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

Data for: Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay airport

reporter/Yang Huan

Cam Ranh Bay, a poetic name, into the people’s attention again. Over the past century, the southeast coast of Vietnam is located in a natural harbor, once the world’s great powers compete in games. Today, the history of the smoke out of Cam Ranh Bay has once again become the object of great power contention.

6, according to Russian media reports, the Russian Navy has recently completed a military base in Cam Ranh Bay to resume work of the argument. If you make political decisions, the Russian Navy at Cam Ranh Bay military base in three years to re-start. This will be Russia’s withdrawal from Cam Ranh Bay in 2002 after Russia’s strategic position to re-occupy Vietnam. Experts on the “News of the World,” told reporters that in addition to Russia, the United States also intends to return to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam’s major powers to intervene in the situation in Southeast Asia and South China Sea, added variables. But for now, to return to Cam Ranh Bay thicker taste some of the political, Vietnam will not necessarily base plate.

Russian For “recover” Cam Ranh Bay

According to Russia’s “News Times,” Russian Naval Command, 6, told reporters that the recovery Cam Ranh Bay naval base plan has been completed. Establish support bases in Cam Ranh Bay, to support frequent in the Pacific and Indian Ocean on the Russian warships to combat piracy. Russia, “The Independent” quoted naval sources as saying that Russia will lease in the form of the return to Cam Ranh Bay. Lease will be at least 25 years, and after the expiry of the lease may be extended. In this month Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Vietnam, the two sides may sign the relevant agreement. A Russian State Duma, said, from economic considerations, Russia to pay the rental costs than Cam Ranh Bay naval ships to send supply ships along with activities in the Pacific and Indian Ocean cheaper.

Indeed, Russia’s lingering feeling kind of Cam Ranh Bay. During the Cold War, there was a Soviet naval strategy to counter the U.S. Navy’s fulcrum. Peak strength, the Soviet Union stationed in Cam Ranh Bay dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft, troops and their dependents up to people, known as the Soviet Union’s largest overseas base. Stations in the local intelligence to track the ships sailing in the deep South China Sea, and monitor the U.S. military in the Philippines, Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base.

the post-Soviet economic collapse of Russia can not afford the rent of $ 300 million a year, had to sadly bid farewell to Cam Ranh Bay in 2002 with the Vietnamese Government signed a 25-year lease early termination agreement. Since then, Cam Ranh Bay base since taken over by the newspaper.

after a lapse of 8 years, why Russia is again return to Cam Ranh Bay? Analysts believe that this includes a desire to revive Russia’s determination to ocean glory.

With the rapid economic recovery in recent years, Russia began to back out of years of strategic air and sea cruise tentacles, and actively “recovering lost ground.” In addition to repeat return to Cam Ranh Bay, Russia and African countries had made contact in Yemen to explore the island of Socotra in Yemen, the feasibility of deploying naval base. In addition, Russia also plans to port of Benghazi in Libya to establish a permanent base.

“the world’s military,” chief editor Chen Hu believes that if the base of Cam Ranh Bay to restore Russia’s military influence in the Indian Ocean will also be able to recover. “If you want to get a point in Cam Ranh Bay, and echoes Vladivostok, the Russian Navy in the Pacific Ocean south of the road as well which suddenly becomes alive.” Military expert Song Xiaojun argued that Russia’s Cam Ranh Bay to play this card, is high-profile return to Southeast Asia to the United States a strategic response. “The United States is now actively involved in the South China Sea, the Russian natural but also show a large range of country children.”

guardian of Malacca and the South China Sea

at Cam Ranh Bay Vietnam’s southeast coast arc in a prominent position, not only the famous natural deep water port in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, according to the traffic hub of brief, strategic value unequaled. Cam Ranh Bay wide deep inside the harbor can accommodate, including aircraft carriers, including the one hundred tons of large ships. The harbor is about 400 meters high surrounded by mountains, high ground easily deployed, can be deployed anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft guns of various caliber group. It can control the Straits of Malacca and Singapore Straits, but also on the northern Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, East China Sea and South China Sea, electronic monitoring.

is an important strategic position as Cam Ranh Bay, where for centuries a great nation turns Zuozhuang military port. 1905 Russo-Japanese major naval battle, hundreds of Russia’s Baltic Fleet ships have been gathered here. In 1935, France began construction of this naval base. 1940, Cam Ranh Bay into Japanese hands, as their invasion of Malaya and Heshu Indies (now Indonesia) base. 1965 to 1967 during the Vietnam War, the U.S. spent 300 million U.S. dollars for the expansion of Cam Ranh Bay, the U.S. military in Southeast Asia, making it a great navy and air base for joint military bases and logistics.

time, the U.S. Air Force base in Cam Ranh Bay is extremely impressive, including two jet airport and a helicopter airport, each airport can accommodate hundreds of aircraft. The United States also drilling a sworn mountains, built inside the mountain hangar, construction of a B52 aircraft for a large runway. After the Vietnam War, Americans were forced to evacuate the Cam Ranh Bay.

the Vietnamese Government in 1979 to Cam Ranh Bay for free loan to the Soviet Union, the term of 25 years, until 2004. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, due to lack of funds, Russia has been unable to maintain the normal operation of Cam Ranh Bay, then forced to transfer most of the base to the Vietnamese administration. In 1998, the more the direction of Russia issued an ultimatum: either pay $ 300 million in annual rent to continue to lease, or after the lease expires in 2004, returned to military bases in Vietnam. Ultimately, Russia chose to leave early.

United States in the South China Sea into the “wedge”

today’s Cam Ranh Bay had lost its former military “domineering.” The original U.S. military airports to civilian use. Due to lack of necessary maintenance, aging old airport runway, currently only for domestic flights taking off and landing in Vietnam.

However, this almost been forgotten outside the harbor, a strategic position in recent years Russia has re-phase. As early as 2005, the U.S. commander of the Pacific theater when Blair announced in Vietnam, the United States has begun negotiations with Vietnam, Cam Ranh Bay to discuss the possibility of renting. Obama administration, the United States, several high-profile announcement to “return to Southeast Asia”, stationed in Cam Ranh Bay on the U.S. military intends to rumors from time to time. The end of March this year, the U.S. military an ammunition ship in the near Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam Yunfeng 16 days of repair, once again caused a lot of outside speculation.

Stockholm Peace Research Institute has released a report, the United States if the rent Cam Ranh Bay, it means strangling the throat of the South China Sea; Cam Ranh Bay on the South China Sea islands and reefs of any control, are higher than China’s current naval base. U.S. re-play the idea of ??Cam Ranh Bay, to the South China Sea into a wedge, to strengthen China’s “island chain” deterrence.

experts believe that the power to re-engage Cam Ranh Bay, South China Sea issue will make the disk more complex. “World Military” chief editor Chen Hu told the media that originally, the South China Sea issue China and neighboring countries, bilateral issues. If there are other countries come in, that this game will be more variable, the bilateral meeting is likely promoted multilateral. For China has territorial disputes with Southeast Asian countries, they can have it both ways, to obtain the maximum benefit.

Vietnam’s “strategic balance”

military expert Song Xiaojun that rent Cam Ranh Bay may be stakeholders of mutual advantage and play a political card. His “World News” correspondent pointed out that Russia would like to rebuild a large naval and air bases in Cam Ranh Bay is less likely, it just can not afford the daily expenses. “In the 1970s, the U.S. troops stationed in Cam Ranh Bay-year spending over $ 2 billion would now be $ 20 billion estimated to be stationed down, while Russia’s military spending for one year only $ 50 billion the United States have the same problem the United States from the financial crisis has not come out of the shadow of the global strategy in the contraction, a short time is unlikely to build a military base overseas. “

Song Xiaojun analysis, lease Cam Ranh Bay, the biggest benefit is Vietnam. In recent years, Vietnam’s so-called China’s “potential threat” to remain vigilant and continue to expand the Navy in the South China Sea issue China often provocative and intentional introduction into the United States and Russia and other powers to counterbalance China. “Cam Ranh Bay for letting rumors, it may take the initiative to put the wind is Vietnamese and even Russia would like to report back to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam can not be ruled jointly with Russia played a show, after all, the interests of both need. “

In fact, since 2001, after the reunification Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam has not been demonstrated once again open to foreign troops in the base’s wishes. In 2009, the Vietnamese navy commander in the “parliament set” interview made it clear that Vietnam’s non-aligned policy will not change, Cam Ranh Bay is not open to foreign troops.

analysts believe that, with Vietnam’s reform and opening up, adjust its military strategy, “Lu Shouhai into” that “rely on the sea defense, shallow depth to ease the land,” the defense thinking. In this context, to ensure the control of Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam has become increasingly prominent national security significance. Vietnam in the past century been subjected to aggression, the “foreign troops” are also very sensitive issue. Other analysts believe that Russia is unlikely to re-Cam Ranh Bay base, is only possible by another form of Vietnamese ships temporarily docked to Russia and maintenance, in order to earn economic benefits.