A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence Singapore

A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense, led by General Nguyen Thanh Cung, Deputy Minister of Defence, made a working visit from 24 to 27 January in Singapore.

The Vietnamese delegation worked with the military court Thursday of central Singapore Armed Forces. It was received by Mr Chang Yeng Kit, Permanent Secretary for Development in defense and officers responsible for law and human resources of the Army of Singapore.

During the working session, Chang Yeng Kit presented and discussed with the Vietnamese delegation experiences in organizing the activities of the military justice system of his country.

Vietnam-India intensify cooperation in defense

India wants to strengthen its relations deeper defense and security with Vietnam, an important area within the framework of its policy of "Facing East", said on Monday Vice President of India Hamid Ansari.

Ansari said that his country would best to assist Vietnam in this area, including by strengthening capacity building in high technology, adding that India considers Vietnam as an essential element of its policy with regard of the East.

He also recalled that the two countries have set a target of achieving bilateral trade of $ 7 billion by 2015, it is currently not as nearly 4 billion.

Vice-President of India said that India and Vietnam should continue their exchange of visits as the intensification of their cooperation

Third policy dialogue Vietnam-US defense

The 3rd dialogue on defense policy at vice-ministerial level between Vietnam and the United States was held on January 11 in Hanoi.

Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh, head of the Vietnamese delegation, and Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary of Defence for South Asia and South-East Vinkram Singh, head of the U.S. delegation, participated in the dialogue.

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The two delegations exchanged views on areas for cooperation in defense between the two countries and the common security problems in Asia-Pacific and the world.

They reviewed the results obtained in the five areas mentioned in a memorandum of cooperation in defense, signed in September 2011. They found unanimously that in recent times some of these areas have been new developments, such as the search for missing soldiers (MIA), clearance, decontamination agent orange.

Both delegations expressed the need for the time to come strengthen bilateral cooperation in some new areas such as training of human resources, the

participation in peacekeeping operations of the UN peace, cooperation in military medicine, activities for victims of natural disasters, search and rescue.

The Italian Minister of Defence in Vietnam

A high-ranking delegation from the Italian Ministry of Defence led by its Minister Giampaolo di Paola, arrived Thursday morning in Hanoi for official goodwill visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the latter's counterpart, Gen. Phung Quang Thanh. This is the first visit to Vietnam by the Italian Minister of Defense since the establishment of relations of defense between the two countries. Thursday afternoon, Phung Quang Thanh General and Giampaolo di Paola met, then met the press to announce the results of their meeting. The visit to Vietnam by the Italian Minister of Defence occurs before the visit to Italy of the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong, and while the two countries are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, moving toward the signing of a deed of cooperation to take their relationship to the level of a strategic partnership, said the Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh. Both parties discussed issues openly in South-East and East Sea before considering measures to intensify bilateral cooperation, including by exchanging more delegations from all levels, organizing training of human resources for the People's Army of Vietnam, and developing specific cooperation in the defense industry ... A memorandum on bilateral cooperation in the defense will be signed soon help maintain an environment of peace, stability and development cooperation in South-East Asia and in the world. The Italian Minister of Defence expressed the wish on this occasion to see both countries diversify their cooperatio

Kilo 636 for Vietnam Undergoes Sea Trials

In early December of outfitting the wall "Admiralty Shipyards" to the factory sea trials in the Baltic Sea came submarine of project export series 06361. On the test boat will be based in Port Light near Kaliningrad. Correspondent Central Navy Portal source said the company.

The first phase of the factory running tests (ZHI) is planned for the end of December, this period will be deep dive boat.

The total period of the entire test program - nearly five months.

To comply with contractual obligations to release the order for the ship ZHI organized two, and sometimes three shifts. Last month shipbuilders worked virtually around the clock.

Since this order - the head, then it establishes a number of new and upgraded systems and complexes. Thus, the project for the first time have the latest system of life of personnel ship (removal of pressure in the compartments and nitrogen fire-fighting). This system has already passed successfully tested on non-nuclear submarine "Saint Petersburg". Installation, testing and commissioning of the system on the project took a long time 06361 costs and special training commissioning team.

Skilled shipyard had to learn the new computerized system. Now they will have to share the skills learned from the crew of the Russian military, and then - to learn a foreign team. Due to the significant complexity of equipment for training the crew to customer country devoted almost five months, although the previous similar studies did not exceed two weeks.

Vietnam: Launch of the website of the Ministry of Defence

The portal of the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence (Vietnamese Ministry of Defense Portal - VMDP) was launched on Thursday in Hanoi at: www.mod.gov.vn .

Present at the launching ceremony of the Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and General Do Ba Ty, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of Defense.

This website will provide official information from the Ministry in Vietnamese and English public services involved.

It will allow people to other departments and their branches to learn about the department's activities as well as international friends to learn about Vietnam, his country and his defense, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Vietnam veterans group sues military over PTSD

The military has failed to correct the wrongful discharges of thousands of Vietnam veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, an advocacy group says in a federal lawsuit.
Vietnam Veterans of America on Monday joined a proposed class action lawsuit in Hartford against the Army, Navy and Air Force. The lawsuit, first filed last year by a veteran, says the Vietnam veterans suffered PTSD before the condition was recognized and were discharged under other-than-honorable conditions that made them ineligible for disability compensation and other benefits.
The lawsuit says the military has refused to review or upgrade the discharge statuses of thousands of Vietnam War-era veterans with service-related PTSD.
“People did not understand PTSD during the Vietnam era,” said John Rowan, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America. “Now that we do, these service members must not be denied the recognition and benefits they long ago earned.”
The U.S. attorney’s office, which is representing the military in the lawsuit, said it’s reviewing the matter and will respond in court.
The initial lawsuit was filed by John Shepherd, a Vietnam veteran from New Haven, who says he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2004 but has been repeatedly denied a discharge upgrade.
Shepherd and the VVA, which has about 65,000 members, are represented by Yale Law School students who work at a veterans legal services clinic. The students say since 2003 the Army has approved fewer than 2 percent of applications by Vietnam veterans claiming PTSD to upgrade discharges, compared to 46 percent for all discharge upgrade applications in recent years.
Some of the veterans denied had at least one medal or had a PTSD diagnosis from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the students, who analyzed the Army data.
“The military has failed to apply consistent and medically appropriate standards to assess the impact of service-related PTSD on the conduct that led to discharge, resulting in the defendants’ discriminatory and near-categorical denial of discharge upgrade applications by Vietnam veterans who served in theater and developed PTSD,” the lawsuit states.

Vietnam Soldiers Exercise with Missiles on the Shoulder

The Gunners export 12.7 mm from the University's team, 16, 141 Regiment, 312th Division (legion 1) standard firing practices (all photos : BaoDatViet)

Recently, Non Army forces and the Northern People's Non participate in live firing exercises in shooting TB1.

Tactical maneuvers, firing of Non Army forces and the Northern People's Non 2012 took place in the country towards the 40th anniversary of victory "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air" (12/1972-12/2012).

The export team 12.7 mm of the regular army target practice to destroy low-flying aircraft in daytime conditions.

This is an integrated testing for the division and each artillery gunners of the unit. Although the Gunners made all shot in daytime and night conditions are difficult, but each hail of bullets fly out of the barrel of the cannon is a target destroyed.

Vietnam-Singapore: dialogue on defense policy

The fifth dialogue on defense policy between Vietnam and Singapore took place from November 19 to 21 in Singapore.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh met with the Permanent Secretary of Singapore Ministry of Defence, Chang Chie Foo.

Both parties have sought to strengthen bilateral relations in defense to match the strategic partnership between the two countries, which will be signed in 2013.

On the regional situation, both parties agreed that it remains traditional security challenges such as non-traditional. They stressed that all parties should strive to promote friendship and cooperation to contribute to peace and stability in the world.

They stressed the importance of solidarity and unity among the ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability in the region, to limit outside influences that are capable of causing divisions intestine within ASEAN, and to strengthen the central role of ASEAN in multinational forums.

Vietnam to Make Unmanned Aircraft Collaboration with Sweden

VietNamNet Bridge - Sweden will help the Vietnam Aerospace Association (VASA) in technology transfer and development of medium-range unmanned aircraft.

At the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between Vietnam and Sweden on making unmanned aircraft (UAV) held by VASA on November 20, Professor Nguyen Duc Cuong, VASA President, stressed the important role of the UAV in the field of defense and security, search and rescue, protection and management of forests.

"Vietnam and Sweden will cooperate to manufacture medium-range unmanned aircraft called Magic Eye 1,” he said.

Magic Eye 1 weighs 40 kg, with operating time up to 6 hours, maximum flying speed of 200 km per hour, and the radio communication radius of 100 to 200 km.

Under the plan, the collaborative project will be divided into three phases. In the first phase, Sweden will give fund to Vietnam to manufacture two Magic Eye 1. They will provide Vietnam with equipment, technology transfer, design and send experts to Vietnam.

Vietnam navy signs building contract for two battleships

A contract to build 2 battleships was signed between the Naval High Command, and Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company and Ba Son Firm under the General Department of Defence Industry on October 8th in Hai Phong.

Under the contract, the two shipbuilders will build two modern battleships: artillery ship TT400TP and vessel 12418.  

According to Naval leaders, the building of the two battleships is part of the Service’s general modernisation programme in an effort to improve its capacity to effectively manage and firmly protect the Fatherland’s continental shelf, sea and islands.

The Vietnam People’s Navy is in the process of boosting and modernizing its force to meet the requirements of the new situation, said a high-ranking Naval officer at the signing ceremony.

Vietnam to Improve Russian Helicopter Equipped with U.S. Rocket

The improvement in order to meet the requirements for helicopters Mi-24 weapons crackdown on the remnants of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia,

Mi-24 attack helicopter developed by the Soviet Union and put into use in the early 1970s. This is the helicopter gunships "one of a kind" has been equipped with heavy duty weapons fire support to the ground, destroy armored tanks, and, military passenger compartment contain up to 8 soldiers.

The late 1970s, Soviet aid a small number of Mi-24 attack helicopters for the Vietnam People's Air Force. In 1980, the Air Vietnam Air Force squadron officially established the first Mi-24 helicopters of the 916th Regiment.

The Mi-24 that you aid to Vietnam under the Mi-24A variant - the first generation of the helicopter. Mi-24A compared to the Mi-24D and the modern variant the main difference is in the type of cabin.

Mi-24A cockpit 3 with control arms in front of officers, pilots and navigators in parallel in the back seat. Variations Mi-24 or later to use style cockpit "double bubble" with the arms in front of officers and pilots behind.

Vietnam-Ukraine meeting between the Ministers of Defence

The Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh in Hanoi Thursday had a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Salamatin Albertovich in friendship visit to Vietnam.

This meeting addressed several points on the situation in the world and the two countries, as well as the results of the cooperation between the two defense ministries in recent times, before setting directions for the latter.

Phung Quang Thanh said that the visit of Minister of Ukraine opened a new phase of development of bilateral relations in defense.

Minister Dmitry Salamatin Albertovich proposed that the two countries enhance their exchanges and define specific guidelines to bear in the defense relationship to a new height and make them more efficient.

Sixth China-Vietnam Defense and Security Consultation Held in Hanoi

The sixth defense and security consultation between Chinese and Vietnamese defense ministries was held here on Monday under the co-chair by Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Vietnam's deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries and armies, and the regional security situation as well as other issues of common concern.

The two sides spoke highly of bilateral defense and security consultation mechanism, which serves as a platform to promote the development of bilateral relations between the two countries and armies, enhance strategic communication and mutual trust, as well as properly handle differences.

Second Gunboats TT400TP Officially Handed Over to Vietnam Navy

                              The ceremony of handed over HQ273 to the Vietnam Navy 

Hong Ha Shipyard held consoles gunboat TT400TP (No. HQ-273) for the Vietnam People's Navy. On 31/8, in Haiphong, Hong Ha shipbuilding company, under the General Department of Defence Industry, held a hand over the ship HQ-273 gun (gun ship 2) for the Navy. Lieutenant General Tran Quang Khue, Deputy Chief of Staff ceremony handed over the ship.

HQ-273 gun ship of the 2 Honghe company completed and handed over to the Navy.

Australian Military Suffers Worst Day Since Vietnam

Five Australian troops were killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan in what Prime Minister Julia Gillard Thursday described as the nation's deadliest day in combat since the Vietnam War.
The deaths, which included three killings in an "insider attack" by an Afghan solider, brought to 38 the number of Australian lives lost in the conflict.

"This is a very big toll... this is our single worst day in Afghanistan," said Gillard, who cut short a trip to the Pacific Islands Forum to return home and deal with the fallout.

"Indeed this is the most lost in combat since the days of the Vietnam War."

Australia's acting defence chief Air Marshal Mark Binskin said the first incident occurred inside a patrol base near Tirin Kot in the restive southern Uruzgan province where about 1,500 Australian troops are deployed.

In the second, two Australian special forces soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in Helmand province.

"Three Australian soldiers from the 3RAR task group were shot and killed when an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform opened fire with an automatic weapon from close range," he told reporters.

The dead soldiers were aged 40, 23, and 21 and were relaxing at the end of the day when the Afghan opened fire, he added.

General Abdul Hamid Hamid, an Afghan army commander in the south of the country, suggested it may have been a case of mistaken identity.

"Last night at around 10:30 pm an Australian forces patrol on foot wanted to enter an Afghan army camp in Chora district of Uruzgan province," Hamid told AFP in Afghanistan.

"An Afghan army soldier who was on duty at the gate of the camp thought they were enemy forces so he opened fire at them killing three Australian soldiers.

"He has probably mistakenly fired on foreign soldiers thinking they were militants," he added, saying the soldier, named Hekmat, had been serving in the army in Uruzgan for around five months. He fled after the shooting.

NATO has struggled to counter the so-called "green-on-blue" attacks in which uniformed Afghans turn their weapons against their international allies.

The assaults have spiked this year, with more than 30 attacks claiming the lives of 45 coalition troops, comprising about 14 percent of the overall death toll in the war for 2012, according to ISAF.

Airbus Military Ferries First C212 to Vietnam Marine Police

Airbus Military has delivered to Vietnam the first of three C212-400 maritime patrol aircraft ordered by the Vietnam Marine Police.

The aircraft, manufactured in Seville, Spain was handed over at Gia Lam (Hanoi) at the end of a 10-day ferry flight from Skavsta, Sweden following installation of its mission system. It was formally delivered last year prior to the conversion work in Sweden.

The flight, commanded by ferry pilot Capt Alejandro Grande supported by two co-pilots, two flight engineers and a technical representative, staged through: Kosice, Slovakia; Sitia, Greece; Luxor, Egypt; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Muscat, Oman; Ahmedabad and Kolkata, India;and Chiang Mai, Thailand; en route to Hanoi.

Military Advisors Reflect on Vietnam War Experiences

Two former military advisors who served with Vietnamese units during the Vietnam War spoke about their experiences in the Pentagon on Tuesday, Aug. 28, and shared their thoughts on advisory programs and counterinsurgency operations.

Retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni and retired Army Lt. Col. James Willbanks took part in a panel discussion on “Advisors in the Vietnam War,” along with Andrew Birtle, chief of the Military Operations Branch at the Army Center of Military History. The panel was part of the Historical Speakers Series sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Historical Office.

Birtle opened the program with an overview of the U.S. advisory effort in Vietnam. An expert on counterinsurgency operations doctrine who authored books on the subject, Birtle outlined the development of the military advisor program from the first U.S. advisors in 1950 until end of the war in the early 1970s.

“Perhaps the most common emotion advisors experienced in Vietnam was the frustration of being held responsible for something they could not control,” Birtle said. “Nothing was more frustrating than the feelings that one’s efforts were falling on fallow ground.”

Russia Launches Submarine for Vietnam

Russia's Admiralteiskie Verfi shipyard has launched a new Kilo-class Project 636 diesel-electric submarine for Vietnam, a military-industrial complex sources said on Tuesday.

The boat is the first of six ordered by Hanoi.
Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Zung announced the signing of a contract worth almost $2 billion for the six boats in December 2009.
"The first boat will be launched on Tuesday and will begin tests soon after," a shipyard source said earlier today. The boat is due to be delivered to the customer by the end of the year, he added. All six boats are due to be delivered by 2016.

Vietnam will be in the future on top three importers of Russian weapons and military equipment.

Vietnam will be soon on the top three importers of Russian weapons and military equipment said in Moscow on Thursday, August 23, 2012, Igor Korottchenko, the Director General of the Russian Centre for Analysis of global trade of arms (TsAMTO).

"We can said that Vietnam will be in the medium term on the top three importers of Russian weapons considering the major programs of arms shipment in the country which had previously been announced," said M.Korottchenko commenting the next launch of the first of the six submarines Project 636 controlled by Vietnam.
In 2008-2011, Russia's exports conventional weapons to Vietnam for a total of $ 1.88 billion, or 6.3% of Russian military exports. Vietnam is currently ranked fifth among the countries importing Russian arms.
In 2012-2015, the Vietnam should move to the fourth position according to the orders already made. According TsAMTO, Russian military exports to Vietnam will reach $ 2.43 billion (7.6% of Russian exports) during this period.