Vietnam Defence Forum

[Carlosa]

So many crazyness happening in the US right now. With CNN, Hillary and the CIA corruptions being exposed!

The whole establishment is getting exposed, I love it. He is attacking the F-35 program now and he is right, the whole thing is a waste and the whole military procurement process is rigged, the buyers at the pentagon make sweetheart deals for the defence companies, after which, they quit their jobs at the pentagon and go to work for the defence companies as a reward. That's nothing less than legalised corruption and Trump is exposing that. He is going to ban military buyers for life for going to work for defense contractors. Their free ride is over.

@gambit Hey man, as a military man that you are, I would love to hear what do you think about all these events. Thank you in advance and take care.

 

[Aqsuperman]

Armored, anti-armor and anti-aircraft units.

 

[Silent Knight]

Apparently the defense spending in 2017 will reach 5.5 billion $.

 

[Carlosa]

U.S. ready to confront Beijing on South China Sea: admiral
By Colin Packham

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-ready-confront-beijing-south-china-sea-admiral-044649089.html?ref=gs

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The United States is ready to confront China should it continue its overreaching maritime claims in the South China Sea, the head of the U.S. Pacific fleet said on Wednesday, comments that threaten to escalate tensions between the two global rivals.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

The United States has called on China to respect the findings of arbitration court in The Hague earlier this year which invalidated its vast territorial claims in the strategic waterway.

But Beijing continues to act in an "aggressive" manner, to which the United States stands ready to respond, Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said in a speech in Sydney.

"We will not allow a shared domain to be closed down unilaterally no matter how many bases are built on artificial features in the South China Sea," he said. "We will cooperate when we can but we will be ready to confront when we must."

The comments threaten to stoke tensions between the United States and China, already heightened by President-elect Donald Trump's decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan's president on Dec. 2 that prompted a diplomatic protest from Beijing.

The United States estimates Beijing has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven features in the South China Sea over the past three years, building runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.

In response, the United States has conducted a series of freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, the latest of which came in October.

The patrols have angered Beijing, with a senior Chinese official in July warning the practice may end in "disaster".

Harris said it was a decision for the Australian government whether the U.S. ally should undertake its own freedom-of-navigation operations, but said the United States would continue with the practice.

"The U.S. fought its first war following our independence to ensure freedom of navigation," said Harris. "This is an enduring principle and one of the reasons our forces stand ready to fight tonight."

(Editing by Lincoln Feast)

 

[TenLua]

So many crazyness happening in the US right now. With CNN, Hillary and the CIA corruptions being exposed!

It's all doctored to fit their narrative. They're just buying time with trump elected as president.

 

[Carlosa]

Exclusive: China installs weapons systems on artificial islands - U.S. think tank


By David Brunnstrom
ReutersDecember 14, 2016

https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusiv...ms-artificial-islands-u-140752120.html?ref=gs

View photos
A satellite image shows what CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says appears to be anti-aircraft guns and what are likely to be close-in weapons systems (CIWS) on the artificial island Subi Reef in the South China Sea in this image released on December 13, 2016. Courtesy CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe/Handout via REUTERS
By David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China appears to have installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea, a U.S. think tank reported on Wednesday, citing new satellite imagery.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said its findings come despite statements by the Chinese leadership that Beijing has no intention to militarize the islands in the strategic trade route, where territory is claimed by several countries.

AMTI said it had been tracking construction of hexagonal structures on Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi reefs in the Spratly Islands since June and July. China has already built military length airstrips on these islands.

"It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defense fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron reefs," it said citing images taken in November and made available to Reuters.

"This model has gone through another evolution at (the) much-larger bases on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs."

Satellite images of Hughes and Gaven reefs showed what appeared to be anti-aircraft guns and what were likely to be close-in weapons systems (CIWS) to protect against cruise missile strikes, it said.

Images from Fiery Cross Reef showed towers that likely contained targeting radar, it said.

AMTI said covers had been installed on the towers at Fiery Cross, but the size of platforms on these and the covers suggested they concealed defense systems similar to those at the smaller reefs.

"These gun and probable CIWS emplacements show that Beijing is serious about defense of its artificial islands in case of an armed contingency in the South China Sea," it said.

"Among other things, they would be the last line of defense against cruise missiles launched by the United States or others against these soon-to-be-operational air bases."

AMTI director Greg Poling said AMTI had spent months trying to figure out what the purposes of the structures was.

"This is the first time that we're confident in saying they are anti-aircraft and CIWS emplacements. We did not know that they had systems this big and this advanced there," he told Reuters.

"This is militarization. The Chinese can argue that it's only for defensive purposes, but if you are building giant anti-aircraft gun and CIWS emplacements, it means that you are prepping for a future conflict.

"They keep saying they are not militarizing, but they could deploy fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles tomorrow if they wanted to," he said. "Now they have all the infrastructure in place for these interlocking rings of defense and power projection."The report said the installations would likely back up a defensive umbrella provided by a future deployment of mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) platforms like the HQ-9 system deployed to Woody Island in the Paracel Islands, farther to the north in the South China Sea.

It forecast that such a deployment could happen "at any time," noting a recent Fox News report that components for SAM systems have been spotted at the southeastern Chinese port of Jieyang, possibly destined for the South China Sea.

China has said military construction on the islands will be limited to necessary defensive requirements.

The United States has criticized what it called China's militarization of its maritime outposts and stressed the need for freedom of navigation by conducting periodic air and naval patrols near them that have angered Beijing.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has also criticized Chinese behavior in the South China Sea while signaling he may adopt a tougher approach to China's assertive behavior in the region than President Barack Obama.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

 

[Aqsuperman]

Assets of the VPN. Some are still ex-ROVN with somewhat adequate ammunition and parts for the tasks at hands.

 

[BoQ77]

Last update 14:32 | 15/12/2016
0

USS Mustin arrives in Cam Ranh International Port
VietNamNet Bridge - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) arrived in Cam Ranh International Port in Khanh Hoa province today for a routine technical stop that highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between Vietnam and the United States.

During the stop, sailors from the USS Mustin will have a chance to meet with people from Nha Trang to share U.S. culture through sporting events. U.S. sailors will also learn about Vietnam through local cultural activities.

“Mustin’s Sailors are excited to contribute to our partnership with Vietnam, knowing how important our relationship is to our mutual interests in peace, stability, and adherence to a rules-based international order. And of course, we’re really looking forward to experiencing Vietnam’s renowned hospitality, and exploring the great city of Nha Trang,” said Cmdr. Thane Clare, commanding officer of the USS Mustin.

“The USS Mustin’s stop in Cam Ranh International Port is an example of the depth of our comprehensive partnership and the importance of strengthening our civilian and military ties,” said U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius.

USS Mustin, on patrol from Yokosuka, Japan, sails with a crew of 300 sailors and routinely operates throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

PV

 

[Carlosa]

Trump tells Vietnam prime minister he hopes ties will grow stronger
By My Pham

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-tells-vietnam-prime-minister-hopes-ties-grow-051524450.html

HANOI (Reuters) - In a telephone call, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump told Vietnam's prime minister he wanted to further strengthen fast-warming ties between the two countries, the government of the Southeast Asian nation said on Thursday.

Vietnam has advanced ties with the United States to a new level under the Obama administration as it faces down communist neighbor China's challenge to its territorial claims in the busy waterway of the South China Sea.

During Wednesday's conversation, Vietnamese premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated Trump on his election win and stressed the importance of maintaining friendship and cooperation.

"President-elect Trump spoke highly of the achievements of Vietnam, as well as the positive developments in bilateral ties," Vietnam's government said on its news website.

"He also asserted his wish to cooperate with Vietnam to accelerate the relationship between the two countries."

Trump has had conversations with several leaders of countries locked in maritime disputes with China, among them Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.

His trade platform runs counter to Vietnam's interests, however, with his opposition to a Trans-Pacific Partnership proving a major setback for Southeast Asia's biggest exporter to the United States.

Trump and Phuc discussed ways to promote economic ties, trade and investment, the government added.

In a statement, Trump's transition team confirmed the conversation, saying the two men "discussed a range of shared interests and agreed to work together to continue strengthening the relationship between the two nations".

Just days after Trump's win, Phuc told parliament that ratification of the TPP would be shelved because of political changes in the United States, but Vietnam still wanted good relations with Washington.

In a separate development, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, the Mustin, visited Cam Ranh international port on Thursday in a routine technical stop, the U.S. embassy said.

The ship's visit was "an example of the depth of our comprehensive partnership and the importance of strengthening our civilian and military ties," said U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius.

Vietnam has expressed support for the United States to maintain its security presence in Asia. Washington fully lifted a U.S. lethal arms embargo on Vietnam in May, allowing closer defense links and some joint military exercises.

(Reporting by My Pham in HANOI; Additional reporting by Steve Holland in WASHINGTON; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

 

[Sejong]

does Vietnam have the SPYDER SAM yet?

 

[BoQ77]

does Vietnam have the SPYDER SAM yet?

Already received in July 2016.

 

[Aqsuperman]

Artillery of ground force. With the on-going transformation of 105mm to the truck version.

 

[Carlosa]

Third US Warship Visits Vietnam’s Cam Ranh International Port
Visit a reminder of the increased defense collaboration between the two sides.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/12/third-us-warship-visits-vietnams-cam-ranh-international-port/

By Prashanth Parameswaran
December 16, 2016


A third U.S. Navy ship visited Vietnam’s newly-opened port facility in the Southeast Asian state in a reminder of the ongoing collaboration between the two countries in the maritime realm.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89), which is on patrol from Yokosuka, Japan with a crew of 300 sailors, arrived in Cam Ranh International Seaport, a new international port facility capable of receiving foreign warships which was opened in March (See: “Vietnam Unveils Port Facility For Foreign Warships in Cam Ranh Bay”). The port, located in Cam Ranh Bay, a deep-water harbor in central Vietnam along the South China Sea that Washington had used as a base during the Vietnam War, has since seen visits from a string of countries, including Japan, France, China, the Philippines, and Singapore.

The USS Mustin is the third U.S. Navy ship to visit Cam Ranh International Port this year. Two U.S. ships had visited in September in the first interaction of this kind since the Vietnam War, and the visit occurred after a Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) (See: “US, Vietnam Boost Naval Cooperation with NEA 2016”). Though the United States refers to its naval interactions with Southeast Asian states such as the Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) and the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) as exercises, those with Vietnam continue to be referred to on their own as a Naval Engagement Activity (NEA).

The visit of the USS Mustin this week is “a technical visit” that is mainly “for crew rest and cultural exchange,” Arlo Abrahamson, public affairs officer at the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s Task Force 73, which helps plan and execute exercises and engagements, emphasized to The Diplomat.

But there is no doubt that the engagement is nonetheless significant for U.S.-Vietnam defense relations. In 2012, former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had said that access for U.S. naval ships to Cam Ranh Bay was “a key component” of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship. And as I noted earlier this year, since the opening of the port facility in March, U.S. and Vietnamese officials had indicated that the idea of U.S. vessels visiting would be realized by the end of the year, even though the specifics, including the number of visits, their nature, and the exact timing, would be determined carefully (See: “US-Vietnam Defense Relations: Problems and Prospects”).

During their stop this week, sailors from the USS Mustin would have a chance to meet with people from Nha Trang, where the port is located, share U.S. culture through sporting events, and learn about Vietnam through local cultural activities.

“The USS Mustin’s stop in Cam Ranh International Port is an example of the depth of our comprehensive partnership and the importance of strengthening our civilian and military ties,” U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius said.

The United States and Vietnam upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive partnership back in July 2013. The relationship received another boost this year with U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Vietnam, which strengthened ties including in the defense realm, with the lifting of a decades-old arms embargo.

 

[Carlosa]

Vietnam to build radar satellites

TUOI TRE NEWS

UPDATED : 12/18/2016 11:11 GMT + 7

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/38623/vietnam-to-build-radar-satellites

Vietnam is set to launch two radar satellites in 2019 and 2022, marking the country’s major advancement in space technology.

The two satellites will be Vietnam’s first to employ radar technology which allows for higher-resolution image capturing in all weather conditions.

LOTUSat-1 and LOTUSat-2 are part of a US$600 million project to establish the Vietnam National Satellite Center (VNSC) in Cau Giay District, Hanoi, which will be the country’s biggest science and technology project.

Each of the satellites is designed to weigh 600 kilograms and to have an orbital lifetime of five years. They can capture images of objects on the earth surface measuring as small as one meter in size.

The satellites will be tasked with monitoring and giving out early warnings on weather hazards, as well as keeping track of fish migration at sea to aid Vietnam’s fishing industry, according to VNSC director Dr. Pham Anh Tuan.

Once launched, the satellites are expected to help save as much as $150 million a year in disaster-caused damage on the country’s crops, according to experts at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

One giant step for Vietnam’s space technology

According to Dr. Tuan, LOTUSat-1 will be built primarily by Japanese engineers with the participation of their Vietnamese colleagues.

The satellite is currently up for contract bidding and is expected to be launched in March 2019.

Vietnam has already sent a team of 36 select space engineers to Japan for training and taking part in the building of LOTUSat-1.

The engineers will launch two small demo satellites named Micro Dragon and Nano Dragon next year as part of their training in preparation for the major projects to build Vietnam’s first radar satellites.

Up to 100 Vietnamese engineers will have been trained by the time LOTUSat-2 is built, Dr. Tuan said, adding that the second satellite will be made in Vietnam by local engineers under the supervision of foreign experts.

According to the VNSC director, Vietnam currently places in the middle among Southeast Asian nations in terms of space technology, and has never been able to build its own satellites before.

The ability of its engineers to build satellites will mark a significant step in its progress in the field, Tuan remarked.

Apart from building the two satellites, Vietnam will also be focusing on training quality personnel capable of running its satellite network in the near future.

The country successfully launched geostationary satellites Vinasat-1 and Vinasat-2 in 2008 and 2012, as well as sun-synchronous satellite VNREDSat-1 in 2013.

Kindling youths’ interest in space

The VNSC project also places particular emphasis on kindling the love for space among youths in the country with the scheduled establishment of an aerospace museum and two observatories.

The aerospace museum is part of the VNSC complex inside Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Thach That District, Hanoi.

Its construction has already finished and the museum will be open to the public as early as 2018.

Meanwhile, two VND120 billion ($5.27 million) observatories are being constructed in Hanoi and Nha Trang, a popular beach city in the central region.

The observatory in Hanoi will be opened at the same time as the aerospace museum, while the one in Nha Trang will go into operation next March.

 

[TenLua]

Make sure you guys reserve an AK for me; with plenty of ammo.