Vietnam's Armed Forces DiscussionThread

[Crunchy]

I start this thread to discuss about Vietnam's Armed Forces. Feel free to post.


- only discusions/news/opinions on the recent developments/ops/plans/arms deals by the Vietnamese Armed Forces

- comments on historical events, only when it's directly connected to recent developments like hardware currently in service.

- no VC vs.VNCH bulls...

- no political/historical discusions about the Vietnam/American/Sino-Vietnamese/Vietnamese-Cambodian Wars/the lost decade 1975-86/Doi Moi politics (see 2nd line)

- Want to critize the current goverment of Vietnam?
Than look for another forum. You are on a defense related forum. Read the forum rules!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Crunchy]

Well starting point for this post were my comments about the UAE's retirement of their Mirage 2000-9 and Vietnam as a potential buyer of those Mirage 2000-9.
Member Rock45 has asked me some questions I would like to answer:

your still on China's border.

->Vietnam has been on China's border for over 2000 years.
Their relationship is like: David vs. Goliath or big brother vs. lil' brother.......or you vs. your wife/husband

Both countries share alot of cultural & socio-economic similarities (in the past & today), but due historical Chinese dominance/rule and Vietnamese determinated will for independence there is still "a distance" between the two people.
Most visible similarity between Vietnam & China is that both are still Communist countries.

Many people in the West are fooled by this fact. Especially the hardliners in the Overseas Vietnamese community are thinking that Vietnam/Communist Party of Vietnam "is just a tool of the PRC".

Officially the CPV is a harmonic monolithic bloc, but truth is: they have never been. The only issue, which unites all party members/Viets is the independence/development of Vietnam.
CPV's foreign policy: There is a pro-China, pro-Russia, pro-US, pro...insert your country's name-faction. But the neutralist faction are currently the strongest faction. This has lead to increased popularity for Vietnam allaround the world in the recent years. Visible in the rise of foreign tourists/politcians visiting Vietnam

Vietnam's relationship towards China has relaxed in the recent years. Landmarks on the border has been set. Maritime border in the Gulf of Tonkin has also been cleared. Economy is booming in both Countries and are fuelling eachother.

Doesn't China also claim the entire Spratleys Islands as well and their oil? I'm not saying it's right don't get me wrong but its out there and on the table.

The fundamental problem in the South China Sea is that the current government of China claims nearly the whole SCS. PRC's claim even cuts through "undisputed sovereign waters/Exclusive Economic Zone" of Vietnam/Phillipines/Malaysia/Brunai. PRC's claims are backed by their military strenght like the others.

The former South-Vietnamese navy lost the Paracels in 1974 in a small sea battle and the PLAN occupied the islands. The - at that time pro-China/Soviet - government of North Vietnam supported the occupation and even send an official letter to Peking. Today the Chinese government uses this letter as an official justication for the occupation. The PLAN has already dug in on those islands - no chance for the Vietnamese People's Navy/Naval Infantry to retake them.

The situation on the Spratley Islands is much more favourable from the Vietnamese perspective:
- ~ 2000 Vietnamese marines & civilians are stationed/living on some of those islands
- Vietnamese installations on those islands include: HMGs/ Grenade launchers/ AAA/ Igla MANPAD/ PRGs/recoiless rifles
- currently 15 Su-27/30 multirole + ~ 60 Su-22 strikers can support the Vietnamese forces on those islands
- ~ 16 "Taratul-5" corvettes + 4 "Tatarstan" frigates are under construction/sea trails. (Sure the fundamental design of those ships is lil' bit old but they all new-built with modern materials & latest Russian missiles. The most important factor is that they are built in Vietnam. If the Vietnamese shipping industry - already in the top ten - keeps growing, than we can soon expect destroyers/submarines.)
- Spratley Islands are an international waterway - Any actions by any sides would piss off the International community & disturb world economy.

If Vietnam bought the UAE's Mirage 2000-5/9 teamed with their Flankers it would give a Vietnam's Air Force a powerful combo. I can't see the Mirages going cheap and Vietnam might be able to buy almost 2 Flankers for one Mirage depending the deal and goodies that come with the purchase deal.

You mention Vietnam's human rights violations I know little about current Vietnam is this something that the government is improving on?

VN doesn't get Russian gear for free now. In 2003 Vietnam paid ~ 110millions US$ for 4 - according to many websites - "basic" Su-30 Flankers. The price for all gadgets (thrust vectoring,AEsA radar, EW/ECM suites) would push the price up to 50/70 millions US$ - currently unpayable for VPAF.
I've read on several sites that the Vietnamese Flankers are not even eqipped with BVR-A2A missiles. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) The option for additional 9?/21?/57? Flankers has not been realized.
I prefer to have some older, but fully-equipped Mirage 2k9 (especially with the EW/recon suites) than some Su-30 without any gadgets. So it's maybe cheaper to buy the Mirage than naked Flankers.

Well, we all don't know what happens behind closed doors. Vietnam is currently an exclusive market for Russia/former WP countries. But Vietnam does not want to be dependent completely on Russia.

Isreal's deal to sell mine-protected recon vehicles to VN surprised many.

It would be the government of the UAE selling the Mirages - how can a human rights NGO critize the French government?
On the other hand France would get a backdoor to Vietnam. We all know that France is desperately looking for export markets for its' fighters.

Human rights/Democracy/4 Freedoms - THE pressing factors when it comes to arms deals with emerging/developing countries.

In general it can be said that those things have greatly improved, but VN is far from having Western standards. There are many contradicting incidents.

Just 3 examples:
While thousands of Christians in Saigon could rent a soccer stadium and celebrate Christmas, Christians in remote areas couldn't even celebrate in their homes undisturbed.

The "Flower/Black" Hmongs in the Sa Pa area/Northeastern Vietnam are benefitting from growing tourism & selling their handicraft worldwide. Hmong clans/families, who fought for the US Forces in South Vietnam/Laos, are still being harrassed and persecuted.

Two journalists, who have uncovered some corruption cases in a state-censored newspaper, were sentenced to long prison fines, but they were released several weeks later during the annual general amnesty. (Typical fight between the reformists vs. the conservatives/corrupted. This incident has once again showed the schism inside the CPV)


-> VN's armed forces are currently under control by conservatives of the CPV.

Western arms sales to Vietnam would mean:
not repeating history by not driving the Viets into Russian/Chinese camp
calm down Chinese expansionism with a good eqipped Vietnamese military
training for soldiers/sailors/pilots by Western experts --> personal contacts can bring new ideas to them
training in Western countries --> Officers/Soldiers get to know Western societies during their time there
higher interoperationality between VN's forces and ASEAN's other member states, who mostly use Western gear

Just look how Germany/H&K have sold the MP5 to VN: Expanding Pakistan's license for MP5 production. Pakistan sells the surplus MP5 to VN. Selling over Isreal or India could also be a path to avoid direct critic.

[DavidDCM]

Thanks for reminding us, but I think we all know the forum rules ;)

BTW, you were the first to break your own thread rules, as about 70% of your 2nd post are about the political situation and not military related :)

------------------

I was also surprised to see photos of the RAM 2000 from Israel being in service with the Vietnamese army (I guess it was military police?).
But as with all secretive countries it's very difficult to obtain informations about the current state of the Vietnamese army. From the few photos that leave the country it generally seems that their land forces did not change much since the end of the Vietnam war, that is they still seem to use Soviet era stuff like AK-47, T-54, BMP-1 and BTR-60. If you (or someone else) could clarify the current status of the Vietnamese land forces, I would be happy to read about it.

[Feanor]

Vietnam needs a lot more then some fighters. It needs to replace their tank park, and APC park practically entirely. As for the cost of Flankers, keep in mind full Flankers will all the goodies are quite a bit ahead of M2K9s. Depending on who you're looking to defend against the extra capabilities may or may not matter. Keep in mind also that integrating them into what is essentially a 60s era model Soviet army will not be easy.

[Crunchy]

I was referring to Rock45's questions and I didn't want to send him a message.
I could have started a thread like: "Western countries selling arms to Vietnam & political discussion in the supplier's nation" but then I thought I might be better to start a general Vietnam thread.
Did I jugde the political situation?
I just list some examples, so that members can judge for themselves.
The rules are not to discuss about Vietnam politics in general - only when they are related directly to defence politics.
My post was about, how Western politcs could deal with arms deal with Vietnam.

:D *feeling ashamed to have break own rules*

[eckherl]

Thanks for reminding us, but I think we all know the forum rules ;)

BTW, you were the first to break your own thread rules, as about 70% of your 2nd post are about the political situation and not military related :)

------------------

I was also surprised to see photos of the RAM 2000 from Israel being in service with the Vietnamese army (I guess it was military police?).
But as with all secretive countries it's very difficult to obtain informations about the current state of the Vietnamese army. From the few photos that leave the country it generally seems that their land forces did not change much since the end of the Vietnam war, that is they still seem to use Soviet era stuff like AK-47, T-54, BMP-1 and BTR-60. If you (or someone else) could clarify the current status of the Vietnamese land forces, I would be happy to read about it.

Alot of older Chinese armor with Russian T-62s and BMP 2 vehicles also, though the Russian vehicles cannot be confirmed by me.

[Crunchy]

Sometimes ago I have read in a blog that Indian commandos have conducted joint exercises with Vietnam's SF/Dac Cong units. But I couldn't found further infos/pics in other forums/other websites. It would be nice if (Indian) members can verify it or not.

[DavidDCM]

Alot of older Chinese armor with Russian T-62s and BMP 2 vehicles also, though the Russian vehicles cannot be confirmed by me.

I have a photo from somewhere of a Vietnamese BMP-2 (at least I'm pretty sure it's Vietnamese), but none of the T-62. My tank ID skills are not good enough to see the difference between a Soviet T-54 and a Chinese Type 59, so I just saved them all on my HD as T-54s... :D

[eckherl]

I have a photo from somewhere of a Vietnamese BMP-2 (at least I'm pretty sure it's Vietnamese), but none of the T-62. My tank ID skills are not good enough to see the difference between a Soviet T-54 and a Chinese Type 59, so I just saved them all on my HD as T-54s... :D

The only BMP series that I can confirm is the BMP 1, this is not saying that they do not have them though, all other tactical vehicles in their inventory are listed as follows:

From China,

Type 59 MBT and Type 62 light tank

From Russia,

T-55, T-62, BMP 1, BRDM2, BTR 60, 2S3 and 2S9.

[DavidDCM]

Only have this one. Yellow star in red circle with three digit ID. Isn't that Vietnamese?

[eckherl]

Only have this one. Yellow star in red circle with three digit ID. Isn't that Vietnamese?

Yep, that is a Vietnamese bimp 2, I wonder when they got them.

[the road runner]

Vietnam Air force
Mig-21............147
Su-22.............39
Su-27/30.........16

Special missions
Be-12(SAR)......4

Transport
An-26.............38+(2 in storage)
M-28...............1+(6 on order)

B]Combat helicopters[/B]
Ka-25..............5
Ka-28..............7
Ka-32..............2
Mi-8/17............32
Mi-24...............30

Training aircraft
L-39C...............26

These Figures are from Flight International(11-17 November 2008) Air Force Directory,i cannot post the link due to copyright laws(gf is finding out if its ok to post the link......it has all the aircraft inventory of Army,Navy and Air Force units from around the world;) )

[drjun]

Thanks for interesting in my country Vietnam's history and our equipments..
My VN's history and terrority was written and build by blood and bodies of brave of men, woman , children , and oldmans.
morethan 1000 years after China's invasion
morethan 80 years French's occupied
and 20 years of civil war

that s so enough for our people. We need peace. But we are not afraid of fighting with China.

About weapons.
We are upgrading gradually our military depending on economic growth and base on good relationship with many strong military industrial countries like France, Russia, Yugoslavia, Germany....
Now we are getting well with USA
But i think the Gov don't want Communist China to angry, that 's disadvantage of economy growth. American known that and he just help on what they can do.
But friendship is apparently raising. Because Vietnamese , though we look like china in culture , dislike China.
China always greedy especially on occupying another country 's land. Like India, Tibet ( be occupied) , ...
now we chose T72 is standard tank, Su27 is up now.
We don't fear China on land or air, just on the sea.

[eckherl]

Thanks for interesting in my country Vietnam's history and our equipments..
My VN's history and terrority was written and build by blood and bodies of brave of men, woman , children , and oldmans.
morethan 1000 years after China's invasion
morethan 80 years French's occupied
and 20 years of civil war

that s so enough for our people. We need peace. But we are not afraid of fighting with China.

About weapons.
We are upgrading gradually our military depending on economic growth and base on good relationship with many strong military industrial countries like France, Russia, Yugoslavia, Germany....
Now we are getting well with USA
But i think the Gov don't want Communist China to angry, that 's disadvantage of economy growth. American known that and he just help on what they can do.
But friendship is apparently raising. Because Vietnamese , though we look like china in culture , dislike China.
China always greedy especially on occupying another country 's land. Like India, Tibet ( be occupied) , ...
now we chose T72 is standard tank, Su27 is up now.
We don't fear China on land or air, just on the sea.

When will Vietnam recieve T-72s and from what country.

[Feanor]

And why T-72's? I was under the impression that Vietnam is doing well economically. Why not something like the T-90S if they want a Soviet/Russian design?

[Crunchy]

And why T-72's? I was under the impression that Vietnam is doing well economically. Why not something like the T-90S if they want a Soviet/Russian design?

The T-72 can also be an interim solution. My idea is that the army maybe wants to leapfrog generations.
Russia's new MBT (often called: T-95) is under development. So Vietnam maybe then will buy it and can use it for decades.
After democratization Western MBTs are also available for Vietnam.

The only military threat comes from the PRC and I doubt they will come over the land border once again.
Thailand has got only light tanks.

[macman]

A good interim package for Vietnam's fighter's would be cutting a joint deal with Russia/India for upgrading the Mig-21's to bison standard, getting Russia to give an overhaul to the older Sukhoi's, & integrating a mixed Russian/India electronics upgrade.

The Indian electronics package sounds pretty good & is a unified system that, if it can go on the Mig-27's, will likely be a good fit for the old Sukhoi's, & will likely be resonably cheap.

[Crunchy]

^^

Easteuropean countries, who have joined NATO/EU are transforming their forces/buying Western stuff.
There is equipment available, which is in good condition & have received minor upgrades during 90s. So I think Vietnam should try to get those pieces instead of upgrading Vietnam's wartime-equipment.
for example: Vietnam's 26 Hind-As all have seen action in Cambodia against the Red Khmer. It doesn't makes sense to upgrade them. But there some countries, who are going to retire their Hind-Ds. So maybe Vietnam can get some of those.

MiG-21: They are all late series Fishbeds - delivered in the late 70s. Not a single unit from the wartime. "From my sources" the two squadrons, which are guarding Hanoi & Saigon, have received the MiG-21-93 upgrade packgage.

Su-27: Upgrade package will come, but when?

about Indian systems: HAL LCA (especially when it will be equipped with the thrust-vectoring Eurofighter engine) has already caught the attention of the VPAF.

Ministry of Finance has freezed all deals/plans due world economic crisis.

This year only the Tatarstan frigate, which is completing sea trails, will be put into service. No other major system will be introduced/bought.

[SGMilitary]

Vietnam is rapidly modernising their armed forces lately.

I suppose it's a defensive capability.

I hope the entire ASEAN is improving on their defence capabilities.

What are the latest updates on their modernisation procurement?

[Crunchy]

http://www.straitstimes.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=56229de72565f110VgnVCM10000043 0a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=0162758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010a RCRD

I didn't expect that the Spain & Sweden are already making deals with Vietnam's Armed Forces.

EDIT:
I found the press release of SSC's MSS 6000 Maritime Radar for Vietnam:

http://www.prioranet.com/?id=5104&cid=11523&DivId=5002&Year=2008

Also an older report:

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080603/FOREIGN/335996665/1002/NEWS

[Crunchy]

Russia's NPO Mashinostroenia scientific and production association and its Russian and Belarus partners have begun deliveries of the K300P Bastion-P mobile coastal defence missile system, the company has confirmed to Jane's.
According the reports in Russian press, the first customer is the Vietnam, which ordered one or two Bastion-P systems in 2005.
The PBRK (Podvizhniy beregovoy raketniy complex) K300P Bastion-P mobile coastal defence missile system is armed with the K310 Yakhot ramjet-powered supersonic sea-skimming cruise missiles. It is intended for use against sea-surface and land targets and has a maximum range of 300 km.
A basic system consists of four K340P SPU (Samokhodnaya puskovaya ustanovka) self-propelled launch vehicles armed with two TPS (Transportno-puskovoy stakan) transport/launch containers, one or two K380P MBU (Mashina boyevovo upravleniya) combat-control vehicles, an MOBD (Mashina obespecseniya boyevovo dezhurstva) combat-readiness assignment vehicle, and four K342P TZM (Transportno-zaryazhayuschaya mashina) missile-transport/loading vehicles.
Support hardware includes KSTO (Kompleks sredstv technicseskovo obsluzhivaniya) servicing equipment and the UTS (Ucsebno-trenirovocsniye sredstva) training system. The number of launchers, reload vehicles and combat-control vehicles depends on the customer.
Optional equipment includes a Monolit-B self-propelled coastal radar targeting system or a helicopter-based radar targeting system. For the latter role, the team has proposed the 1K130E: a Ka-31 helicopter fitted with an Oko decimetre-wavelength radar.
NPO Mashinostroenia developed the missile and the system software. It also serves as the system integrator. The missiles are being built by the PO Strela production association in Orenburg, Russia, while Belarus-based Tekhnosoyuzproekt is jointly responsible along with NPO Mashinostroenia for the development and production of the SPU self-propelled launcher and TZM transport/loading vehicles.
The TPS container is 8.90m long, 71 cm in diamater, and weighs 3,900 kg when loaded. A solid-propellant SRS (Startovo-razgonnaya stupen) starting and boosting stage is fitted inside the ramjet chamber and air-flow duct. This incorporates a gas-powered stabilisation system and at the rearward rearward end terminates in a series of rocket nozzles. A cylindrical nose cover contains a series of small thrusters that are selectively fired after launch to turn the missile in the required direction of flight.
Total length of the missile, nose cone and control bloc is roughly 8.6 m. The fuselage is 67 cm in diameter, its wings and aerodynamic control surfaces being folded to allow storage in the TPS. Its launch weight is 3,000 kg.
As the missile leaves the TPS, its aerodynamic surfaces unfold. After the turnover manoeuvre has been completed, the nose cover is jettisoned, opening the nose-mounted air intake.
At this point the missile is still being powered and stabilised by the SRS. Once the missile has reached ramjet-operating speed, the SRS and its associated gas-powered stabilisation system is ejected, allowing the T-6 kerosine-powered ramjet to light up.
In its free-flight configuration, the missile is approximately 8.10 m long. Its wing span is around 1.25 m and control surfaces span about 96 cm. The warhead weight is 200 kg.
Two basic flight modes are available: a low-level trajectory that gives a maximum range of 120 km or combined (hi-lo) trajectory with maximum range up to 300 km. In the latter mode, the missiles flies at an altitude of up to 46,000 ft, then descends to 30-50 ft for the final attack phase. In low-level mode, the entire flight is made at this low altitude.
Maximum speed of the missile at high altitude is 750 m/s, falling to 680 m/s at low level.
During the midcourse phase of flight, the missile is guided by the BINS (Bortovaya inertsialno-navigatsionnaya sistema) onboard inertial navigational system. For the attack phase, it relies on a monopulse active/passive radar seeker with a minimum range in active mode of 50 km, which has a search angle of ±45 degrees.
The K340P SPU self-propelled launcher is based on the MZKT-7930 Astrolog four-axle truck chassis. It carries two TPS containers fitted on the frame with a folding and lowering mechanism. Total weight with two loaded TPS containers, fuel, other operating liquids and a crew of three is 41 tonnes. The commander, launch operator and driver are seated in one row in an air-conditioned cab.
To prepare missile for firing, the covers on the rear of the SPU are opened and a small moveable portion of the frame that carries the TPS containers is folded down to allow the rear of the containers to reach the ground as they are raised to the vertical. Once the containers have been raised, two support jacks located between the third and fourth axle of the vehicle are lowered.
Missiles are vertically launched, and the mimimum time interval between launches is 2.5 sec
The K342 TZM transporting and loading vehicle is based on the same chassis and carries a crew of two and two TPS containers. It incorporates a 5.9 tonne capacity crane used for loading or reloading the SPU.
For the K380 MBU combat-control vehicle, the team opted to install the equipment within an ISO-1C container mounted on an MZKT-65273 three-axle truck. Total weight, complete with fuel and a crew of four, is up to 25 tonnes. It can be deployed for action in three to four minutes.
A Bastion battery will be commanded by a main command post module located at the user's naval headquarters. This has two automated workstations and is linked by cable to a radio communication system that can be located up to 5 km away.
That radio system will in turn allow communicate with one of more MBU combat control vehicle up to 350 km away. Each MBU will directly control four SPU self-propelled launchers. Individual launchers can be up to 15 km apart and up to 25 km from the MBU. However, NPO Mashinostroenia has confirmed that individual launchers can operate autonomously of the MBU, receiving information directly from the naval headquarters: either via a 40 km range UHF radio link or via satellite communications.
Deployment time from being on the road to taking up combat positions is up to five minutes, and a single battery will have eight missiles ready for immediate use. This combat position can be up to 200 km from the coastline. Once deployed, the battery can remain ready for action for between three and five days, depending to the size of its fuel reserves.
The TPS missile containers on the SPU launch vehicle are swung to vertical to allow missiles to be fired at 2.5 sec intervals.

First launch & export customer....
If those are stationed on the Spratley Islands....

[Feanor]

Do you know how many total were ordered by Vietnam and what the order is valued at? Your article says one or two. Does that mean one or two launchers? One or two battallions? (because for example the S-300 system doesn't operate on an individual level and is only purchased in btlns)

[Josef]

Vietnam needs a lot more then some fighters. It needs to replace their tank park, and APC park practically entirely. As for the cost of Flankers, keep in mind full Flankers will all the goodies are quite a bit ahead of M2K9s. Depending on who you're looking to defend against the extra capabilities may or may not matter. Keep in mind also that integrating them into what is essentially a 60s era model Soviet army will not be easy.

All Soviet era fighters for Vietnam.

China will sell the Vietnamese probably Mig-21s from the Bulgarian Air Force.

[Crunchy]

Do you know how many total were ordered by Vietnam and what the order is valued at? Your article says one or two. Does that mean one or two launchers? One or two battallions? (because for example the S-300 system doesn't operate on an individual level and is only purchased in btlns)

VTV's army magazine only said 2 "units", who knows what they mean... :confused:
Please, keep in mind that the VPN also operates the SSN3 Shaddock (also in for the public in unknown number).

[malayphil]

Vietnamese army has improved it's civil operations just after the
past when it had to concentrate in acquiring new weapons from China.
Vietnam needs more Mi helicopters and Tupolev cargo planes.
Not tanks anymore aircrafts and helicopters can be used for natural disasters
specially rescue and emergency aid transports.

[Crunchy]

Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg will build six Kilo class diesel-electric submarines for delivery to Vietnam, the Russian business daily Kommersant said on Monday.

The paper quoted company general director Vladimir Aleksandrov as saying that Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport would soon sign a contract with a foreign state, and that Admiralty Shipyards had been chosen to fulfill this contract.

Sources in Rosoboronexport later confirmed that Russia and Vietnam had been negotiating a $1.8 billion deal on the delivery of six Kilo-class submarines to the Vietnamese navy for about a year.

Admiralty Shipyards is currently building two Kilo class submarines for Algeria to be delivered in 2009 and 2010.

Kilo class submarines, nicknamed "Black Holes" for their ability to avoid detection, are considered to be among the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world.

The submarine is designed for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface-ship warfare, and also for general reconnaissance and patrol missions.

The vessel has a displacement of 2,300 tons, a maximum depth of 350 meters (1,200 feet), a range of 6,000 miles, and a crew of 57. It is equipped with six 533-mm torpedo tubes.

As of November 2006, 16 vessels were believed to be in active service with the Russian Navy and eight submarines were thought to be in reserve. Another 29 vessels have been exported to China, India, Iran, Poland, Romania and Algeria.

Source:
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090427/121320414.html

Hmmm last week there was this Chinese Naval parade and now this .....

I personally expected the VPN to order submarines soon, but not 6 at once. Anyway those subs will Vietnam's naval strenght greatly, when they are operational.

[Crunchy]

I think we now can expect that the Royal Thai Navy/Phillipine's Navy will also soon order some subs - just to keep the balance.
But Thai/Filipino politics are quite complicated...
Malaysia's navy might order some additional Scorpenes.

[Crunchy]

Russia will supply 12 Su-30MK2 Flanker multi-role fighters to Vietnam under a contract worth more than $500 million, a Russian business daily reported on Thursday.
Vedomosti said the contract, which does not include weaponry, was signed between Russian arms export monopoly Rosoboronexport and the Vietnamese Defense Ministry in January, but was not disclosed until now.
Deliveries are to start in 2010.
Experts say the price of missiles, guns, and other equipment could run to an additional several hundred million dollars.
Last month, Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg announced it would build six Kilo class diesel-electric submarines for Vietnam.
RIA Novosti



Meanwhile:

China says a bid by Vietnam and Malaysia to challenge its territorial claims in the South China Sea is illegal and invalid.
The deadline for submissions to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea to set sea boundaries is Wednesday, and the joint petition submitted by Vietnam and Malaysia questioning the outer limits of China's continental shelf in the South China Sea has brought rebukes from Beijing, China Daily reported.
"China has indisputable sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said.
A spokesman for the Chinese mission to the U.N. told the state-run news agency Xinhua that because of the opposition from Beijing, the CLCS will not consider the joint Vietnam-Malaysia submission.
China is jealousy protecting its rights in the South China Sea because it plays a vital role in the country's security and economy, providing a transportation route for 80 percent of its imported crude oil and holding rich reserves of natural gas, analysts told China Daily.

Obviously a package deal along with the Kilos...

[Feanor]

Yep. There are rumors aloof of an Su-30MK2 deal, along with the 1.8 billion dael for 6 kilos. However neither one has been confirmed. It might be a new package deal in the workings. Or it might just be media rumors.

EDIT: And a quick update. From our own newsreel here at defencetalk: http://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-build-fighter-aircraft-vietnam-18937/ comes a claim that the contract was already signed.

[hotrungnghia]

How Vietnam today have all kinds of missiles? scub - b, c, d?