Weapons expo helps Vietnam boost domestic defense industry, reduce reliance on Russian arms

Reuters

Vietnam showcased locally made weapons at an international defense fair in Hanoi as it seeks to boost its arms industry and lessen its reliance on Russian military equipment.

Top defense companies from Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific were among the nearly 250 exhibitors at the mid-December 2024 fair at Gia Lam Airport.

Vietnam has been a major importer of weapons, especially from Russia, to enhance its defense capabilities amid regional tensions, including clashes over the People’s Republic of China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea. However, factors including Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine have changed Vietnam’s weapons procurement strategy.

Hanoi also is promoting exports of military products, and state-owned defense firm Viettel and other local companies displayed missile defense systems, drones, air defense radars, armored vehicles and artillery at the International Defense Expo.

Some weapons were displayed for the first time, said Nguyen The Phuong, an expert on Vietnam security at Australia’s University of New South Wales. Deals with foreign arms exporters to have components produced in Vietnam has been a key strategy to strengthen the local industry, he said. For example, talks on potential deals are underway with South Korean companies, especially for artillery and aviation. There have been similar talks with companies from other countries, including the Czech Republic, officials said.

U.S. defense giants including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Textron Aviation Defense attended the expo and discussed potential helicopter sales.

“Our goal is to ensure that Vietnam has what it needs to defend its interests at sea, in the air, on the ground and in cyberspace,” said U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper, part of an expo delegation that also included Adm. Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

“This is why we came out in force in a truly historic, unprecedented participation by the United States government and private sector in this event, and it reflects our commitment to Vietnam and to Vietnam’s aspirations,” Knapper said.

Defense firms from France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom also attended.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hailed the expo as a “message of peace, cooperation and development,” Voice of America reported.