You have apple, I have orange.
Vietnam has electro jamming units too.
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By the way, I want to talk deeper on Vietnam military development.
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1. Vietnam army established in 1945 from peasants who used to fight with sticks, swords,..
and get their first firearms by catching from French legion soldiers.
They were taught to save even a single bullet, There are stories about heroes who proceeded 1 shot multiple kills.
Their ordnances or explosive get the gunpowders from mute bombs or artillery projectiles.
Dien Bien Phu victory honored by blood of brave soldiers.
The air defence units appear for the first time in Dien Bien Phu operation ( 1953-1954 )
2. During 1960s and 1970s, Vietnam army was modernized, air force established.
Surface to Air Missile units and Armor vehicles added.
And the tactic changed, from guerrilla to regular units, In Ia Drang battle 1965 the first time we saw a battalion-scale battle between US and North Vietnam. Vietnam adopts the approaching style of fighting to limit the damage from US aerial artillery and heavy artillery or bombing raids.
For offensive battles, North Vietnam deploys commando or sappers to penetrate the garrisons in secret and implant timing mines, ordnances ... to clear the most important and resistant layers. in advance. And retreat quick after made heavy damage to enemies.
In Northern, the air force and air defence units incl. AAA and radars, SAM harden by combats. And during Christmas bombing raids or 11 days operation in Dec 1972, US suffered the last but heaviest damage to their air squadrons
Air defence is among strongest in the region.
The Navy is weak
2. After Vietnam War, Vietnam has quite modern equipments both from Soviet, China and US left.
the modern F-5E first flight is in 1972, but early in 1975, Vietnam could gift Soviet Union 1 in CBU, 1 in spare parts already.
UH-1, A37, CH-47, M113, C130, M-107, M60, M48 ... fire arm, left bundles in Vietnam.
Plus, big military aids from Soviet Union to support Vietnam against China in 1979 and afterward.
That make Vietnam a quite modern military at least 10 years after that.
While Soviet get usage of Cam Ranh, Vietnam Navy is still weak.
3. Vietnam get the first Su-22 in 1979 and they could still in usage until clashes happened in 1988 between China and Vietnam. Vietnam proceeded maritime operation training for Su-22 few months before the clash broken out.
That's the only aircraft Vietnam could reach Spratly islands. They are older variant of Su-22 and quite obsolete, and in 1989 Vietnam get some more modern, used Su-22M4 from East Europe countries. They are still effective way to protect Vietnam Spratly since then until 10 years later.
4. If we look at the GDP of Vietnam before and after 1990 AND the changes in comparative power in Spratly then we could understand the basic principles of Vietnam strategy and meaning of any purchase.
In summary, Vietnam has very limit defence budget back to 1980s , early 1990s. And any purchase is only for confronting China at sea.
The first purchase of brand new, modern weapon made by Vietnam in 1995-1996 for Su-27, an altenative for Su-22 guarding Spratly islands, while China already buy Su-27 from Russia.
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to be continued