Slow advance for Viet army revamp

Robert Karniol, Defence Writer

Spurred by the growing obsolescence of its military inventory, the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) has been methodically rebuilding its capabilities. Its latest acquisitions illustrate the trend.

Force development took hold with the introduction of a new defence posture in the early 1990s, which lessened dependence on a large standing ground force while promoting a stronger navy and air force. This effort was supported by economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1986.

A long-standing rivalry with China - aggravated by territorial disputes but more recently suppressed by strong trade ties - is a likely factor behind the VPA's modernisation. Beyond that, Hanoi is mirroring tendencies in the region.

According to sources following developments in Vietnam, the current build-up includes the acquisition last year from Ukraine of four Kolchuga passive sensor systems. Each system includes three sensors in order to simultaneously triangulate the position of up to 32 land, sea or aerial targets.

The Kolchuga has several advantages over conventional radars, including a far longer range and much lower vulnerability to attack due to its passive operation. Classified as an electronic support measures system and priced around US $27 million each, it substantially bolsters VPA capabilities in the detection and identification of potential targets - particularly airborne threats. Kiev acknowledged in November 2002 that it had exported four Kolchuga systems to China.

The VPA is also paralleling the upgrade of air assets in China and elsewhere around the region. Sources say this led it to order from Russia recently six Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighters, plus six more on option, but neither the variant nor the delivery schedule is as yet known.

The new aircraft will supplement earlier acquisitions, including an initial order in 2003 for four SU-30MKK fighters. The VPA's fleet of advanced combat aircraft further boasts 12 Su-27SK/UBK fighters, and it cushioned costs with the purchase from the Czech Republic of four to 10 Su-22 ground attack aircraft. These have all undergone upgrades, particularly to accommodate sophisticated new missiles.

Also last year, Hanoi moved to address a long-standing deficiency in its maritime surveillance. It acquired three EADS-CASA C212 Series 400 maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft produced in Spain and equipped with the MSS 6000 side-looking airborne radar from Swedish Space Corporation.

In the area of flight training, 10 new Yak-52 basic trainers were ordered last summer from Rumania to replace older aircraft, along with four second-hand L-39 jet trainers from the Czech Republic to cover attrition losses.

Sources told The Straits Times that Vietnam is currently in talks with North Korea on a proposed upgrade of the VPA's inventory of Scud tactical ballistic missiles. Hanoi obtained an unknown quantity of Scud C surface-to-surface missiles from Pyongyang over a decade ago to supplement its existing stock of Scud B missiles.

Equally intriguing, The Straits Times has learnt that Hanoi last year unsuccessfully explored acquiring a number of second-hand submarines from Serbia. These would have substantially expanded a nascent capability comprising two small boats, most probably Sang-O class submarines, introduced a decade ago from North Korea.

The opportunity arose when Serbia and Montenegro separated in mid-2006, leaving the former with no coastline, making its naval assets redundant. Vietnam held talks on buying several missile boats and non-operational submarines, but these may have instead gone to Egypt. The submarines included at least three full-sized boats and three midgets.

Maritime interests were more effectively served through a contract concluded with Russia in early 2008, involving a number of ship-building kits for local assembly at the Hong Ha shipyard. This was worth US $670 million, including weapons. Further details are not known, but there is speculation the arrangement could involve a mix of ships for the navy and the coast guard.

The Russian deal may have resulted from the cancellation of an earlier contract with Ukraine, apparently due to differences over performance. Twenty 400-tonne patrol vessels were planned but just six were ultimately built.

Though the focus is largely elsewhere, ground forces have not been completely ignored. This is shown by a pilot programme currently under way involving the proposed upgrade by Israel Military Industries of several hundred T-55 main battle tanks. Work on a prototype was recently launched with the upgrading of armour, installation of night vision and an improved fire control system that could be sourced from Poland.

This substantial force modernisation effort has gone largely unnoticed, with none of these programmes officially announced. But further progress may be threatened.

Vietnam's stock market was sizzling a year ago, as the economy expanded in last year by a reported 8.5 per cent. Equities have since tumbled sharply amid rampant inflation.

Troubled times may yet dampen the VPA's ambition.