Vietnam People's Navy

Vietnam People's Navy Hải quân Nhân dân Việt Nam
Active	1955 – present
Country	Vietnam
Allegiance	Communist Party of Vietnam[1]
Branch	Main branches Surface Ships Naval Infantry Naval Aviation Coastal Defence Missiles Submarines
Size	50,000 officers and sailors 91 Ships (Excluding auxiliaries)
Part of	Vietnam People's Army
Headquarters	Hai Phong, Vietnam
Motto(s)	Island is home, Sea is country
Colour	Purple, White
March	Surfing to the sea
Anniversaries	7 May 1955
Fleet	5 Submarine 7 Frigate 11 Corvette 53 Patrol vessel 6 Amphibious warfare ship 8 Minesweeper 1 Training vessel 11 Auxiliaries
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Johnson South Reef Skirmish MT Zafirah hijacking
Decorations
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	Trần Đại Quang
Commander	Rear Admiral Phạm Hoài Nam
Political Commissar	Vice Admiral Đinh Gia Thật
Chief of Staff	Rear Admiral Phạm Xuân Điệp
Insignia
Naval Ensign
Naval Flag
Emblem
Awards
Aircraft flown
Attack	Ka-27
Patrol	C-212, DHC-6, EC225

The Vietnam People's Navy (Vietnamese: Hải quân nhân dân Việt Nam), commonly known as the Vietnamese Navy or the Vietnamese People's Navy, is the naval branch of the Vietnam People's Army and is responsible for the protection of the country's national waters, islands, and interests of the maritime economy, as well as for the co-ordination of maritime police, customs service and the border defence force.

History

Early period

From the beginning of the founding of the Vietnamese Nation in the 1st millennium BC, the Hùng Vuong period spawned many legends of fighting against seaborne invasions of Quynh Chau (now China) from the north and Ho Ton (later to become Champa) from the south. During the era of the Kingdom of Âu Lạc, when the Cổ Loa Citadel was constructed, King An Dương Vương relied on the Hoang Giang River as a natural fortification to protect the south flank of the cidatel. In the 6th century, Emperor Lý Nam Đế built naval forces to fend off the invasion of Liang Dynasty's (China) forces in the Tô Lịch River, Dien Triet lake; and then, King Triệu Quang Phục used guerrilla tactics against the Chinese military at Da Trach lagoon (Khoái Châu, Hải Dương).^[2]

In the 10th century, the Imperial Vietnamese Navy became a regularised force. Naval forces of Khúc Thừa Dụ in Hong Chau (now Ninh Giang District, Hải Dương), Dương Đình Nghệ in Ai Chau, Thanh Hóa and of King Ngô Quyền himself were raised by enlisting and training the fishermen along rivers and seasides. Those elements became well-trained and experienced naval forces, ready to protect the country.

Dynastic period

Model of 17th century gunboat

In Lý–Trần Dynasty era, the dynasties were occupied with raising naval forces and naval bases. Particularly, the Vân Đồn port had an important role in protecting the northeast territorial waters of Vietnam. In 1075 Lý Thường Kiệt mobilised a fleet to ferry 50,000 marines across the Gulf of Tonkin to invade Qinzhou, China. The amphibious assault was well planned and executed with incredible speed that Qinzhou's garrison was totally taken by surprise. The fortress town was taken in one night.

To retaliate, the Song dynasty of China mustered a huge invasion force, with a naval arm to provide support to land operations. They were already fearful of Vietnam's reputation at sea combat, thus a large enough force was organised so as to "not lose even if they can't score a win". Lý Kế Nguyên, a Vietnamese commander stationed in Vân Đồn, Quảng Ninh, however, had absolute confidence in his fleet that he went on the offensive and took on the Chinese invasion fleet on the high sea. Lý defeated the Chinese so badly that their admiral sent messengers to urge Chinese coastal guards to fortify their post in fear of a reverse-invasion.

In 1077, the Imperial Vietnamese Navy fought the Battle of Cầu River against the Chinese Song Dynasty forces. This was the final battle Song Dynasty would fight on Vietnamese land or waters. The battle lasted for several months, and ended with the victory of the Vietnamese Navy and the loss of many Song sailors. This victory demonstrated the successful tactics of war and active defence of the famous Admiral Lý Thường Kiệt who faced a naval force numerically superior to his own.^[3] The Song Dynasty lost a total of 8,000 soldiers/sailors and 5.19 million ounces of silver, including all costs of the war.^[4]

The largest battles (officially recorded in history) were three naval encounters (all three are called Battle of Bạch Đằng): Admiral, later Emperor Ngô Quyền against the Chinese Southern Han forces in 938 (killed over 10,000 and captured hundreds of Chinese sailors, killed Chinese Prince Liu Hongcao); Lê Hoàn against Song Dynasty in 981; and Trần Quốc Tuấn against Yuan Dynasty (Mongol) in 1288 (over 80,000 Yuan Mongol sailors killed or captured, more than 400 Yuan (Mongol) ships destroyed, Mongol Commander Sogetu perished, and Yuan (Mongol) Admiral Omar captured).

The Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư records that in 1467 in An Bang province of Đại Việt (now Quảng Ninh Province) a Chinese ship blew off course onto the shore. The Chinese were detained and not allowed to return to China as ordered by Emperor Lê Thánh Tông.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} This incident may be the same one where Wu Rui was captured.^[10] One of the renowned victories in Vietnamese naval history was the Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút in Tây Sơn Dynasty, during which Nguyễn Huệ (Emperor Quang Trung) defeated the Siamese (Thai) naval force. The battle occurred in present-day Tiền Giang Province on 19 January 1785. Nguyễn Huệ's forces completely destroyed over 50,000 Siamese sailors and 300 warships.

Model of warship used by Nguyễn Huệ in the Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút

In the Nguyễn Dynasty period, 19th century Nguyen Emperor Gia Long used his new base to improve the Vietnamese Navy. Gia Long had first attempted to acquire modern naval vessels in 1781, when on the advice of Bishop Pigneau de Behaine, he had chartered Portuguese vessels of European design, complete with crew and artillery. This initial experience proved to be disastrous. For reasons that remain unclear, two of the vessels fled in the midst of battle against the Tây Sơn, while angry Vietnamese soldiers killed the third crew.

In 1789, Pigneau de Behaine returned to Vietnam from Pondicherry with two vessels, which stayed in the Nguyễn Dynasty service long-term. Over time, Vietnamese sailors replaced the original French and Indian crew under the command of French officers. These vessels became the foundation for an expanded military and merchant Nguyễn Dynasty naval force, with Gia Long chartering and purchasing more European vessels to reinforce Vietnamese-built ships. However, traditional Vietnamese-style galleys and small sailing ships remained the majority of the fleet. In 1799, a British trader by the name of Berry reported that the Nguyễn Dynasty's fleet had departed Saigon along the Saigon River with 100 galleys, 40 junks, 200 smaller boats and 800 carriers, accompanied by three European sloops. In 1801, one naval division was reported to have included nine European vessels armed with 60 guns, five vessels with 50 guns, 40 with 16 guns, 100 junks, 119 galleys and 365 smaller boats.^[11]

French ships invaded Saigon with the brig L'Esperance that was sunk in 1861 by Nguyễn Trung Trực's naval forces

In the middle of the 19th century, the Vietnamese Navy fought against the French in many battles. Due to disadvantages in technology, the Vietnamese Navy could not defeat the French Navy, but there were still several battles during which the Vietnamese Navy caused heavy damages to the French. The Vietnamese were especially successful in the Battle of Nhat Tao canal held by Nguyễn Trung Trực on 10 December 1861. Nguyen Trung Truc's naval forces ambushed the French brig L'Esperance at the Vam Co River, Mekong Delta. Truc's 150 men were grouped into three columns. The first group of 61 sailors under Hoang Khac Nhuong was to attack a nearby pro-French village to provoke an incident and lure the French forces into an ambush. Truc commanded the second group of 59 partisans along with Vo Van Quang, and was assigned to burn and sink the vessel. A third force of 30 sailors was commanded by Ho Quang and Nguyen Van Hoc. Due to the surprise attack, the French Navy suffered major damage: the brig L'Esperance was sunk, 17 French sailors and 20 pro-French Vietnamese naval auxiliaries were killed, only eight people escaped, including two French sailors and six sailors of Tagal (Filipino) background employed by the French.

Vietnam War

A North Vietnamese P-4 engaging USS Maddox (DD-731) in Gulf of Tonkin incident 1964

On 19 July 1946, Acting President of Democratic Republic of Vietnam Huỳnh Thúc Kháng signed into law a decree establishing the modern Vietnamese Navy. Then, on 10 September of that year, General Võ Nguyên Giáp started to build a flotilla as the core of the new navy. On 8 March 1949, Vietnam established the Department of Naval Research under the General Staff. This department has performed both research and training to prepare for combat missions.

Following the Geneva Conference in 1954, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam went about creating its own naval forces. On 7 May 1955 the Vietnam People's Navy was created with the establishment of the General Directorate of Coastal Defence, it formed the basis for the Navy Operational Command (based on the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence decree No. 284/ND signed by General Võ Nguyên Giáp to established Naval Research Board, under the General Staff, on 8 March 1949). The primary mission of the Navy was to patrol the coastal areas and the inland waterways.

Throughout the Vietnam War the role played by the Vietnam People's Navy (or North Vietnamese Navy) was largely unknown to the public. However, on 2 August 1964, three North Vietnamese Swatow-class patrol boats attacked the destroyer USS Maddox in what became known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The second attack, which the United States claimed to have occurred on 4 August, was dismissed by the North Vietnamese as a fabrication.

The North Vietnamese, however, had maintained their own version of the events which took place. According to official VPN accounts Maddox penetrated North Vietnamese waters on 31 July 1964, and provoked a battle with the North Vietnamese. In response to American provocation, three 123K-class torpedo boats from the 135th Torpedo Boat Battalion were dispatched to intercept the American destroyer. The resulting clash became known as the 'Battle of Thanh Hóa' in which North Vietnamese "torpedo boats succeeded in driving the Maddox out of Vietnam's territorial waters, shooting down a U.S. aircraft and damaging another".

Apart from patrolling territorial waters, the Navy also had the mission of transporting military supplies to support the Vietnam People's Army and their NLF ally during the Vietnam War. On 31 October 1961, a sea route version of the Ho Chi Minh trail was established by the North Vietnam Navy, with the 759th Transport Unit responsible for carrying military supplies and other goods for the Communist ground forces in South Vietnam. To avoid detection by the South Vietnamese and U.S navies, North Vietnamese transport ships were often disguised as fishing trawlers. On 16 February 1965, a 100-ton North Vietnamese trawler from the Transportation Group 125 was discovered at Vung Ro Bay. This led to the creation of Operation Market Time by the US Navy to intercept disguised enemy ships.

On 19 April 1972, the North Vietnamese Navy and Air Force participated in the Battle of Đồng Hới off the coast of North Vietnam. During this battle it was believed that the U.S Navy destroyed a Soviet-made cruise missile for the first time. The destroyer USS Higbee was damaged after an VPAF MiG-17 dropped a 250 lb (110 kg) bomb, destroying a 5-inch (127 mm) aft gun mount.

In the years following the complete withdrawal of U.S and other allied forces, the North Vietnamese went back on the offensive. As part of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, the North Vietnamese Navy increased the transportation of military supplies, food and uniform to the Communist forces in the South. When the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) occupied the northern provinces of South Vietnam in 1975, captured South Vietnamese vessels were pressed into service with the Vietnam People's Navy. In April 1975, ex-South Vietnamese Navy vessels carried North Vietnamese troops to capture the Spratly Islands. Opening battle in the island Southwest Cay (Vietnamese: Song Tử tây) on 4 April 1975, amphibious raid by sea of the Naval Marine corp number 1 (precursor of the 126th Brigade Naval Marine corps) and three vessels of the 125 corps coordinated with the commandos of the 5th Military Region, after 30 minutes, Vietnamese Navy controlled the main battle area, facilitating the solution development process release of the other islands.^[12] Then, Vietnamese Navy continue control Sand Cay island (26 April), Namyit Island (27 April), Sin Cowe Island (28 April) and Spratly Island (29 April).^[13] At around the same time the Chinese Navy took over control of the Paracel Islands from the South Vietnamese Navy. These islands are also claimed by Vietnam, however they have no current presence there.

VPN's Naval Infantry in Spratly Islands

Prior to 1975, the North Vietnamese Navy operated fewer than forty patrol boats along with the coastal junk force. With the collapse of the Republic of Vietnam on 30 April 1975, the Vietnam People's Navy was expanded with ships from the defunct South Vietnamese Navy. Captured vessels included two patrol frigates, over one hundred patrol craft, and about fifty amphibious warfare ships.

In the late 1970s the naval infantry (or marines) was formed to be stationed on the areas claimed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Spratly Islands. The naval infantry is equipped with PT-76 light tanks, BTR-60 personnel carriers and naval infantrymen are armed with AK-74 rifle, AKM-47 assault rifles, Makarov PM pistol (Officers), and PKM machinegun infantry weapons, and more.

In 1988, Vietnam People's Navy fought against the Chinese Navy at Johnson Reef of sovereignty of the Spratly Islands, causing the losses to the Vietnamese of several transport ships and up to 64 deaths. The battle was won by the Chinese Navy who outgunned and outnumbered them, using a fleet of frigates against Vietnamese lightly armed transport ships. This prompted the Vietnamese Navy to modernise its naval weapons and its overall naval capabilities.

Organisational structure

VPN's Naval regions

Organisational levels of Vietnam People's Navy, from highest to lowest are:

• High Command of Vietnam People's Navy (Bộ Tư lệnh Hải quân)
• Naval Region (Vùng Hải quân)
• Naval Brigade/Naval Regiment (Lữ đoàn/Trung đoàn Hải quân)
• Naval Battalion (Hải đoàn)
• Naval Group (Hải đội)

Naval Regions

Naval Regions are inter-military campaign of naval tactics, territorial division, comprising the regions, fleets, naval air forces, marines, defence island soldiers, coastal artillery and combat units to ensure (radar, information technology, logistics etc.).

On 26 October 1975, the Ministry of Defence issued Decision No.141/QD-QP which established five Coastal Areas of Naval Command and jurisdiction provisions of the five regions. In 1978, they were renamed as the following naval regions:

• 1st Regional Command (A Regional Command): Gulf of Tonkin, manage north coast from Quảng Ninh to Hà Tĩnh and the islands in Gulf of Tonkin. Command Headquarters: Hai Phong.
  • Commander: Rear Admiral Phạm Văn Điển
  • Political Commissar: Rear Admiral Phạm Văn Vững
• 2nd Regional Command (B Regional Command): manage South China Sea and south coast from Bình Thuận to Bạc Liêu, southern continental shelf, including the key areas are economic science service areas (called are DK1, DK2). Command Headquarters: Nhơn Trạch, Đồng Nai.
  • Commander: Rear Admiral Phạm Xuân Điệp
  • Political Commissar: Rear Admiral Mai Tiến Tuyên
• 3rd Regional Command (C Regional Command): manage north central coast, from Quảng Bình to Bình Định, including the islands of Cồn Cỏ, Lý Sơn,...and Paracel Islands. Command Headquarters: Da Nang.
  • Commander: Rear Admiral Ngô Sĩ Quyết
  • Political Commissar: Rear Admiral Nguyễn Tiến Dũng
• 4th Regional Command (D Regional Command): manage South China Sea, south central coast including Spratly Islands, Phú Quý island and the south central coast, from Phú Yên to Bình Thuận. Headquarters Command: Cam Ranh Bay military port, Khánh Hòa Province.
  • Commander: Rear Admiral Phạm Văn Hoành
  • Political Commissar: Rear Admiral Phạm Thanh Hóa
• 5th Regional Command (E Regional Command): manage South China Sea and coast in Gulf of Thailand from Cà Mau to Kiên Giang. Command Headquarters: Phú Quốc, Kiên Giang.
  • Commander: Rear Admiral Doãn Văn Sở
  • Political Commissar: Rear Admiral Ngô Văn Phát

Service branches

Surface Ships	Naval Commando	Naval Infantry	Naval Aviation	Coastal Defence Missiles	Submarines

Ranks in Vietnam People's Navy

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

In the Vietnam People's Navy system has no ranks of Fleet Admiral. Vietnam People's Navy ranks are divided into four basic steps: Commissioned Officer, Non-commissioned Officer, and Soldiers/Seamen. Officer ranks use the executive curl on the sleeves of their service and full dress blue uniforms, similar to those used in various navies worldwide.

	Flag Officers			Senior Officers				Junior Officers
	Đô đốc	Phó Đô đốc	Chuẩn Đô đốc	Đại tá	Thượng tá	Trung tá	Thiếu tá	Đại úy	Thượng úy	Trung úy	Thiếu úy
	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain	Commander	Lt.Commander	Senior Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Sub-lieutenant	Ensign

	Naval cadet	NCOs			Seamen
	Học viên Sĩ quan	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ	Binh nhất	Binh nhì
	Midshipman	Sergeant Major	Master Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Leading Seaman	Seaman

Naval Academy

Vietnam Naval Academy's symbol

Vietnam Naval Academy, with its headquarters in Nha Trang, is a military institute belongs to Vietnam People's Navy for training naval commanding officers in division level and commanding staffs in tactical/campaign level, include undergraduates and postgraduates of military.

The forerunner of Vietnam Naval Academy is Coastal Training School, was established on 26 April 1955 by the General Staff. The school has changed name in several times such as the Naval Training School in 1959, the Naval School of Vietnam in 1961, the Naval Officers School in 1967, School of Commander Naval engineering in 1980. Finally, the school has named Naval Academy in 1993.

After 55 years of construction, combat and growth, Vietnam Naval Academy has trained thousands of officers and technical staffs for major specialised fields such as: control vessel; mines - anti-mine; missile anti-submarine; gunship; information; radar - sonar; coastal radar; ship factory and power; the commander of the Marine Police and Border Defence Force.

In addition, the Vietnam Naval Academy has trained officers for both the Royal Cambodian Navy and the Lao People's Navy.

Fleet

Submarines (5 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes	Ships
	Improved Kilo class	Russia	Submarine	5	(1) more under construction	182 Hà Nội 183 Hồ Chí Minh City 184 Hải Phòng 185 Khánh Hoà 186 Đà Nẵng[14] 187 Bà Riạ-Vũng Tàu[15]
Frigates (7 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes	Ships
	Gepard 3.9 class	Russia	Frigate	2	2 delivered, 2 under construction and there are 2 more planned.[16][17]	011 Đinh Tiên Hoàng 012 Lý Thái Tổ
	Petya class	USSR	Frigate	5	active duty. 3 are ASW and 2 were converted to gunboats[18]	HQ-09 HQ-11 HQ-13 HQ-15 HQ-17
Corvettes (11 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Ships
	Tarantul-I class	Russia	Corvette	4[19][20]	active duty[21]	371 372 373 374
	Molniya class	Russia  Vietnam	Corvette	6[22][23]	(2) more on order. 4 more are planned.[23][24] active duty	375 376 377 378 379 380
	BPS-500	Russia  Vietnam	ASW Corvette	1	active duty	HQ-381
Patrol vessels (23 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Ships
	Osa class	USSR	Missile boat	8	active duty	HQ-354, HQ-355, HQ-356, HQ-357, HQ-358, HQ-359, HQ-360, HQ-361
	Svetlyak class	Russia	Patrol	6	active duty	HQ-261 HQ-263 HQ-264 HQ-265 HQ-266 HQ-267
	Turya class	USSR	Patrol	5	active duty	HQ-331 HQ-332 HQ-333 HQ-334 HQ-335
	TT-400TP class	Vietnam	Patrol	4	active duty, 2 on order	HQ-272 HQ-273 HQ-274 HQ-275[25]
Minesweepers (8 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Ships
	Sonya class	USSR	minesweeper	4	active duty	HQ-861 HQ-862 HQ-863 HQ-864
	Yurka class	USSR	minesweeper	2	active duty	HQ-851 HQ-852
	Yevgenya class	USSR	minesweeper	2	active duty
Transport/Logistics support ship (11 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Ships
	HSV-6613 class	Netherlands  Vietnam	Ocean surveillance	1	active duty	HQ-888 Trần Đại Nghĩa
	K-122 class	Vietnam	Transport/ Logistics support ship	2	active duty	HQ-571 Trường Sa HQ-561 Khánh Hòa (Hospital ship)
	HQ-996 class	Vietnam	Transport/ Logistics	1	active duty	HQ-996
	Trường Sa class	Vietnam	Transport/ Logistics support ship	7	active duty	Trường Sa 04, Trường Sa 08, Trường Sa 14, Trường Sa 19, Trường Sa 20, Trường Sa 21, Trường Sa 22
Amphibious warfare (5 in Service)
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Notes
	LST-542 class	United States	Amphibious warfare	1	active duty	HQ-501 Trần Khánh Dư (formerly USS Maricopa County, LST-938)
	Polnochny class	USSR/ Poland	Amphibious warfare	3	active duty	HQ-511 HQ-512 HQ-513
	Hùng Vương class	Vietnam	Amphibious warfare	2	active duty	HQ-521 HQ-522
Training vessel
Photo	Class	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes	Ships
		Poland	Training vessel	1	on order	HQ-Lê Quý Đôn
Aircraft (22 in Service)
Photo	Aircraft	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Notes
	DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	Patrol	6	active duty
	Kamov Ka-28	USSR Kamov	ASW Helicopter	8[26]	active duty	to serve in frigates and patrol around Spratly Islands[27][28][29]
	Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma	France  Vietnam	Patrol	2	active duty
	Eurocopter Dauphin	France  Vietnam	ASW Helicopter	6	active duty
	Magic Eye 01	Vietnam  Sweden	UAV		under development
Anti-ship missile/Coastal Defence Missile
Photo	Missile	Origin	Type	Quantity	In service	Notes
	P-800 Oniks (SS-N-26 Yakhont)	Russia	Coastal defence	10 launcher/ 40 missiles	2 K-300P Bastion-P systems in active[30]	finished negotiation, technological transferring has already started
	P-5 Pyatyorka (SS-N-3 Shaddock)	USSR/ Vietnam	Coastal defence		Active duty	Already self-produced by Vietnam
	P-15 Termit (SS-N-2 Styx)	USSR	Anti-ship missile/ Coastal defence	20[20]	active duty/equipped in Tarantul class ships	Replacing by Kh-35
	Kh-35 Uran-E (SS-N-25 Switchblade)	Russia/ Vietnam	Anti-ship missile	103 missiles[20] 300 more on order	active duty/equipped in Molniya and Gepard class ships	already self-produced by Vietnam[31]
	3M-54 Klub (SS-N-27 Sizzler)	Russia	Anti-ship missile	10 missiles (2012) 40 on order[32]	equipped in Kilo submarines

Inshore Patrol:

•  Vietnam 10 (+25) HQ-56 class (Stolkraft; 22.5 meter) PB with 1x20mm
•  Vietnam 5 HQ-37 class
•  USSR 15 Zhuk class patrol boats (Project 1400M)

Auxiliaries:

•  USSR 1 Sorum class logistics tug (Project 745) ATA
•  USSR 1 Voda (MTV-6/Project 561) AWT
•  USSR 5 Nyrat-2 (Project 376U) diving tenders (YDT)
•  Vietnam 5 floating drydocks (YFDL)
•  USSR 5 PO-2 (Project 376) YFL
•  United States 5 ex-US 55-meter harbour tankers (YO) - likely ex-USN YOG-5 Class Gasoline Oiler/Barge
•  United States 5 Chaolocco tugs (YTM)
•  United States 10 (estimated) harbour tubs (YTL) - likely ex-USN c. 1944-45 and transferred to Republic of Vietnam Navy 1969-1972

Small Arms

•  USSR AK-74 Standard Issue Assault rifle.
•  USSR AKM-47 Standard Issue Assault Rifle being supplemented by AK-74.
•  USSR PKM machinegun
•  USSR Makarov PM Standard issue pistol for all Vietnamese Military services.
•  Israel IMI Tavor TAR-21 Marines and Special Forces Only.
•  Israel Uzi Submachinegun Marines and Special Forces Only.
•  Israel IMI Negev Light Machine Gun Marines and Special Forces Only.

Manpower

The current total manpower of the navy is around 50,000 officers and enlisted personnel including naval infantry [i.e. marines] and other specialised units.

See also

• Vietnam Coast Guard
• Republic of Vietnam Navy
• Gulf of Tonkin incident
• Vũng Rô Bay Incident

References

Sources

• Cooke, Nola; Li, Tana; Anderson, James, eds. (2011). The Tongking Gulf Through History (illustrated ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812243366. Retrieved 4 January 2013. 
• Lary, Diana (2007). Diana Lary, ed. The Chinese State at the Borders (illustrated ed.). UBC Press. ISBN 0774813334. Retrieved 4 January 2013. 
• Tsai, Shih-Shan Henry (1996). The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty (Ming Tai Huan Kuan) (illustrated ed.). SUNY Press. ISBN 0791426874. Retrieved 5 January 2013. 
• Wade, Geoff (2005). Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource. Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore. Retrieved 6 November 2012. 

External links

• Vietnam Military blog
• Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Reappraisal 40 Years Later
• Task Force 115
• Analysis of the Battle of Dong Hoi
• World Navies Vietnam
• Official website
• Facebook
• The Vietnam People's Navy - BlogSpot

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