Vietnam Defence Forum

[Viet]

US, Vietnam to Cooperate on Freedom of Navigation in Disputed South China Sea
July 09, 2018 3:53 PM Nike Ching

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018.


The U.S. top diplomat reaffirmed America's commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific" region during his first trip to Vietnam, saying Washington and Hanoi will work together to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concluded his first trip to Vietnam as the top U.S. diplomat on Monday.

“The United States is dedicated to an Indo-Pacific region with strong, independent nations who respect each other’s sovereignty, uphold the rule of law, and advance responsible commerce,“ said Pompeo at a business community reception in Hanoi.

https://www.voanews.com/amp/4475002.html

 

[Viet]

X52 maintenance and repair facility is said being able to handle the Kilo submarines.

 

[Aqsuperman]

Good bye old classic ZU-23-2 23mm cannon, hello advance RSW stations

 

[Viet]

Military Capabilities
Vietnam upgrades navy MRO capabilities
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
12 July 2018

Vietnam has invested in developing its X52 Shipyard, which is providing maintenance support for the country’s Kilo-class submarines.


Source: Government Inspectorate of Vietnam

Vietnam’s state-run media has published details of the work the country’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) is doing to modernise the country’s naval maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities.

Reports on 9 July said that the MND had invested in the past two years in developing the so-called X52 Shipyard, which is owned by the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) and is located in Cam Ranh Bay in the south central coast province of Khanh Hoa.

Upgrading of the facilities has been undertaken primarily to support the VPN’s six Project 636 ‘Kilo’-class diesel-electric attack submarines, which were procured from Russia in 2009. The last of two of these submarines were commissioned in March 2017.

Reports said that investments in the X52 Shipyard, which was inaugurated in 2012, had enabled the facility to repair and upgrade about 20 navy ships in 2017 in addition to its initial work in supporting the Kilo-class submarines. Capability development has also been secured through efforts to send engineers for training overseas, most notably to Russia.

Reports added that the MND aims to continue investing in the facility with the intention to enable it to carry out full MRO services for the Kilo-class submarines by 2019.

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[Viet]

Congrats to Viet X. Luong. He is promoted from Brig. General to Major Gereral, the highest ranking an immigrant from Vietnam ever receives in the US army, becoming the right hand of Lt. General Michael A. Bills, the commanding General of the 8th US Army in RoK. Should North Korea launch sudden attack on RoK, the 8th US army will bear the brunt of major assault as she protects Soul from the flank.

 

[Viet]

US soldiers have military gears Vietnamese army only dreams of.

@jhungary

 

[frequency]

US soldiers have military gears Vietnamese army only dreams of.

@jhungary

View attachment 486296 View attachment 486297

Yes, but to be honest, all those weight you carry is a burden. I'd prefer something super light yet very effective in combat. Mobility is critical in a battlefield.

 

[jhungary]

US soldiers have military gears Vietnamese army only dreams of.

@jhungary

View attachment 486296 View attachment 486297

That's strange, as that is exactly what I said when I was in the Army and sent to Iraq in 2003.

Back then it was a different time, I went to war with no more than $9,000 worth of gear, compare to $25,000 of soldier from today.

I went to war with
-K Pot ($100)
-AN/PVS-14 ($2100)
-M4RIS ($2000)
-Interceptor Body Armor with 2 SAPI insert ($900)
-M9 sidearm ($450)
-Map ($10)
-UCP Uniform ($80)
-T-Shirt ($20)
-DuPoint combat boots ($100)
-Safety Glass ($50)

Back then it was a bare M4RIS which mean I get a Carry Handle instead of a ACOG, and then you have boots that worn out every 3 months in Desert Heat, MOPP Suit that is the wrong color, IBA cover that is the wrong color. We look like this

While today, ACOG (worth $1300) is a TO&E individual equipment, you also get a better M4A1, and better protected Army Combat Helmet and Improved/Modular Body Armor with give you 2 side insert as well as the front and back, also with individual GPS and ICOM, and which is something I can only dream of when I was over there in 2003. With improved boots, AN/PVS-18 and improved Wind Goggle. You no longer need to wipe sand out of your face.

Today's soldier looks like this

 

[jhungary]

Yes, but to be honest, all those weight you carry is a burden. I'd prefer something super light yet very effective in combat. Mobility is critical in a battlefield.

Not all of the modern equipment is a weight add on, some are made to minimize weight by going multipurpose, some equipment is made of lighter material.

For example, how much different in weight to add a ACOG on a M4 in place of the metal carry handle? The difference may be 200 or 300 grams but you get a assisted aiming equipment rather than a bore sight. The same goes with lighter but more durable footwear to lighter weight modular body armour.

 

[Viet]

That's strange, as that is exactly what I said when I was in the Army and sent to Iraq in 2003.

Back then it was a different time, I went to war with no more than $9,000 worth of gear, compare to $25,000 of soldier from today.

I went to war with
-K Pot ($100)
-AN/PVS-14 ($2100)
-M4RIS ($2000)
-Interceptor Body Armor with 2 SAPI insert ($900)
-M9 sidearm ($450)
-Map ($10)
-UCP Uniform ($80)
-T-Shirt ($20)
-DuPoint combat boots ($100)
-Safety Glass ($50)

Back then it was a bare M4RIS which mean I get a Carry Handle instead of a ACOG, and then you have boots that worn out every 3 months in Desert Heat, MOPP Suit that is the wrong color, IBA cover that is the wrong color. We look like this

View attachment 486520

While today, ACOG (worth $1300) is a TO&E individual equipment, you also get a better M4A1, and better protected Army Combat Helmet and Improved/Modular Body Armor with give you 2 side insert as well as the front and back, also with individual GPS and ICOM, and which is something I can only dream of when I was over there in 2003. With improved boots, AN/PVS-18 and improved Wind Goggle. You no longer need to wipe sand out of your face.

Today's soldier looks like this

View attachment 486522

Just curious, how much you can earn in the army? And how much your wife gets if you fall on a battlefield?

 

[jhungary]

Just curious, how much you can earn in the army? And how much your wife gets if you fall on a battlefield?

lol, I don't know how much other people earn, I earn around $5000 a month before benefit and combat pays. All in you are talking about 7000 to 8000 a months.

How much my mum get (I wasn't married back then) if I go down in battle depends on several factors, she get a one off 50,000 payment + backpay + bonus from the Army, and depending on eligibility, you will also have an insurance policy between 50000 to 400000 you can get, and you can only claim only if you serve in a warzone for 120 days.

Actually, I wasn't too sure how much for the one off payment, 50,000 IIRC, but I maybe wrong, was told once about 15 years ago and I haven't died once, so I can't tell you how much it was exactly.

 

[Viet]

lol, I don't know how much other people earn, I earn around $5000 a month before benefit and combat pays. All in you are talking about 7000 to 8000 a months.

How much my mum get (I wasn't married back then) if I go down in battle depends on several factors, she get a one off 50,000 payment + backpay + bonus from the Army, and depending on eligibility, you will also have an insurance policy between 50000 to 400000 you can get, and you can only claim only if you serve in a warzone for 120 days.

Actually, I wasn't too sure how much for the one off payment, 50,000 IIRC, but I maybe wrong, was told once about 15 years ago and I haven't died once, so I can't tell you how much it was exactly.

That means the US army pays good especially for the high ranks e.i. captain or general, and considering one receives free food and bed. The death payout is not much but Ok.

 

[jhungary]

That means the US army pays good especially for the high ranks e.i. captain or general, and considering one receives free food and bed. The death payout is not much but Ok.

Actually, no, it is widely known the US military underpay their rank, $7000 may seems a lot to you, but it is not even at scale to the same job in commercial sector, and if I were to work in commercial sector, I can earn about twice as much.

For example, my second tour in Afghanistan as a Captain I earn about $8000 a months with Combat Pay (because I don't go out as much as when I was a 1LT) but if I were to work with PMC for the same job (Intelligence Specialist) I would earn about $300,000 a year, which is about $22,000 a month.

The death payout is again depending on what kind of Policy you had, and you can get a private Policy that pays more on top of the death benefit you will get. In some case, it goes up to 1 millions and more , for example, The death of Pat Tillman (A NFL footballer who died in Afghanistan) result in a rumoured payout of 10 millions as per his own and his club Insurance Policy.

 

[Viet]

Actually, no, it is widely known the US military underpay their rank, $7000 may seems a lot to you, but it is not even at scale to the same job in commercial sector, and if I were to work in commercial sector, I can earn about twice as much.

For example, my second tour in Afghanistan as a Captain I earn about $8000 a months with Combat Pay (because I don't go out as much as when I was a 1LT) but if I were to work with PMC for the same job (Intelligence Specialist) I would earn about $300,000 a year, which is about $22,000 a month.

The death payout is again depending on what kind of Policy you had, and you can get a private Policy that pays more on top of the death benefit you will get. In some case, it goes up to 1 millions and more , for example, The death of Pat Tillman (A NFL footballer who died in Afghanistan) result in a rumoured payout of 10 millions as per his own and his club Insurance Policy.

ok the army can never pay as much as you get in a private enterprise. I mean you defend your country. I also meant what payout one gets if a soldier falls in a battle. Private death contract is private. I can sign a private contract with 1 million USD too, but why should my wife get rich when I go down?

 

[Viet]

Rumor says Vietnam´s Marine Corps will receive T90 tanks next year. Russia can´t produce the tanks as fast as it should. Ok an imminent China invasion isn´t on the horizon yet.

Song Thu shipyard said it would build two modern DN-4000 multi-patrol boats for the Coast Guard. Specs: length 122.9m; width 16m; speed of 23.2 knots. good stuff, hope the ships can be produced quickly. the coast guard urgently needs more large boats.

Also, Sông Thu shipyard starts producing 4 x tug boats STU 1606 class for the Coast Guard.