Vietnam Defence Forum

[Carlosa]

Having aircraft for ground support missions, helping the infantry on battlefields is not necessary a bad idea. I don´t think the chinese belong to a superiour race with nuclear powered brain because they have more weapons than they can carry. I think the overall point yugo wants to make is VPA should develop offensive capability.

the Army won the war against Cambodia in 1978 just a matter of 2 weeks, because the VPA utilized all branches of the armed forces: infantry, tanks, airforce and artillery. Not all people know but especially the two major thrusts by naval landing on the southern coast of Cambodia and the breakthrough by our tank army on the western front were the decisive factors in crushing the cambodian army. a blitzkrieg. our tanks cut through the cambodian army like a hot knife cutting through warm butter.

I'll just say that china and cambodia are a little bit different..........

 

[Aqsuperman]

BMP-1 under servicing . An intersting fact : the backdoor is a actually a internal fuel container while marching . Before go into combat , its was refiled with sand to improve protection

 

[Viet]

I'll just say that china and cambodia are a little bit different..........

I know. Bro, first, we fought in wars against the chinese more than other of our enemies. Combined. Although the strategy and tactics on battlefields differed from war to war, but, second, one thing is common. we always had offensive components to inflict unsustainable damages to them.

 

[yugocrosrb95]

@yugocrosrb95 you gotta stop insulting people, you have an opinion but not all the true. You cannot push your opinion into people throat

I am not insulting nor pushing my opinion on people and claiming that is fallacy since I am correcting people with truthful/factual information and because of that I am somehow "insulting" and pushing my "opinion" onto people.

Never compare iraqi troop sitting duck in flat desert with no-where-to-hide and waiting to get wipe out by US B52 and VPA troops. Desert warfare is a totally different ball game than mountain & jungle warfare...Those same B52 have been use massively in Vietnam and they still can't dig out VPA. The Americans during the war lost over 10 000 aircrafts and choppers (and South Viet Nam lost 2500) most by anti-aircraft weapons (AAA and SAM).

I didn't made that comparsion, you just did that and again I said "Remember Gulf War" as we were talking about air support while then you proceeded to compare Vietnam War which started nearly 30 years before and ended 15-16 years before Gulf War in which USA demonstrated to the world a new level of how to wage war with air support playing crucial role.

With a few dozens of modern jetfighters how in the hell VPA will be able to control the airspace? PLA can deploy easily few hundreds jetfighters for the Viet Nam frontline.

PLA can't afford to send few hundred military jets for invasion of Viet Nam since PLA air force has a task of controlling nearly 30 times larger air space compared to Viet Nam's air space. VPA's air force in terms of modern military jets is 1/10th of China and needs to control 30 times less air space.

China also has serious dispute with India that has cooperation with Viet Nam thus China would need to allocate substantial part of air force to guard the air space near the border with India.

Your L39 NG even you boost it with whatever you want, it won't survive against PLA heavy anti-aircraft and missiles and PLA jetfighters.

I am not boosting it,

L39 is good for anti-guerilla war but not suitable against a modern army...EVEN for the L39 NG ...!!!

I doubt that light armored vehicles and infrantry would survive barrage of rockets.

Viet Nam is just like Russia, it soldiers and people can bleed and suffer more than the invading enemy. Just look at the military history of Viet Nam, against bigger opponents the only way to win is fight till your enemy is tire and withdrawn, to achieve that goal you are ready to suffer and bleed more... So yeah, VPA will dig holes and trenches and fight a dirty war to win t just like during the Sino-Vietnam war of 1979...Go read that 1979 conflict.

Please stop living in the past.

Your Grippen operators are all richer than Viet Nam

You're wrong.

and most of them just operate 10-20 planes, that small number already give you a hint how expensive it's...

A hint? You're suggesting something that isn't true due to you being uninformed about Gripen.

[/QUOTE]So yeah they are expensive to buy and operate[/QUOTE]

Still cheaper than SU-30, specially when on operating costs.

 

[Mokaman]

Having aircraft for ground support missions, helping the infantry on battlefields is not necessary a bad idea. I don´t think the chinese belong to a superiour race with nuclear powered brain because they have more weapons than they can carry. I think the overall point yugo wants to make is VPA should develop offensive capability.

the Army won the war against Cambodia in 1978 just a matter of 2 weeks, because the VPA utilized all branches of the armed forces: infantry, tanks, airforce and artillery. Not all people know but especially the two major thrusts by naval landing on the southern coast of Cambodia and the breakthrough by our tank army on the western front were the decisive factors in crushing the cambodian army. a blitzkrieg. our tanks cut through the cambodian army like a hot knife cutting through warm butter.

The Cambodia invasion was a piece of cake for VPA, Khmer Rouge army was is sad state after multiple internal purges that decimated the rank. In 1978, Khmer rouge army was estimated around 70,000 With a lot of underage soldiers, only a few heavy tanks, 200 armoured vehicles and limited air capability. The Cambodians can't even use properly all the heavy weapons (tanks and artillery) and communication the Chinese gave them because of lack of competent soldiers. Also, the VPA force that invade Cambodia were veterans battle hardened divisions that just beat up South Vietnam Army and had years of combat experience. So the Khmer rouge was no match, that's why everything crumbled so quick.

Today, Vietnam can't do this kind of large conventional war against China, it will be illogical to waste all the resource for an unknow outcome . The only logical offensive capability that VPA should use against much larger and better equipped enemy like PLA are short and quick attacks like deep insertion inside China by commando units doing demolition and sabotage or missiles & airplanes attack on specific targets or subs attack or fast boat attack boats inside Chinese territories or PLA fleet...Those quick attacks are cost efficient, it will just make China to invest more resources to protect their back and Vpa won't lose too much in those attacks

 

[Mokaman]

I didn't made that comparsion, you just did that and again I said "Remember Gulf War" as we were talking about air support while then you proceeded to compare Vietnam War which started nearly 30 years before and ended 15-16 years before Gulf War in which USA demonstrated to the world a new level of how to wage war with air support playing crucial role.



PLA can't afford to send few hundred military jets for invasion of Viet Nam since PLA air force has a task of controlling nearly 30 times larger air space compared to Viet Nam's air space. VPA's air force in terms of modern military jets is 1/10th of China and needs to control 30 times less air space.

I doubt that light armored vehicles and infrantry would survive barrage of rockets.



Please stop living in the past.



You're wrong.
.

You look more and more like an old stubborn old man....You tell me not living in the past when you bring in up stuff from the Gulf war 1990, wihat is old for you? everything that's over 20 years? How old you think B52 is ? And it will be still operational till 2050. Military doctrine and strategies doesn't change every 5-10 years it stay for decades. Yes technology progress but the way of fighting remain the same. So for you digging trenches are old stuffs? Also repeating the same strategy of 1979 use by VPA against PLA is also living from the past? You are more and more illogical and confuse

Your damn L39 can't launch rockets if your enemy control the airspace and have heavy anti-aircraft defence...Before your L39 can drop bombs it will be detected and blast away, that why I said L39 are good to use against anti-guerrilla, because those guerrilla doesn't have airpower and limited anti-aircraft defence...So what is so hard to understand?? Just go look at the L39 record losses last 10-15 years during ground support and look who shot them down; troop ill equipped ...Now try to imagine sending those L39 NG against a big modern army with tons of anti-aircrafts, radars and jetfighters

 

[Carlosa]

The only logical offensive capability that VPA should use against much larger and better equipped enemy like PLA are short and quick attacks like deep insertion inside China by commando units doing demolition and sabotage or missiles & airplanes attack on specific targets or subs attack or fast boat attack boats inside Chinese territories or PLA fleet...Those quick attacks are cost efficient, it will just make China to invest more resources to protect their back and Vpa won't lose too much in those attacks

And ballistic missile attacks.

You look more and more like an old stubborn old man....

This guy is 20 years old according to his profile...............

 

[Mokaman]

And ballistic missile attacks.



This guy is 20 years old according to his profile...............

@Carlosa How you think about my suggestion on small attack subs that I posted earlier?

That guy, I just think he is too much of a theory guy rather than practical, things on papers is never the same on the field. And things we plan never happen as we plan once all hell broke out. That's why a lot of guys who write things never been on the practical side and rely too much on specifications and theories

 

[Viet]

Vietnam to divest former US airbase

Vietnam to divest former US airbase - Airforce Technology

20 January 2016

Image: Nha Trang airbase stretches upto approximately 186 hectares. Photo: courtesy of Wikipedia.


The Vietnamese Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to offload a former US airbase in the Khánh Hòa province on the south central coast.

An initial evaluation by the Vietnamese authorities has estimated the value of the property to be around $540m. A shopping-service mixed development is expected to come up on the Nha Trang airbase that stretches to approximately 186 hectares, reported Thanhnien News.

Around 10 hectares on the beachfront of the property has been assigned for public facilities such as a park, a museum, and an exhibition centre.

"Though the authorities have not yet disclosed details about the potential investors, local media reported that four companies expressed interest in the deal."

Built by the French in 1949, the airbase was previously the centre for the US Air Force military training before being selected as the air instruction centre for the Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF).

Nha Trang airbase stopped functioning as an airport in late 2009 when the Air Force moved to Binh Thuan Province near the Ho Chi Minh City. Other bases operated by US in Vietnam include Tan Son Nhut air base, Bien Hoa air base and Marble Mountain Air Facility.

 

[Viet]

an appeal to develop a closer relationship to India




India, Vietnam Take Ties To Strategic Level Against Chinese Assertiveness – Analysis

By South Asia Monitor January 21, 2016
By Major General P K Chakravorty (Retd.)*

Locations of India and Vietnam. Source: Wikipedia Commons.



Vietnam lies in the Asia-Pacific region which has of late become a major witness to a phenomenal rise of China, which as a country is not only the world’s second largest economy, but is also a nation with the largest armed forces. The United States, concerned with the increasing might of China, especially its military power, is trying to rebalance its forces in the region.

It is pertinent to note that most of US imports come from this region and with regard to exports, the Asia-Pacific is the second largest destination for the US. The US also has its military bases in Japan and Republic of Korea, as also friendly port facilities for US warships in Singapore, Thailand and Philippines. Agreements with Australia have seen the stationing of US Marines at the port of Darwin. But despite its mammoth military presence in the Asia-Pacific, the US preaches freedom of navigation in this area against the Chinese maritime claims in the East China and South China Sea. The East China Sea disputes are with Japan and the South China Sea disputes are with Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

While China has an unsettled land border with India, what surprised India was China’s objection to drilling for oil by ONGC Videsh in two oil blocks donated by Vietnam. India rightly stated her right to undertake commercial activities in what it considers are international waters. This bold step by the Indian and Vietnamese governments led to China’s silence on this issue. Further it strengthened the bonds friendship between these two countries.

New Waves of Strategic partnership

Shakespeare had aptly written in his play, Julius Caesar, that “coming events cast their shadows before”. China aspires to be a future world power and India has two major issues with the country. The first is the border issue and the second pertains to the supply of nuclear weapons to Pakistan. Vietnam too contests the Chinese claim on the islands in the South China Sea, and which has consequently brought this country close to India so much so that they are now invested in an intense strategic partnership.

India and Vietnam enjoy strong strategic relations which had emerged with the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence being signed in 1994, followed by formal Defence Protocol in 2000 and the Strategic Partnership in 2007. Ever since, India has had an annual Strategic Defence Dialogue with Vietnam in which the the Indian Defence Secretary represents the country. Considering the intensity of our relations, the upgradation of these talks to the Ministerial levels would certainly become more impactful and beneficial for both India and Vietnam.

Cam Ranh Bay has been often described as one of the jewels of Vietnam. The long protective seaward peninsula, natural inner and outer harbours form what many believe to be possibly the best deep water port sea port facility in the entire world. There is also an Air Force base with excellent runways for state of the art aircraft. The usage of these facilities by the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force would help India to strengthen its strategic partnership with Vietnam and and enable us to undertake actions to protect our economic assets in the South China Sea. The area is being quietly considered between the two countries.

Based on Vietnam’s requirements, India could provide Dornier surveillance aircrafts, mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), upgraded T-72 tanks and indigenously manufactured Artillery equipment once the same has proved trials and few of our old ships of the Indian Navy. Vietnam has been provided a US $ 100 million Line of Credit to possibly purchase four Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) from Goa Shipyard Limited.

Vietnam is impressed with our Missile development and is keen to purchase our supersonic cruise missile BrahMos which could be used on land and sea. The issue merits serious consideration as there are no objections from the foreign joint developer. Vietnam is also keen that opportunity be accorded to train their scientists.

Vietnam admires the professional training of our Armed Forces and looks forward to assistance in training in the areas including, conversion training for SU-30 pilots of the Peoples Vietnam Air Force by the Indian Air Force; submarine crew training of the Peoples Vietnam Navy by the Indian Navy; training in Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare with the Indian Army; training in English language.

The Vietnamese President as also the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Trong Tan Sang and Nguyen Phú Trong, respectively had visited India and were frank about strengthening defence relations with India. Vietnam would like to cooperate in the field of training as also gaining knowledge in the field of rocketry and missiles. It would be in India’s interest to cultivate Vietnam and cooperate in strategic aspects to dissuade China from undertaking a misadventure.

Vietnam is looking for cooperation in areas of outer space with India. They have already launched two satellites and are planning their own navigation satellites. Cooperation with India would be mutually beneficial to both countries. All these were discussed during the recent high level visits conducted by the Indian President and Foreign Minister to Vietnam.

Recent Events

It is of interest to note that a new satellite monitoring station is expected to be activated in Vietnam and linked to another neighbouring facility in Indonesia. This is important due to Chinese assertiveness in this area. China has currently built airstrips and their aircrafts are undertaking surveillance and logistics operations in the area. India has set up a Data Reception, Tracking and Telemetry Station at Ho Chi Minh City. This will be activated soon and would be linked up with another station at Biakin, Indonesia. The latest facility will assist India to track our satellites and receive data from them. Similar facilities exist in Brunei.

India with this resource will be in a position to track Chinese activities in the Spratly group of islands where China has currently constructed airfields for Chinese aircraft to undertake operations. As India is undertaking oil exploration in the South China Sea, it is essential to obtain real time inputs regarding Chinese military activity in the region. This would facilitate a suitable response if required in conjunction with the Vietnamese Armed Forces. Indeed this is a step which further intensifies strategic cooperation between the two countries.


*Major General P K Chakravorty (Retd.) is security and strategic affairs analyst with a specific focus on India’s maritime interests. He can be reached at: chakravortyprabir.chakravorty@gmail.com

 

[Aqsuperman]

A new addition to Special Task units .........btw , this is only for looks , this guy actually aim the wrong way

 

[Carlosa]

@Carlosa How you think about my suggestion on small attack subs that I posted earlier?

Absolutely !!!!!! Small attack subs are one of the assets that Vietnam should have; not mini subs, those are just for coastal waters. There is a particular small sub that has been my favorite one for a few years since not only has everything that is needed for that role, but its almost like if it was designed to operate in the Spratlys. I have posted plenty of info about that sub in this thread in the past. Here I go again:

SMX-26 Littoral Seabed Landing Submarine

DCNS unveils a new submarine concept at Euronaval 2012: The SMX-26
1,000 tons of displacement, size is 40 meters long.

DCNS presents for the first time at Euronaval 2012 its new small size submarine optimized for shallow waters operations.

SMX 26 is a small submarine designed to operate in very shallow water - up to 15 m depth in coastal areas where no submarine operates conventionally.

SMX-26 model on display on DCNS' stand at Euronaval 2012

SMX-26 deploying combat divers

It has extreme maneuverability and a vertical dynamic stability near the bottom or under surface waves thanks to its two shaft lines and its four adjustable and retractable azimuth thrusters.

SMX-26 on the seabed

The SMX-26 has the unique ability to "land" very quickly on all types of seabeds with its extendable wheels. It can then stay lurking in the bottom for up to 30 days.

In such situation, air and data communication is provided through flexible pipes deployed towards the surface.

SMX-26 may deploy the following: 6 Special Forces divers, 20 mm canon mast, self-defense anti-aircraft missile (in container), two heavy torpedoes and eight light torpedo with heavy warheads.

Capable of enduring long periods and con- ducting missions in water less than 15m deep, the SMX 26 features two shaft-lines, four steerable and retractable azimuththrusters to provide extreme manoeuvrability, as well as ability to maintain steady position near the bottom.

As well as its long discreet surveillance capability, the SMX 26 is equipped with an extendable wheeled undercarriage system to enable quick landing on all types of sea bed and deploying hoses to the surface for air and power.

The SMX 26 is integrated with sensors to support missions, including six special forces divers deployed during a dive or at the surface to identify moving targets.

The new submarine is armed with two mast-mounted weapon systems, with a 20mm cannon and a missile launch container for anti-aircraft self-defence, as well as two heavyweight and eight lightweight torpedoes with heavy warheads.

A new anti-aircraft self defence weapon system for submarines has also been introduced by the company, aimed to help navies to protect their vessels against airborne threats worldwide.

The new defence system forces aircraft to remain at a standoff distance from submarines and has been developed in two versions by DCNS and MBDA, featuring a mast-mounted anti-aircraft self defence system and a self defence system with an undersea vehicle (UUV).

Integrated within the Subtics combat system, the mast-mounted anti-aircraft self- defence system features a retractable mast to support a turret, which comprises several Mistral short-range missiles; whereas the UUV is equipped with a Mica medium-range missile.

 

[Viet]

Aerial Defence

the report says, true or not I can´t verify, maybe we wait for more reports confirming the news, Vietnam is currently procuring Russia's next-generation air defense system S-400.

Russian Arms Transfers and Asian Military Modernisation / ISN

with S-400 missile shield in place, we can neutralize all enemy modern and advanced air and space attacks at the distance up to 400 km. the radars, acquisition range of max 600 km, will cover the airspace of Southern China and the entire South China Sea, tracking all movements, evaluating aerial threats.

 

[Viet]

Vietnam's sacred turtle in Hoan Kiem lake dies as Communists gather

Updated about 8 hours ago
Thu 21 Jan 2016, 7:52am



Photo: The turtle, a Swinhoe's softshell, possibly one of four left in the world, underwent a health check in 2011. (Reuters)


A giant turtle considered sacred in Vietnam and venerated as a symbol of the country's independence struggle has died, according to state media.

The turtle's death prompted an outpouring of grief and stoked fears it boded ill for an upcoming Communist leadership handover.

The reptile, a critically endangered Swinhoe's softshell turtle occupies a key mythological role in Vietnam, and in the past the turtle generally surfaced only rarely, with its sightings deemed auspicious.

Experts said it was one of only four turtles — better known as Yangtze giant softshells — in existence. Two are in a zoo in China and the other lives in a different lake in Hanoi.

It was found dead in Hoan Kiem lake in central Hanoi late Tuesday, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said. The turtle, which weighed about 200 kilograms, was said to be anywhere between 80 and more than 100 years old.

Tim McCormack, of the Asian Turtle Program, said it was a "great blow" to have lost the turtle, which was "possibly the rarest species on the planet". "It was clearly an ancient animal, I would say easily over 100 years old, and so its death does not come as any real great surprise," he said.

'Bad omen' for Communist Party congress

Because of the cultural significance of the turtle, which many Vietnamese considered sacred, it has not been possible to include the Hoan Kiem animal in any breeding programs which could have helped conserve the species, he added.

The turtle's demise was widely mourned on Vietnamese-language blogs and social media, with many warning it was a bad omen for upcoming changes in the ruling Communist Party, which begins its five-yearly congress today.

"This is bad news for many people in Hanoi," the Thanh Nien newspaper said.

Vietnam's authoritarian rulers will choose a new party leader, president and prime minister at the party congress. In a story taught to all Vietnamese schoolchildren, the sacred turtle of Hoan Kiem is the custodian of the magic sword of Le Loi, a 15th-century rebel leader who vanquished Chinese invaders.

Although officially an atheist country, many Vietnamese are deeply superstitious.

"I feel empty. My children, grandchildren will only know the turtle from legend," online commentator Duong Nguyen wrote on the popular VNExpress site.

Reports about the turtle's death first appeared in state media late Tuesday, but some were taken down apparently under pressure from communist authorities. The turtle's body is being kept at a temple on a small island in the lake pending an official decision on how to proceed, state media said, adding that embalming was being considered.

AFP

 

[Viet]

Navy

for the first time ever, a Viet warship is on the way, paying friendly port visits to Singapore and India: Frigate 011-Đinh Tiên Hoàng. travelling through the Straits of Malacca, the Gulf of Thailand before cruising the Indian Ocean. practising navigation skills, day and night, a voyage of 5,000 nautical miles. the frigate will arrive in India to attend the International Fleet Review from February 4 to 8.