Vietnam Defence Forum

[Viet]

China and Vietnam armies and border guards celebrate 2014 friendship border defence exchange programme
So the PLA is withholding the tanks for a while

Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh receives Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo at Vietnam-China border (Source: VNA).

 

[ViXuyen]

The 2nd Kilo-class submarine has arrived at Cam Ranh Bay today

 

[Viet]

HQ-183 Ho Chi Minh City

 

[ViXuyen]

 

[Viet]

nice pic with 2 subs: #1 HQ-182 and #2 HQ-183
6 subs in a row will impress more

sub #3: HQ-184 Hai Phong, expected to be delivered in November

sub #4: HQ-185 Da Nang will be launched at 28 March.

 

[Viet]

sub #5: HQ-186 Khánh Hòa is currently under construction.

 

[Viet]

now confirmed: 4 x 2,500t DN2000 class patrol vessels

Air Platforms

Vietnamese Coast Guard to acquire naval helicopters for OPVs

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
18 March 2014

The CSBV intends to equip all four DN 2000 OPVs with helicopters. Source: Damen

The Vietnamese Coast Guard (Canh Sat Bien Vietnam - CSBV) is looking to acquire new naval helicopters for its DN 2000 (Damen 9014-class) offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The acquisition plan was revealed by Major Nguyen Khac Vuot, the CSBV's deputy director for the International Relations Division, at the OPV Asia Pacific 2014 conference on 18 March.

"The acquisition of the helicopters will be part of Vietnam's effort to integrate aerial surveillance as a part of the coastguard's patrols," said Maj Nguyen. "This will significantly enhance our maritime operations."

The CSBV currently operates one Damen DN 2000 OPV with pennant number 8001. The 90 m vessel is powered by four Caterpillar C3516C engines and can attain a top speed of 21 kt. It has a range of 5,000 n miles and a flight deck that will support helicopters with an all-up weight of 14 tons.

The 8001 is the first of four helicopter-capable OPVs ordered from the state-owned Z189 shipyard built to Netherlands-based Damen Shipyard's design. The rest are currently in various stages of construction and all four vessels will be equipped with helicopters.

IHS Jane's understands that the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence has considered the Kamov Ka-27 and the Eurocopter AS565 Panther as possible contenders, but the CSBV indicated that it is still considering other possibilities as long as the aircraft fulfils the tonnage limits of its OPVs' flight deck.

The CSBV has declined to reveal neither the budget allocated for the acquisition programme nor the number of units that it intends to purchase. "Expect the acquisition process to start in the next two to three months," said Maj Nguyen.

Besides naval helicopters, the CSBV has also laid out plans to acquire an unknown number of CASA C-212 Aviocar aircraft and mobile ground command centres to manage the aircraft in maritime surveillance missions.

 

[Janmejay]

A Kilo-class submarine Russia built for Vietnam arrived at Cam Ranh Bay in the south central province of Khanh Hoa on Wednesday.
The HQ 183 Ho Chi Minh City, the second of six Kilo-class submarines Vietnam bought from Russia, was carried to the Cam Ranh Port by cargo ship Rolldock Star.
Russian and Vietnamese experts will work to launch the submarine soon.
The HQ 182 Hanoi, the first of the six subs, arrived at the Cam Ranh Bay on December 31 last year.
Russia is scheduled to hand over Vietnam the third vessel, the HQ 184 Hai Phong, in November.
The six diesel-electric submarines, which are considered improvements over the older Kilo-class, were bought under a US$2-billion deal signed during a visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia in 2009.
Under the contract, Russia will deliver all by 2016, train Vietnamese crews, and supply necessary spare parts.
Vietnam this week will send another sailor crew to Russia for training to prepare for the fifth submarine under the contract.

2nd Russian-built submarine arrives at Vietnam port | Politics | Thanh Nien Daily

 

[Viet]

Industry
Vietnam and Israel sign defence industrial MoU

Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
25 March 2014

Vietnam and Israel have signed security-related accords supporting further defence industrial co-operation between the two countries.

Hanoi said in a statement on 25 March that the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) cover collaboration on security technologies and the protection of classified information.

The accords were signed in Israel during Vietnam's vice minister of public security Senior Lieutenant-General Dang Van Hieu's recent visit to the country. The Vietnamese delegation also visited Israeli companies specialising in developing counter-terrorism and homeland security equipment, it said.

COMMENT
The MoUs signify the deepening level of trust that is emerging between Vietnam and Israel. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1993, although relations have flourished over the past five years in line with Vietnam's economic expansion and Hanoi's concerns about regional threats.

 

[Viet]

Japan, Vietnam pave way for further defence collaboration

Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
18 March 2014

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on March 18, 2014.

Japan and Vietnam agreed to enter an "extensive strategic partnership" on 18 March: a move that supports enhanced bilateral defence collaboration and is intended as a counterbalance to China's growing regional power.

The agreement - signed in Tokyo by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang - promotes expanded co-operation between the armed forces of the two countries in areas such as "human resource development, capacity building and visits of military ships".

It also supports a memorandum of understanding signed by Japan and Vietnam in October 2011 that facilitated the creation of a bilateral defence and security forum, mutual ministerial visits, and exchanges between Japan's Self-Defence Forces and the Vietnamese military.

 

[ViXuyen]

Industry
Vietnam and Israel sign defence industrial MoU

Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
25 March 2014

Vietnam and Israel have signed security-related accords supporting further defence industrial co-operation between the two countries.

Hanoi said in a statement on 25 March that the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) cover collaboration on security technologies and the protection of classified information.

The accords were signed in Israel during Vietnam's vice minister of public security Senior Lieutenant-General Dang Van Hieu's recent visit to the country. The Vietnamese delegation also visited Israeli companies specialising in developing counter-terrorism and homeland security equipment, it said.

COMMENT
The MoUs signify the deepening level of trust that is emerging between Vietnam and Israel. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1993, although relations have flourished over the past five years in line with Vietnam's economic expansion and Hanoi's concerns about regional threats.

Maybe because Israel found out the hard way by underestimating us? They ended up not even able to close a deal even though they eventually agreed to reduce the price by 80% including tech transfer
Công nghệ quân sự: Người Israel bất ngờ với các kỹ sư Việt Nam | Khoa học | Báo điện tử Tiền Phong

 

[Viet]

DHC-6 Twin Otter series 400 (Canada)
patrol plane #2 recently arrived, equipped with 360 degree radar. 4 more coming soon.

Gepards & Kilos

 

[Viet]

test firing a Vietnamese improved version of 4K44 Redut cruise missile:

range 650km, speed Mach 1.4, warhead 1,000 kg TNT, accuracy CEP 30m, mid-course guidance by helicopter Ka-27 or An-26RT C2 relay aircraft

 

[Viet]

Vietnam supersonic antiship missiles Yakhont:

fire and forget, active-passive radar seeker, range 300km, sea-skimming (10m), immune against enemy electronic countermeasures, speed Mach 2.6, armour-piercing warhead 250kg

 

[Viet]

Maybe because Israel found out the hard way by underestimating us? They ended up not even able to close a deal even though they eventually agreed to reduce the price by 80% including tech transfer
Công nghệ quân sự: Người Israel bất ngờ với các kỹ sư Việt Nam | Khoa học | Báo điện tử Tiền Phong

that is a good sign. I think we get access to US weapons via Israel.