Vietnam's Naval Buildup Against China

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Australia By The Indian Ocean: Vietnam's Naval Buildup Against China - Indian and Australians Visits


Excerpts of the Financial Times June 14, 2011 which reports:

"Vietnam shift could see return of US ships"

...The historic military facility [at Cam Ranh Bay] located within one of Asia's best natural harbours, is at the centre of a strategic push from Vietnam to counter China's growing assertiveness over disputed waters [especially the Spratly Islands] in the commercially important South China Sea....

...Cam Ranh Bay, houses Vietnam's small navy. The Bay extends for 20 miles north-south and is up to 10 miles wide...last year, Nguyen Tan Dung, Vietnam's prime minister, said he would let foreign naval ships use the base again to dock, resupply and undergo repairs on a commercial basis.

The move may generate some cash once the now crumbling facilities are refurbished, security analysts say. However, the main justification for opening up the bay is to balance China's naval dominance in the South China Sea, which encompasses key global trade routes, valuable fisheries and is thought to sit atop vast oil and gas reserves.

"Who's going to take up the offer to visit?" says Carl Thayer, an expert on security in the South China Sea at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. "Precisely those navies that China doesn't want in the South China Sea, including the Americans, South Koreans Australians, and Indians."

One senior Asian defence official argues that the US will be keenest to take advantage of the opportunity to use the base, which offers great protection from storms and is located close to key commercial shipping lanes and the disputed [Spratly] islands. "The US has a Pacific fleet and it's been more aggressive than many other countries in trying to build closer contacts with Vietnam to counter China's rise," he says.

The planned reopening of the base to foreign naval vessels is a sign of the shifting global strategic sands, with China's inexorable rise causing concern among those such as Vietnam and the US, pushing these old enemies closer together.

Although Vietnam has developed deep economic and political ties with its larger northern neighbour since the 1990s, the relationship is coming under pressure because of China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, according to Ian Storey, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, who studies maritime security.

China, which recently built a large naval base on Hainan island, to the north of the disputed waters, increasingly has the capability to deploy coercive diplomacy in the South China Sea, says Mr Storey. Recent incidents where Chinese maritime surveillance vessels have tried to sabotage Vietnamese oil exploration ships show Beijing also has the political will to do so.

Hanoi has responded by seeking to internationalise the territorial dispute, calling on other claimants to some of the contested Paracel and Spratly Islands – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan – to hold joint talks and attempting to bring in the US as a mediator.


Despite macroeconomic difficulties, Vietnam has boosted its spending on military hardware, agreeing to buy a number of Sukhoi SU-30 jetfighters and six Kilo-class diesel submarines from Russia.
Once delivered in the next year or two, the submarines are expected to be based at Cam Ranh Bay, which analysts say Russia has agreed to refurbish as part of the $2bn contract to supply the craft.

...changing dynamics of global security mean that, in a twist of fate, American and Russian ships may soon be back at Cam Ranh Bay, this time working alongside each other and the Vietnamese to counterbalance an ever stronger China.

BACKGROUND ON VIETNAM'S 2009 KILO PURCHASE

Russia dominates Asian market with 28 diesel subs "Rosoboronexport signed a delivery contract on six Project 636M diesel electric submarines to Vietnam during visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia on Dec 15, 2009. All subs will be built at Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard in St. Petersburg; rate of delivery is one sub per year. Total contract value of submarines construction makes $2.1 bln. Considering establishment of appropriate coastal infrastructure in Vietnam, delivery of arms and other systems, total sum could reach $3.2 bln." [Vietnam's Kilos may have sufficient improvements to class them as Project 677 "Lada" Submarines.]
 

Kunal Biswas

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2nd Gepard Class Frigate for Vietnam













The Vietnamese Gepard is equipped for ASW as it has a Variable Depth Sonar, 2x2 533mm Torpedo tubes and a 12-tube RPK-8 system (modernization of RBU-6000 with underwater guided missiles). It also has a hangar instead of the OSA-M and carries a helicopter, and for self-protection against air attacks it is equipped with a Palash CIWS with Igla missiles, 2 additional AK-630M CIWSs and PK-16s.

http://defense-studies.blogspot.com/...-frigates.html
 

NTB

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Vietnam needs more Gepard to confront of China Navy.
 

Minh

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Vietnam just order 2 more gepard class that makes 4 now..but still poor have to grow slowly:)
 

Ray

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Vietnam seems to be sincere in their effort to be suitably equipped to defend her sovereignty!
 

Minh

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Vietnam seems to be sincere in their effort to be suitably equipped to defend her sovereignty!
In 1988 we pull out from Cambodia was really poor Vietnam navy is zero to none existence that's how China got our Islands Spatly.Parcell..whoew..that's some really SperPower.
 

vietnam&india

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In 1988 we pull out from Cambodia was really poor Vietnam navy is zero to none existence that's how China got our Islands Spatly.Parcell..whoew..that's some really SperPower.
And now, VN Navy is different, much more powerful and strong enough to defeat the China Pirates. Someday we will gain back our Paracel Island and the rest of Spratly Island.
 

airtel

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South China Sea: Vietnam halts drilling after 'China threats'
By Bill HaytonBBC News


Image captionVietnam and other neighbours contest China's territorial claims in the area
Vietnam has reportedly terminated a gas-drilling expedition in a disputed area of the South China Sea, following strong threats from China.

A source in the south-east Asian oil industry has told the BBC that the company behind the drilling, Repsol of Spain, was ordered to leave the area.

It comes only days after it had confirmed the existence of a major gas field.

Those reports have been corroborated by a Vietnamese diplomatic source.

According to the industry source, Repsol executives were told last week by the government in Hanoi that China had threatened to attack Vietnamese bases in the Spratly Islands if the drilling did not stop.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands also contested by other nations.

The drilling expedition began last month in an area of sea about 400km (250 miles) off Vietnam's south-east coast.


The Vietnamese call the region Block 136-03 and have leased it to a company called Talisman-Vietnam, a subsidiary of Repsol.

China calls it Wanan Bei-21 and has leased the same piece of seabed to a different company.

Exactly which company is not clear. In 2015, the Chinese rights were sold to a Hong Kong-listed company called Brightoil, but it has recently denied owning them.

Two of the directors of Brightoil are senior members of the Chinese Communist Party.


Image captionThe two countries had a tense stand-off in 2014 when China drilled for oil in disputed waters
Talisman-Vietnam was formerly owned by the Canadian company Talisman, but since 2015 has been part of the Spanish-owned Repsol group.

One analyst, who did not want to be named, estimated that Repsol has spent about $300m on developing the field so far.

It has therefore come as a surprise to observers that Vietnam should have backed down so quickly.

In 2014 coastguard vessels and other ships belonging to China and Vietnam confronted each other in a different area of the South China Sea, further north, near the Paracel Islands.

Since then the two countries have tried to avoid confrontation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/40701121
 

Khagesh

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Maybe Russian are objecting on behalf of Chinese or may be we are simply too coward to do the needful.
Russia is infact arming Vietnam to the teeth. :cool3: Already provided them 6 Kilos. Checkout the following and see if you can answer a simple question:

Why did Defmin Manohar Parrikar sign a maritime security cooperation agreement with Vietnam without mentioning the fact that Modi govt. had acceded to Hanoi’s request for the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile?

What was the sensitivity? What was it that they wanted to avoid?



India, Russia agree to export BrahMos missiles to third countries — spokesman
Military & Defense
May 27, 2016, 20:55More:
http://tass.com/defense/878650
Praveen Pathak, spokesman for BrahMos Aerospace - the developer of the missile, told TASS on Friday.

"The several structural changes were made in the defense exports policy and these were yielding results. As far as the BrahMos missile is concerned, talks with countries like UAE, Chile, South Africa and Vietnam are in advanced stages," he said.

"Since Russia is the partner country in the BrahMos joint venture with its consent discussions with several other countries, including Philippines, South Korea, Algeria, Greece, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Singapore, Venezuela and Bulgaria have now been taken to the next level," he said.



&


https://bharatkarnad.com/2015/12/31/india-lacks-guts-on-brahmos-to-vietnam/
"In 2011, when the Vietnamese govt first formally sought this missile from Delhi PM Manmohan Singh, more concerned with China’s adverse reaction than India’s national interest, raised the issue of Russian apprehension of such sale to stymie the request. Except some four years later, the Russian resistance to such sale magically disappeared — because there wasn’t any such barrier in the first place. In May 2015, Indian Defmin Manohar Parrikar signed an agreement with his visiting Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh that talked of maritime security cooperation without mentioning the fact that the BJP govt of Narendra Modi had finally acceded to Hanoi’s request for the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile."


O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!
 

airtel

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Why aren't we selling them BrahMos?
Spanish company stopped drilling..... But indian company ONGC is still doing drilling in that area.

It will be good if Vietnam gives all the drilling rights in those areas to Indian companies.

Chinese are not concerned about few brahmos, only nuclear weapons can create fear in their leadership.
 

IndianHawk

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Spanish company stopped drilling..... But indian company ONGC is still doing drilling in that area.

It will be good if Vietnam gives all the drilling rights in those areas to Indian companies.

Chinese are not concerned about few brahmos, only nuclear weapons can create fear in their leadership.
They are concerned with bramhos. Vietnam with 500 km range can not only attack chinese costal towns directly but can also sink Chinese shining new multi billion Dollars destroyers in all of south china sea.

Vietnam can't buy many expensive platforms going nuclear will also be very costly. But bramhos gives it assymetric warfare edge against big Chinese ships.
 

no smoking

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Why aren't we selling them BrahMos?
Because they can't afford the consequence. Sinking a Chinese maritime boat or warship is easy, they have plenty of weapons to do that. But the question is: then what. This will give Chinese an excuse to wipe out all Vietnam's navy and airforce in short time. Yes, they can beg US to protect her, but the problem is: without navy, she will lost all her controlled SCS islands to other South Eastern countries.

Besides, they have better choice: Russia sold vietnam their own supersonic cruise missile already.
 

IndianHawk

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Because they can't afford the consequence. Sinking a Chinese maritime boat or warship is easy, they have plenty of weapons to do that. But the question is: then what. This will give Chinese an excuse to wipe out all Vietnam's navy and airforce in short time. Yes, they can beg US to protect her, but the problem is: without navy, she will lost all her controlled SCS islands to other South Eastern countries.

Besides, they have better choice: Russia sold vietnam their own supersonic cruise missile already.
Ahh the consequences. And what will be the consequence of Chinese destruction of Vietnam navy and airforce. (If Chinese even have guts to do so. )

Unless china is going to mass murder all the Vietnam most probably Vietnamese will go nuclear . Hatred will rule them. They might just become another Japan or south korea . Formerly under us treaty umbrella.

Chinese will be proved as brainless morons in this scenario.
 

Krusty

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Because they can't afford the consequence. Sinking a Chinese maritime boat or warship is easy, they have plenty of weapons to do that. But the question is: then what. This will give Chinese an excuse to wipe out all Vietnam's navy and airforce in short time. Yes, they can beg US to protect her, but the problem is: without navy, she will lost all her controlled SCS islands to other South Eastern countries.

Besides, they have better choice: Russia sold vietnam their own supersonic cruise missile already.
Really? Is that what is taught in CCP propaganda material? Full of wants and wishes. Despite having numerical superiority and in equipment (not to mention a completely undeserved seat in the P5), What happened the last time Vietnam went to war with china?

China had their ass handed to them and tucked tail and ran.

Talk about ground reality bro. Chinese ego inflation is exactly what it is. Full of hot air. They can't fight even if their lives depended on it. Vietnamese on the other hand have the honor of smashing the asses of two P5 members. China and USA. Chinese though will talk out loud will quietly be pissing their pants.
 

VivaVietnamm

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Its a bad idea for China if she tries to attack Vietnam again after 1979 VN-CN border war. We have 6 Kilos sub now and India also help training VN sub crews

---------------

Vietnam Commissions Two New Subs Capable of Attacking China
Armed with land-attack cruise missiles, these two new vessels could cause major headaches for China’s naval forces.
By Franz-Stefan Gady
August 06, 2015



Credit: Wikimedia CommonsADVERTISEMENT

On August 1, the Vietnamese Navy commissioned two new Russian-made Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, according to Thanh Nien News.

The 184-Hai Phong and 185-Khanh Hoa were both commissioned during a ceremony held at Cam Ranh Naval in Khanh Hoa province, south of Hanoi.

The commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy, Rear Admiral Hoai Nam noted that this constituted “a major step of modernizing the Navy, and the People’s Army of Vietnam in general.”

He also emphasized that the acquisition of the two new vessels should not trigger a new arms race in the region or deter other countries but merely protect Vietnam’s sovereignty and help safeguard peace in the region.

The two new vessels will join the Submarine Brigade 189, which is already home to the Vietnam People’s Navy’s first two Kilo-class SSKs – the 182-Hanoi and 183-Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam is expected to field a fleet of six Kilo-class SSKs total.


Hanoi and Moscow signed a $ 2.6 billion contract for the modernization of Vietnam’s submarine fleet back in 2009 with the last two vessels to be delivered by 2016. The website naval-technology.com notes about the Type 636 Kilo-class:

Type 636 is designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface-ship warfare (ASuW) and also for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. The Type 636 submarine is considered to be to be one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world. It is said to be capable of detecting an enemy submarine at a range three to four times greater than it can be detected itself.
As I noted before (See: “Vietnam Buys Deadly New Missiles Capable of Hitting China”), once the last vessel is commissioned, Vietnam will have the most modern submarine force in all of Southeast Asia. Its principal purpose will be to act as a credible deterrent force to Chinese “adventurism” in Vietnam’s maritime domain.

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What will make the new vessels particularly dangerous for the People’s Republic of China is that they will purportedly be equipped with land-attack cruise missiles.

“Vietnam is in the process of acquiring 50 anti-ship and land attack 3M-14E Klub supersonic cruise missiles for its burgeoning fleet of SSK Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines,” I noted back in April.

I also stated that “[w]hile it is unknown whether the anti-ship variant of the weapon sold to Vietnam is the 3M-54E Klub-S (range 220km) or 3M-54E1 (range 300km) – both of which can be launched from submarines – the land-attack variant is almost certainly the 3M-14E (range 300km), capable of carrying a 450kg warhead.”

The Chinese naval base at Sanya on China’s Hainan Island and military facilities that Beijing is building in the South China Sea could be potential targets for the newly acquired subs and their deadly missiles.

https://thediplomat.com/2015/08/vietnam-commissions-two-new-subs-capable-of-attacking-china/ 💑
 

no smoking

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Its a bad idea for China if she tries to attack Vietnam again after 1979 VN-CN border war.
Why does China need to attack Vietnam?
In 2019, Chinese made $34 billions surplus from the trading with Vietnam. The really danger to Vietnam is that she is being swallowed into Chinese economic circle and her best hope - USA withdrew from PTT.

We have 6 Kilos sub now and India also help training VN sub crews
You share 1297 kilometers land border with Chinese, what can these 6 kilos sub do over there?
 

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