Vietnam has begun diversifying its arms purchases, shifting away from Russian protection applied sciences in favor of Western requirements. The nation is negotiating with France for Rafale fighter jets and modernizing its military with the assistance of Israel and South Korea.
Russia is quickly dropping one among its largest and oldest shoppers in Asia – Vietnam, which for many years relied completely on Soviet and Russian protection applied sciences. Hanoi has formally begun the method of diversifying its procurements, reorienting in direction of Western requirements. That is reported by Protection Categorical, writes UNN.
Particulars
Vietnam's most resonant step was negotiations with France concerning the availability of recent multi-role Rafale fighter jets. In accordance with Western media, discussions have moved to a sophisticated stage: Vietnamese pilots have already had the uncommon alternative to check French plane within the air.
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Though the nation's aviation fleet at present consists fully of Russian Su-27, Su-30, and Su-22 plane, Hanoi sees the way forward for its Air Power in Western platforms, that are extra resilient to sanctions and technologically extra superior.
The transition to Rafale would require Vietnam to utterly rebuild its airfield infrastructure and create new weapon stockpiles, as present Russian missiles usually are not appropriate with French plane. Regardless of the excessive value and lengthy manufacturing queues, this step is taken into account strategically obligatory to discourage China within the South China Sea.
International shift in direction of NATO requirements
The rejection of Russian weapons has additionally affected different branches of the navy. As an alternative of buying new Russian T90S tanks, Vietnam determined to modernize its outdated T-54/55 armored fleet with the assistance of Israel. As well as, the nation has already ordered South Korean 155-mm K9 self-propelled howitzers, which is direct affirmation of the military's transition to NATO calibers.
Cooperation with the USA has additionally intensified: after the lifting of the embargo, Hanoi has already ordered American C-130J plane and coast guard vessels. Specialists emphasize that resulting from a restricted protection price range of 10 billion {dollars}, the rearmament course of will probably be prolonged, however the actual fact of Vietnam's flip in direction of the West is a geopolitical disaster for the Kremlin, which is dropping not solely billion-dollar contracts but in addition a key ally within the Indo-Pacific area.
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