List of equipment of the Vietnam People's Ground Forces
|
During the Vietnam War (1965–1975) and the Cambodian–Vietnamese War (1977–1989), Vietnam People's Ground Forces relied almost entirely on the weapons and equipment systems derived from the Soviet Union. Since the end of the Cold War in 1992 the period of low cost military equipment for Vietnam ended and Vietnam began the use of hard currency and barter to buy weapons and equipment.
Vietnam prioritises economic development and growth while maintaining defence spending in a trickle. Vietnam does not conduct the procurement phase or major upgrade of weapons. From the end of the 1990s the Government of Vietnam has announced the acquisition of a number of strategic systems equipped with modern weapons. Accordingly, Vietnam has been slow to develop naval and air forces to control shallow waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Currently most defence procurement programs are primarily made to remedy this priority. For example, Vietnam has purchased a number of combat aircraft and warships that have the ability to combat in high seas. Vietnam also plans to develop the defence industry, with priority for the Navy, combined with its former communist allies and India.[1][2]
Since 2015, Vietnam has start to exploring American and European weapons although facing numerous political, historical and financial barriers, as they cannot continue to relied with Soviet and Chinese weapons especially due to the increasing tensions in the South China Sea dispute.[3]
Ground vehicle
Vehicle | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tank | ||||||
T-62 | Main battle tank | USSR | 70[4] | |||
T-54/55 | Main battle tank | USSR | 850[4] | |||
Type-59 | Main battle tank | China | 350[4] | |||
Type 62 | Light tank | China | 320[4] | |||
PT-76 | Light tank | USSR | 300[4] | |||
Type-63 | Amphibious light tank | China | 320[4] | |||
Armoured vehicle | ||||||
M113 | Tracked armoured personnel carrier | USA | 200[4] | |||
Type 63 | Tracked armoured personnel carrier | China | 80[4] | |||
BMP-1 | Infantry fighting vehicle | USSR | 150[5] | |||
BMP-2 | Infantry fighting vehicle | USSR | 150[5] | |||
BTR-152 | Wheeled armoured personnel carrier | USSR | 400[5] | |||
BTR-60 | Wheeled armoured personnel carrier | USSR | 500[5] | |||
V-150 | Wheeled armoured personnel carrier | USA | 200 | |||
BRDM-1 | Reconnaissance vehicle | USSR | 150[4][5] | |||
BRDM-2 | Reconnaissance vehicle | USSR | 150[4][5] | |||
Artillery | ||||||
SS-1 Scud B/C/D | Tactical ballistic missile | USSR | 24 launchers[6] | |||
BM-14 | 140mm multiple rocket launcher | USSR | unknown | |||
BM-21 | 122mm multiple rocket launcher | USSR | unknown | |||
2S3 Akatsiya | 152mm self-propelled artillery | USSR | 30[5] | |||
2S1 Gvozdika | 122mm self-propelled artillery | USSR | unknown | |||
ASU-85 | 85mm self-propelled artillery | USSR | unknown | |||
M101 | 105mm towed artillery | USA | unknown | |||
M1955 (D-20) towed gun-howitzer | 152mm towed artillery | USSR | unknown | |||
M1954 (M-46) towed field gun | 130mm towed artillery | USSR | unknown | |||
2A18 (D-30) towed howitzer | 122mm towed artillery | USSR | unknown | |||
Extended Range Artillery Rocket (EXTRA) | 306mm rocket artillery | Israel | 20 | 150km range, used for coastal defence.[7] | ||
Firearms
Model | Image | Type | Calibre | Origin | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pistols | ||||||
TT-33 | Semi-automatic pistol | 7.62×25mm Tokarev | USSR | Standard issue service pistol. | ||
PM | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×18mm Makarov | USSR | Limited use. | ||
Submachine guns | ||||||
PM-63 | Submachine gun | 9×18mm Makarov | Poland | Used by special forces and guard police. | ||
MicroUzi | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | Israel | Used by special forces | ||
Assault rifles | ||||||
AKM | Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm M43 | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue service rifle. Manufactured locally. | ||
Galil ACE | Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm M43 | Israel Vietnam | Manufactured locally.[8][9] | ||
IWI Tavor TAR-21 | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Israel Vietnam | Used by Marines. Manufactured locally[8][9] | ||
vz. 58 | Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm | Czechoslovakia | Limited use.[10] | ||
FN FNC | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Belgium | Limited use in special forces and Military Marksman Demonstration Team. | ||
CAR-15 XM177E2 | Carbine | 5.56×45mm NATO | USA | Used by special forces. | ||
SKS-45 | Carbine | 7.62×39mm M43 | USSR | Used by honour guards and militia forces. | ||
Sniper rifles | ||||||
Dragunov SVD | Sniper rifle | 7.62×54mmR | USSR | Standard issue sniper rifle. | ||
Galatz | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | Israel | Used by special forces. | ||
Machine guns | ||||||
RPK | Light machine gun | 7.62×39mm M43 | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue machine gun. Manufactured locally. | ||
PKM | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×54mmR | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue machine gun. Manufactured locally. | ||
NSV | Heavy machine gun | 12.7×108mm | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue machine gun. Manufactured locally.[11] | ||
RPD | Light machine gun | 7.62×39mm | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue machine gun. Manufactured locally. | ||
IMI Negev | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm NATO | Israel | Used by Marines. | ||
Minimi Mk3 | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm NATO | Belgium | Limited use in special forces and Military Marksman Demonstration Team.[12] | ||
M240B | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | USA | Limited use by Military Marksman Demonstration Team. | ||
Grenade-based weapons | ||||||
M203 | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | USA Vietnam | Manufactured locally. | ||
M79 | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | USA Vietnam | Standard issue. Manufactured locally.[13] | ||
MGL Mk-1 | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | South Africa Vietnam | Used by special forces. Manufactured locally. [14] | ||
AGS-17 | Grenade launcher | 30mm grenade | USSR Vietnam | Standard issue. Manufactured locally. | ||
Mortars | ||||||
M1943 | Mortar | 160mm mortar | USSR | |||
PM-43 | Mortar | 120mm mortar | USSR | |||
M1938 | Mortar | 107mm mortar | USSR | |||
82-PM-41 | Mortar | 82mm mortar | USSR | |||
Portable anti-materiel weapons | ||||||
B-10 | Anti-tank recoilless rifle | 82mm HEAT | USSR Vietnam | Manufactured locally. | ||
ĐKZ-1 | Anti-tank recoilless rifle | 73mm HEAT | USSR Vietnam | Manufactured locally. | ||
M72 LAW | Anti-tank weapon | 66mm HEAT | USA | |||
9M113 Konkurs | Guided anti-tank missile | 135mm HEAT | USSR | |||
9M14 Malyutka | Guided anti-tank missile | 125mm HEAT | USSR | |||
9K111 Fagot | Guided anti-tank missile | 75mm HEAT | USSR | |||
MATADOR | Anti-armour | 90mm anti-armour | Israel | Used by Marines. | ||
RPG-29 | Rocket-propelled grenade | 105mm HEAT | USSR Vietnam | Manufactured locally. | ||
RPG-7 | Rocket-propelled grenade | 40mm HEAT | USSR Vietnam | Manufactured locally. |
Procurement
In 2006, Israel reported to the United Nations Register Organisation of Conventional Arms (UNROCA) that two of its light armoured vehicles had been sold to Vietnam.[15] A number of Israeli companies won a bid to modernise and upgrade T-54/55 tanks as well establishing factories in the country. Israel's program includes upgrading armour, night vision system and a fire control system upgrade (produced in Poland). On May 2002, Vietnam and Ukraine reached an agreement of military technical co-operation which extended to 2005. Accordingly, Ukraine will support Vietnam primarily to upgrade armour and artillery, weapons co-production and repair.[15] In February 2005, the Ministry of Defence of Finland ceded to Vietnam about 70 tanks T-54 and T-55 from the Soviet era. In early March 2005, Poland signed a contract to sell to Vietnam 150 T-72 tanks which would've been used to support training, ammunition, equipment maintenance and repair but this contract was cancelled in 2006 because Vietnam wanted to investment more on its Navy and Air Force.[15] In addition to upgrading tanks, the Ministry of Defence of Vietnam signed a military co-operation agreement with Russia. The Vietnamese have also developed the capacity to produce their own equipment and repaired existing equipment.
See also
References
- ↑ "Tạp chí Bộ Ngoại giao Trung Quốc đánh giá về chiến lược và sức mạnh quân sự của Việt Nam" (in Vietnamese). VNTime. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ Sergei Blagov (5 September 2003). "Russian missiles to guard skies over Vietnam". Asia Times. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ Wendell Minnick (31 August 2015). "Vietnam Pushes Modernization as China Challenge Grows". Defense News. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Vietnam Army Equipment". Global Security. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "SIPRI arms transfer database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ Brianna Starosciak (5 January 2012). "Worldwide Ballistic Missile Inventories (See Vietnam)". Arms Control Association; Missile Defense Agency; US Department of Defense; Congressional Research Service; National Air and Space Intelligence Center; US Department of State; Federation of American Scientists. Arms Control Association. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ Israel has delivered 20 EXTRA surface-to-surface guided rockets to Vietnam for coastal defence - Armyrecognition.com, 26 February 2016
- 1 2 Yuval Azulai (18 July 2012). "Israel's defense industry targets Vietnam". Globes. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- 1 2 Jon Grevatt (3 February 2014). "Israel Weapon Industries to begin assault rifle production in Vietnam". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "Việt Nam mua nhiều vũ khí từ CH Czech" (in Vietnamese). BBC News. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "Sức mạnh T-54/55 Việt Nam tăng đáng kể" (in Vietnamese). Báo Đất Việt. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "Mổ xẻ' biến thể mới nhất súng máy FN Minimi Việt Nam" (in Vietnamese). Kiến Thức. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ↑ "Việt Nam sửa chữa súng phóng lựu Mỹ" (in Vietnamese). Báo Đất Việt. 8 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ↑ "Việt Nam chế tạo súng phóng lựu tự động" (in Vietnamese). Báo Đất Việt. 29 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 Carlyle A. Thayer (30 April 2009). "Vietnam People's Army: Development and Modernization" (PDF). Sultan Haji Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Ministry of Defence, Bolkiah Garrison, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Cite Seer X, National Science Foundation (NSF). p. 10/41. Retrieved 25 April 2016.