as to ensure investment efficiency.

The project to build ships for maritime research and survey purposes was approved by the prime minister in late 2014.

The premier then agreed to advance VND200 billion for any firms getting involved in the project before June 30, 2015.

As reported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the project will be carried out from now to the end of next year, while the installation of technical equipment for the maritime research and survey work will be done in the 2017-18 period.

 

[Aqsuperman]

have you heard anything about the sigma to built in Vietnam?

Its a Damen product so i guess their will be built by Sông Cấm , as usual "supervised" by Dutch specialists . The timetable is not really clear right now but its may follown shortly right after the first Sigma got delivered so lets say about 2018 . Radars and sensors are clearly unchange but cant say the same about the weaponry

 

[Carlosa]

Pentagon chief pledges $18 million for Hanoi to buy patrol boats
Reuters

HAI PHONG - Monday, June 01, 2015

Pentagon chief pledges $18 million for Hanoi to buy patrol boats | Politics | Thanh Nien Daily

Us Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visits, talks and receives gifts from officers and soldiers on Board the CSB 8003. Photo: Coast Guard

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter pledged $18 million on Sunday to help Vietnam buy US patrol boats, shortly after touring a Vietnamese coast guard vessel that was hit by a Chinese ship during a skirmish in the South China Sea.

Carter, who has been focusing on maritime security during an 11-day trip to the Asia-Pacific, visited the Vietnamese navy headquarters and coast guard headquarters before boarding the ship.
Carter is on his second visit to Asia since becoming defense secretary earlier this year. He said he planned to sign a "vision statement" on Monday with his Vietnamese counterpart to guide the expansion of bilateral military ties.

"We need to modernize our partnership," Carter told reporters during a visit to the northern city of Hai Phong. "After 20 years, there is more we could do together."
As part of that effort, he said Washington would provide $18 million to help Vietnam buy US-made Metal Shark patrol boats to help Hanoi improve its maritime defense capabilities.

US and Vietnamese navies had been "building habits of cooperation" by working together, he said. In April they conducted exercises under rules laid out in the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, a set of regulations approved by multiple maritime nations last year at a meeting in China.

Carter opened his trip to the Asia-Pacific by calling for all countries to stop island-building efforts in disputed, resource-rich regions of the South China Sea. He reiterated that call at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference on Saturday.

Carter recognized that several countries, including Vietnam, had conducted land reclamation projects in the region but said Chinese activity, covering some 2,000 acres, had outstripped the others and raised questions about Beijing's long-term intentions.

"I will be discussing further with Vietnam the proposal that I was talking about in Singapore, namely for all of the claimants to these disputed areas of the South China Sea ... permanently to halt reclamations," he said.

The Vietnamese coast guard vessel toured by Carter was targeted with Chinese water cannons and rammed by a Chinese ship during a confrontation last year.

The incident occurred after China moved an oil drilling rig into waters claimed by Vietnam. The rig remained for about two months protected by Chinese navy vessels, which were repeatedly challenged by Vietnamese ships.

Mr Ashton Carter visits Vietnam Coast Guard ships in The Coast Guard 1 squadron.

 

[Viet]

Not too bad the $18m gift for the coast guard. after google a bit so this kind of vessel:

US-made Metal Shark patrol boat

36-foot center-console boat, operating in shallow-water, armored hulls, powered by Mercury 300 outboards, made by Sarasota, a Florida-based Yellowfin Yacht, reportedly cost $600,000 each. so if calculated we´ll get some 30 boats. the US coast guard version has three mounted 7.62-caliber machine guns.

 

[Viet]

other possibility:
Metal Shark 75 Defiant Patrol boat, capable of achieving 40+ knots

King Shark II: more range, more speed and heavier fire power.

 

[Viet]

Vietnam, U.S. discuss land reclamation in South China Sea
HANOI | By David Alexander
World | Mon Jun 1, 2015 4:38am EDT

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (L) raises a toast with Vietnamese army generals after they signed the Joint Vision Statement during a ceremony at the Ministry of Defence in Hanoi June 1, 2015.
Reuters/Hoang Dinh Nam/Pool

HANOI U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed his call for an end to island-building in the South China Sea in talks on Monday with his Vietnamese counterpart, who said Vietnam had not expanded its islands but had done work to prevent wave erosion.

The response appeared to fall short of the immediate halt to land reclamation activity and further militarization of the islands that Carter sought in an initial appeal last week in Hawaii, and again at a security conference in Singapore.
Carter told a joint news conference with Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh that he and the general had discussed his proposal for a permanent halt to reclamation and militarization of the islands and that Vietnam was considering the idea.

The U.S. defense secretary, who is on an 11-day trip to the Asia-Pacific, has focused on maritime security in his public remarks amid concerns about the implications of China's massive island-building effort, which has added 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of land in about 18 months, most of it this year.

Carter has acknowledged that other countries have conducted reclamation projects in the region, including partners like Vietnam, and urged them all to stop. But he said China's activity had outstripped the others and was undermining security, a charge that Beijing has rejected.

At the news conference, Thanh and Carter were questioned whether the U.S. defense chief had asked Vietnam to stop land reclamation activity. Thanh said the two sides had discussed the issue.

"Vietnam has recently conducted consolidation on the islands under Vietnam's sovereignty," Thanh told reporters, noting that Vietnamese troops were stationed on nine "floating islands" and 12 "submerged islands" in the region.

"On the floating islands, we conducted embankment (consolidation) to prevent them from waves and erosion, to ensure safety for the people and the soldiers stationed on the islands," he said.

"On the submerged islands, we only built small houses, which can accommodate a few people and we are not expanding. The scope and characteristic of our work is purely civilian."

Submerged islands feature underwater reefs, while floating islands are those with surfaces above the water or which can be built from submerged islands, by adding steel structure, soil, rocks and concrete.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said later that Vietnam distinguishes its activity from that of China's, saying that it conducts work to maintain buildings erected some time ago and work to prevent wave erosion.

The official indicated that Carter would like to have clearer distinctions between what is new construction that would be barred and what is maintenance that might be permitted.

Carter and Thanh also signed a Joint Vision Statement to guide future military cooperation between the former foes, who fought a 1955-1975 war and only normalized ties 20 years ago.

As part of the expanding cooperation, Carter announced the United States would help Vietnam set up a site to train troops for U.N. peacekeeping operations and would send a U.S. expert on peacekeeping to Hanoi.

On Sunday, Carter visited the Vietnamese navy and coast guard headquarters and pledged $18 million to help Vietnam buy U.S. patrol boats.

(Additional reporting by Ho Binh Minh; Editing by Paul Tait)