17/01/2012
Vietnam already boasts a thriving merchant ship construction sector, and has also built some coastal paramilitary craft in recent years. Now, the country is emerging as a warship builder.
The 54-metre patrol ship HQ 272 was commissioned into the People’s Army of Vietnam Navy (PAVN) on January 16. This is the first military ship built by Vietnam.
This vessel was constructed, with Russian assistance, by the Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company in the northern port city of Hai Phong. The diesel-powered, 32-knot ship is based the Russian Svetlyak OPV. The ship is armed with a 76.2-millimeter gun and a 30-millimeter cannon.
Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Commander, Chief of Naval Staff said that the vessel would contribute to enhance the navy’s strength. More importantly, Vietnam is gradually mastering the warship building technology to take initiative in manufacturing equipment and weapon for national defense.
Minh said that the ship will be used for patrol to defense the country’s sea, islands and continental shelf.
Source: VNE
Recently, the Xinhua Institute (under China’s Xinhua News Agency) released a 33-page report titled “Historical and Legal Basis of China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights in the South China Sea.” Xinhua Institute claims that this is a “comprehensive historical-legal assessment” intended to...
On September 9, 2025, the State Council of China enacted Document No. 87 [2025], approving the Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) Nature Reserve. Just a day later, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued Communiqué No. 12, specifiying the size, scope, and functional components of...
After more than seven decades since its establishment in 1951, the Japan - US alliance has become a stable pillar of the security structure of the Indo-Pacific region. However, in the face of recent strategic changes, especially the rise of China and increasing instability in the region, Tokyo has been...
As the world moves past the midpoint of 2025, some might have the impression that the South China Sea appears comparatively calm. With major powers preoccupied by protracted conflicts elsewhere, such as Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, India-Pakistan, and most recently the tension between Cambodia and...
The Red Sea is one of the world's most heavily trafficked shipping lanes, with around 30% of global container traffic regularly passing through each year1. However, it also faces multiple maritime security issues. The 2023-2025 Red Sea crisis, which accumulates multiple layers of threats in the maritime...
There has not been a universal definition of “critical infrastructure” in maritime domain, but many can agree that such concept should include fixed platforms, including installations, and submarine cables . To protect these two types of infrastructure, the sole subjects of this essay, international...