List of equipment of the Vietnam People's Ground Forces

Vietnam People's Army
Ministry of Defence
Command
General Staff
Services
Ground Force
Air Force
Navy
Border Guard
Coast Guard
Ranks of the Vietnamese Military
Ground Force ranks and insignia
Air Force ranks and insignia
Navy ranks and insignia
Border Guard ranks and insignia
Coast Guard ranks and insignia
History of the Vietnamese Military
History of Vietnamese military ranks
Military history of Vietnam
Vietnamese Army troops on Spratly Island.

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

ModelImageTypeCalibreOriginNotes
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 IsraelUsed 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

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ Sergei Blagov (5 September 2003). "Russian missiles to guard skies over Vietnam". Asia Times. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Wendell Minnick (31 August 2015). "Vietnam Pushes Modernization as China Challenge Grows". Defense News. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Vietnam Army Equipment". Global Security. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "SIPRI arms transfer database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Israel has delivered 20 EXTRA surface-to-surface guided rockets to Vietnam for coastal defence - Armyrecognition.com, 26 February 2016
  8. 1 2 Yuval Azulai (18 July 2012). "Israel's defense industry targets Vietnam". Globes. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. 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.
  10. ↑ "Việt Nam mua nhiều vũ khí từ CH Czech" (in Vietnamese). BBC News. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Mổ xẻ' biến thể mới nhất súng máy FN Minimi Việt Nam" (in Vietnamese). Kiến Thức. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "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.
  15. 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.
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