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List of equipment of the Vietnam People's Air Force

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Since the Vietnam War, most Vietnamese aircraft were supplied by the Soviet Union and later Russia, while hundreds of others were left by the United States via South Vietnam. Most of these are no longer in service either due to the unavailability of parts or the age of the aircraft. Aircraft losses of the Vietnam War.

Aircraft

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Combat Aircraft

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Sukhoi Su-22 Fighter-bomber Su-22UM3K
Su-22M4 		32[1]  Soviet Union 1 unit crashed in 2024.[2]
Sukhoi Su-27 Fighter Su-27SK
Su-27UBK 		8[3]
3[3] 		 Russia Vietnam The Su-27UBKs provide conversion training.

Overhaul done at A32 Factory.

Sukhoi Su-30 Multirole Su-30MK2

(Su-30MK2V)

35[3]  Russia Vietnam Significant advancements made in the capabilities of maintenance. Able to manufacture critical components and extend the lifespan of the aircraft by 1500 hours or ~15 years.

Overhaul done at A32 Factory.

Transport

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
CASA C-295 Transport C-295M 3[1]  Spain
CASA C-212 Transport NC-212i 3[1]  Indonesia

Helicopter

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Mil Mi-8 Utility Mi-8T 87[1]  Soviet Union [3]
Mil Mi-17 Utility Mi-171
Mi-172 		 Russia
Kamov Ka-27 ASW helicopter Ka-28
Ka-32 		8[4]
1[4] 		 Soviet Union Serve in frigates and patrol vessels around Spratly Islands.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
HS-6L MALE UVA  Belarus

 Vietnam

Jointly developed by Vietnam's Academy of Science and Technology with Belarus; completed in 2015 around. November/December.[5]

Specification:

  • Wingspan: 22m
  • Endurance: 35 hours
  • Range: 4,000 km (claimed)
IAI Heron MALE UVA 3[6]  Israel
Orbiter 2 Reconnaissance  Israel Acquired from Israel.[7]
Insitu ScanEagle Reconnaissance 6[6][8]  United States
VT-Patrol Reconnaissance VT-Pigeon
VT-Swift 		 Vietnam The VT-Swift is a license produced variant of the Orbiter 3 from Israel.
UAV Shikra Reconnaissance  Vietnam May be in active service. Produced and developed by Viettel.

Trainer

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Yakovlev Yak-52 Trainer aircraft 36[9]  Soviet Union
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II Trainer aircraft T-6C Texan II 5 (+7)  United States 5 delivered, 7 awaiting delivery, on an order for 12. Delivery is expected to be completed by 2025.[10][11]
Aero L-39 Albatros Jet trainer L-39C
L-39NG 		24[1]
12 		 Czechslovakia
 Czech Republic 		An unidentified number out of the 12 has been delivered as of early 2024.[12]
Yakovlev Yak-130 Jet trainer 11[13]  Russia In Service.

1 crashed in November 2024.

Air Defense System

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Surface-to-Air Defense System
S-300PMU1 Long range air defense and anti-ballistic missile system. S-300PMU1 12 launchers  Russia Vietnam Two systems were acquired.[14]

Received upgrade to the command center and range of the missile. Said to be upgraded to S-300PMU2 standards.

Factory A31 capable of domestically manufacturing spare and critical parts for SAM missile.

SPYDER-MR Medium to long range air defense system. 30 launchers  Israel Five systems (including 6 launchers each) and 750 missiles ordered.[15]

The SPYDER-MR variant has a nonrotatable, vertical launcher. Used more as stationary air defense. Can domestically maintenance Derby and Python SAM missiles.

80 km range.

SPYDER-SR Short to medium range air defense system.  Israel The SPYDER-SR variant has a rotatable, slanted launcher. Can possibly be used as mobile AA due to quick deployment.

40 km range.

S-125 Neva/Pechora Short to medium range air defense system. S-125TM Pechora-2TM
S-125M Pechora-M
S-125-VT 		51 launchers  Soviet Union

 Vietnam

~35 km range.

30 S-125TM Pechora-2TM and 21 S-125M Pechora-M batteries as of 2024.[16] The S-125-VT modernized variant was reported to be in service in July 2024.[17]

Factory A31 capable of domestically manufacturing spare and critical parts for SAM missile. Old missiles had certain analog parts replaced with digital systems.

9K35 Strela-10 Short range air defense system. 20 launchers  Soviet Union Tracked air defense system.
Anti-air Artillery
ZSU-23-4 Shilka Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun ZSU-23-4M  Soviet Union

 Vietnam

Modernization upgrade includes 4 Igla SAM launchers, digital fire-control system, thermal camera, day-night camera, laser range finder, electro-optic vision, improved weapon radar, replaced mechanical transmission with hydrostatic transmission, added hydraulic boosters, and significant speed improvement to turret traversal.

There are more additions.

ZU-23-2 Twin Autocannon 23mm-2M
23mm-2ML 		 Soviet Union

 Israel  Vietnam

The 23mm-2M variant upgrade included cabin for gunner, electromechanic turn system, modern control systems, and potentially a ballistic computer and fire-control system. This project was jointly carried out by Israel and Vietnam.
Similar to the 23mm-2M, the 23mm-2ML additionally includes optronics sensor, laser rangefinder, and potentially a digital fire-control system

Further modernization projects includes installing the platform on logistic trucks and adding an automatic control system that's being developed.

AZP S-60 Autocannon  Soviet Union

 Vietnam

57 mm automatic anti-air autocannon. The Vietnamese heavily upgraded the AZP S-60 by equipping it with a fire-control system with radar, optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment, an electromechanical gun control complex, and a digital firing element identification system connected to a computer.

The upgraded AZP S-60 can operate without a gunner, is fully automatic, and no longer needs to be manually reloaded.[18]

61-K Autocannon  Soviet Union

 Vietnam

37 mm automatic anti-air autocannon.

Modernized with a fire-control system and radar.

Munition

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Air-to-air Missile
K-13 (AA-2) Air-to-air missile 2,550  Soviet Union 1000 R-3S, 800 R-3R, and 750 R-13M missiles.[19]
R-60 (AA-8) Air-to-air missile 400  Soviet Union [19]
R-27 (AA-10) Air-to-air missile 320  Russia
 Ukraine 		[20][21]
R-73 (AA-11) Air-to-air missile R-73E 375  Russia Short range missiles.[19]
R-77 (AA-12) Air-to-air missile RVV-AE  Russia [22]
Air-to-surface Missile
Kh-59 (AS-13) Air-to-surface missile 200  Russia [19]
Kh-29 (AS-14) Air-to-surface missile 100  Russia [19]
Kh-31 (AS-17) Air-to-surface missile Kh-31A
Kh-31P 		100  Russia [19]

Former

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Combat Aircraft

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Shenyang J-5 Fighter 10  China The Vietnamese Air Force used J-5s alongside the Soviet supplied MiG-17s for interception missions until the 1990s when they were retired, along with the remaining MiG-19s, being replaced with newer MiG-21s and Su-27s.
Shenyang J-6 Fighter 30  China
MiG-17 Fresco Fighter MiG17A
MiG17P
MiG17PF 		367  Soviet Union
MiG-19 Farmer Fighter ~45  Soviet Union
MiG-21 Fishbed Fighter MiG-21bis
MiG-21UM
MiG-21PF
MiG-21PFM
MiG-21MF
MiG-21F-13 		645  Soviet Union Retired from service in November 2015.[23] Replaced with Su-22. The MiG-21 fleet has reserved in storage and some frames are still capable of flying.

There are plans to turn these retired aircraft into UAVs.

Northrop F-5 Light ground-attack F-5A
F-5E 		191  United States Captured during Vietnam War.
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly Light ground-attack A-37A
A-37B 		254  United States Captured during Vietnam War.

Maritime patrol

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
PZL M28 Maritime patrol M28B-1R[3] 1[1]  Poland Inactive.

Transport

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Antonov An-2 Transport  Soviet Union
Antonov An-26 Transport 48  Soviet Union
Beriev Be-12 Transport 6  Soviet Union [24]
Straight-wing, four-engine turboprop-driven aircraft overflying water Lockheed C-130 Hercules Transport 34  United States Captured during Vietnam War.
Fairchild C-119 Transport  United States Captured during Vietnam War.

Helicopter

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
Mi-4 Transport  Soviet Union
Mi-6 Hook Transport Mil Mi-6 26  Soviet Union
CH-47 Chinook Transport CH-47A  United States Captured during Vietnam War.
Bell UH-1H Iroquois UH-1 Iroquois Utility  United States Captured during Vietnam War.

Trainer

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Image Model Type Variant Quantity Origin Notes
MiG-15 Fagot Trainer  Soviet Union 60
Aero L-29 Trainer  Czechoslovakia

See Also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "World Air Forces 2024". Flight Global. Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Military aircraft crashes in Quảng Nam Province, pilot safely escapes".
  3. ^ a b c d e "Peace Research Institute". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 2017. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  5. ^ Oryx. "Red Star Rising - Vietnam's Armed Drone Projects". Oryx. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b Quân đội Việt Nam sắp nhận 334 UAV của Israel – Tưởng dừng hợp đồng, ai ngờ... vui quá, 17 March 2021, retrieved 15 September 2021
  7. ^ Egozi2014-09-29T15:15:08+01:00, Arie. "Vietnam acquires unmanned Orbiter 2". Flight Global. Retrieved 16 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Yeo, Mike (6 June 2019). "These US partners in the Asia-Pacific are to receive ScanEagle drones". Defense News. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  9. ^ Doãn Tuấn (25 March 2023). "Chủ tịch Quốc hội thăm chiến sỹ thi công Sân bay quân sự Phan Thiết | Chính trị | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)". VietnamPlus (in Vietnamese). Vietnam News Agency. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  10. ^ "United States Expands U.S.-Vietnam Defense Cooperation with Delivery of T-6C Trainer Aircraft". Consulate General of the United States, Ho Chi Minh City. United States Department of State. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024. The handover of five next generation American-made T-6C Trainer Aircraft demonstrates the U.S. commitment to partner with Vietnam as it develops self-reliant defense capabilities in accordance with the U.S. – Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
  11. ^ "COMPACAF Attends Historic T-6C Aircraft Delivery to Vietnam". Pacific Air Forces. United States Air Force. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024. ...with the full complement of 12 T-6C aircraft scheduled for delivery by 2025.
  12. ^ Kadidal, Akhi; Narayanan, Prasobh. "Singapore Airshow 2024: Aero set to complete VPAF L-39NG deliveries". Janes.com. Janes Information Services. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  13. ^ Karnozov, Vladimir. "Vietnam Places Order for Yak-130 Trainers". Aviation International News. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Russian missiles to guard skies over Vietnam". atimes.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  16. ^ "The Military Balance 2024, p. 326". IISS. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Hội thao, diễn tập chiến thuật phân đội hỏa lực tên lửa phòng không". qdnd.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. ^ hợp), Phong Vũ (Tổng (6 September 2019). "Báo Nga bình luận về pháo phòng không S-60 AZP Việt Nam tự nâng cấp - Tạp chí Doanh nghiệp Việt Nam". Cơ quan ngôn luận của Hiệp hội Doanh nghiệp Khoa học và Công nghệ Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Trade Registers. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 29 May 2015
  20. ^ danviet.vn (14 March 2018). "Vietnamese Army with 100km-range infrared-homing missiles". danviet.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  21. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2020). "Chapter Six: Asia". The Military Balance. 120 (1): 255. doi:10.1080/04597222.2020.1707967. S2CID 219627149.
  22. ^ "Vietnam equipped RVV-AE to Su-30MK2". soha.vn. 20 April 2016.
  23. ^ "KQND Việt Nam chuẩn bị vĩnh biệt tiêm kích MiG-21". Nguyễn Tấn Dũng. 18 November 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ^ "Đông Nam Á tăng cường năng lực cảnh báo, chống ngầm" (in Vietnamese). Báo Đất Việt. 22 February 2012. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
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