Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

<span class="img_descr Figure: Vietnamese Air Force, 8521, Su-27UB

U.S. Defense News, February 5 carried an article pointing, Vietnam against China in the South China Sea issue, the money in the procurement of fighter aircraft and submarines, and other advanced weapons While this is not to make it with the Chinese on the military power scale to compete, but if the full use of geographical advantages, in the contention of the South China Sea islands and reefs “hit and run” guerrilla tactics at sea, entirely possible in the potential in China take advantage of the conflict, and provide a key bargaining chip at the very least for Vietnam to solve the problem at the negotiating table.

article, January 17, Vietnam, the first ship of China-made warships column compiled service. The ship seems to be the class light cruiser in Russia “Telangtuer,” (Tarantul) modified warships, equipped with anti-ship missile and gun systems. In accordance with the standards of modern warships, Vietnam, the first ship of China-made warships and obscure, but its but Vietnam is fully committed to the development of regional maritime forces to respond to China’s growing sea power. The past few years, Vietnam has strengthened the claim to sovereignty over the disputed territory in the South China Sea. Like China, along with economic development, the demand on oil resources in Vietnam are also greatly improved. In view of some large offshore oil field, such as Bach, Ho, oil fields, is expected to be mined in 2020 exhausted, and therefore an urgent need for exploration of new oil fields.

article, however, proved that China intends to and can take advantage of its naval and maritime paramilitary forces, disrupt such efforts in Vietnam. The Chinese navy is constantly toward the success itself resulting in a “blue water” Navy’s goal in 2050, its first aircraft carrier, has begun sea trials. In the past decade, the growth of China’s naval forces to attract most of the world’s eyes, few people noticed the increasing maritime capacity in Vietnam. In 2009, Vietnam spent $ 3.2 billion, the purchase of six Russian-made Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines. The purchase amount is huge, in Vietnam the defense budget accounts for a substantial share of Russia’s largest offshore arms export contracts.

The article said that by the end of 2011, Royal Dutch Sheard shipyard signed a contract with Vietnam, for which the construction of four Sigma-class frigates, two of which will be built in Vietnam under the supervision of shipyard Sheard. Vietnam not only in upgrading its naval fleet, but also for its maritime police He Landa door Shipbuilding Group purchased several ships offshore patrol vessels, including a displacement of more than 1000 tons and offshore patrol vessels capable of carrying a Canadian helicopter. The future, this ship will be the largest warships of the Vietnam Marine Police, and Vietnam Marine Police has a kiloton cruise enforcement vessels can be deployed with the Chinese maritime surveillance in the South China Sea China Sea monitoring 26 “to compete warships. The most important thing is that Vietnam is not just foreign imports of armaments, and its efforts to build maritime military capabilities, including the efforts of the license production projects, specifically for ships construction and maintenance facilities. These efforts will help Vietnam build its own offshore R & D infrastructure. At present, the arms embargo against China and other countries the reverse engineering of China (In Russia, for example), so that China can not be foreign imports of arms, the fact that Vietnam respite, so that benefit. Moreover, Vietnam and China’s old enemy, India, identified the strategic alliance.

article, September 2011, India announced its will sell “Vietnam Brad Moss” missile, the expansion of the Vietnamese coastal deterrence assets – Vietnam has been fitted out on the Russian Bastion anti-ship missile system. Make this decision comes as India’s national oil and gas company announced the joint exploitation of the latter and Vietnam claimed ownership of the South China Sea oil blocks. The timing may not be a coincidence. India is also helping the training of the crew of Vietnam to help the latter operation is about to start in 2014, fitted out in the “Kilo” class submarine. People have reason to suspect that Vietnam’s efforts in the field of strengthening its maritime capability is futile, after all, the Vietnamese navy is not as prominent as the Vietnamese army – the latter is the main force in the Vietnam War. However, this situation is slowly changed, Vietnam has announced efforts to increase its naval forces, especially the power of its military presence in the Spratly Islands. Moreover, in the past few years, the income budget for the Vietnamese Navy also a substantial increase.

article said, from a strategic perspective, Vietnam is in fact occupied the China advantage. Different self-described with the Vietnamese, not weak. The number of Vietnamese control of the island in the Spratly Islands, the largest the largest area of ??China is only the size of the number of coral reefs forts and bunkers. Although the strength of the rising Chinese Fleet larger, more advanced arms, but it must be only after long-distance sailing, arrived in China claims ownership of the waters. In contrast, Vietnam is equipped with missile corvettes and submarines can attack at any time from the home port, more or less loss to the Chinese naval fleet. Do not need development commensurate with the Chinese warships in Vietnam, the need to take the “hit and run” guerrilla tactics at sea in the South China Sea islands and reefs contention, formed an alliance with China hostile countries, it may occupy in the potential conflict with China advantage, at the very least for Vietnam to solve the problem at the negotiating table to provide a crucial bargaining chip. (Spring)

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