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Vietnam People's Navy

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Vietnam People's Navy
Hải quân nhân dân Việt Nam
Flag of the Vietnam People's Navy
Flag of the Vietnam People's Navy
Flag of the Vietnam People's Navy
Active1955 - Present
CountryVietnam (North Vietnam in the past)
Size42,000 officers and soldiers
Part ofVietnam People's Army
HeadquartersHai Phong, Vietnam
Motto(s)Island is home, Sea is country (Đảo là nhà, Biển cả là quê hương)
MarchSurfing to the sea (Lướt sóng ra khơi)
Anniversaries5 August (defeat Operation Pierce Arrow of United States Navy in Vietnam war)
EngagementsVietnam War
Cambodian-Vietnamese War
Johnson South Reef Skirmish
Commanders
CommanderAdmiral Nguyen Van Hien
SecretaryVice Admiral Tran Thanh Huyen
Chief of StaffRear Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh
Insignia
Symbols
File:Vietnam People's Navy Insignia.jpg

The Vietnam People's Navy (commonly, Vietnamese Navy - Hải quân nhân dân Việt Nam) is part of the Vietnam People's Army and is responsible for the protection of national waters, islands, and interests of the maritime economy, as well as for the coordination of maritime police, customs service and the border defense force.

History

Origins

Vietnamese Navy defeated Southern Han state of China in 938

Vietnamese Navy has built very early in the 10th century. The greatest battles recorded in history are three naval battles (all three are called Battle of Bạch Đằng): Ngô Quyền against Southern Han in 938 (killed over 100,000 and captured a thousands Chinese naval soldiers, killed Chinese Prince Liu Hongcao)[1]; Lê Hoàn against Song Dynasty in 981; and Trần Quốc Tuấn against Yuan Dynasty in 1288 (killed over 80,000 Yuan soldiers, destroyed more than 400 Yuan ships, captured Yuan General Omar).[2]

In 1077, the Vietnamese Navy fought the Battle of Cầu River against Song Dynasty forces. This was the final battle China's Song Dynasty would fight on Vietnamese land. The battle lasted for several months, and ended with the victory of the Vietnamese Navy and the loss of many Song's soldiers. Modern researchers assess this as the biggest win and most fierce battle since the Battle of Bạch Đằng in 938 against China's invasions. This victory demonstrated the successful tactics of war and active defense of the famous general Lý Thường Kiệt who faced a naval force several times larger than his own.[3]. Song Dynasty lost a total of 80,000 soldiers and 5,19 million ounces of gold, including all costs of the war..[4].

File:Naval battle in Nguyen Dynasty.jpg
In the 19th century, Nguyễn Dynasty improved the Vietnamese Navy fleet to 22,740 naval soldiers with coppered ships

One of the greatest victory in Vietnamese Navy history was the Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút, during which Nguyễn Huệ defeated the Siamese naval force. The battle occurred in present-day Tiền Giang Province on January 19, 1785. Nguyễn Huệ's forces completely destroyed over 50,000 Siamese soldiers and 300 warships.[5]

In the Nguyễn Dynasty period, 19th century Emperor Gia Long used his new base to improve the Vietnamese Navy. Gia Long had first attempted to acquire modern naval vessels in 1781, when on the advice of Pigneau, he had chartered Portuguese vessels of European design, complete with crew and artillery. This initial experience proved to be disastrous. For reasons that remain unclear, two of the vessels fled in the midst of battle against the Tay Son, while angry Vietnamese soldiers killed the third crew. In 1789, Pigneau returned to Vietnam from Pondicherry with two vessels, which stayed in the Nguyen service long-term. Over time, Vietnamese sailors replaced the original French and Indian crew under the command of French officers. These vessels became the foundation for an expanded military and merchant Nguyen naval force, with Nguyen Anh chartering and purchasing more European vessels to reinforce Vietnamese-built ships. However, traditional Vietnamese-style galleys and small sailing ships remained the majority of the fleet. In 1799, a British trader by the name of Berry reported that the Nguyen fleet had departed Saigon along the Saigon River with 100 galleys, 40 junks, 200 smaller boats and 800 carriers, accompanied by three European sloops.[6] In 1801, one naval division was reported to have included nine European vessels armed with 60 guns, five vessels with 50 guns, 40 with 16 guns, 100 junks, 119 galleys and 365 smaller boats.[7][8]

In the middle of the 19th century, the Vietnamese Navy fought against the French in many battles. Due to disadvantages in technology, the Vietnamese Navy could not defeat the French Navy, but there were still several battles during which the Vietnamese Navy caused damage to the French. Especially is Battle of Nhat Tao canal held by Nguyen Trung Truc on December 10, 1861. Nguyen Trung Truc's naval forces ambushed in Vam Co River, Mekong Delta, and suddenly attack French's battleship L'Esperance. Truc's 150 men were grouped into three columns. The first group of 61 men under Hoang Khac Nhuong was to attack a nearby pro-French village in order to provoke an incident and lure the French forces into an ambush. Truc commanded the second group of 59 partisans along with Vo Van Quang, and was assigned to burn and sink the vessel. A third force of 30 men was commanded by Ho Quang and Nguyen Van Hoc [9]. Due to surprise attacked, French Navy has major damage: L'Esperance ship was sunk, 17 soldiers and 20 Vietnamese colleagues were killed, only eight people escaped, including two French soldiers and six soldiers Tagal.

Vietnam War

A North Vietnamese P-4 engaging USS Maddox in Gulf of Tonkin incident 1964

Following the Geneva Conference in 1954, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam went about creating its own naval forces. On May 7, 1955 the Vietnam People's Navy was created with the establishment of the General Directorate of Coastal Defence, it formed the basis for the Navy Operational Command (based on Decree of Ministry of Defence (Vietnam) No. 284/ND signed by General Võ Nguyên Giáp to established Naval Research Board, under the General Staff, on March 8, 1949). The primary mission of the Navy was to patrol the coastal areas and the inland waterways.

Throughout the Vietnam War the role played by the Vietnam People's Navy (or North Vietnamese Navy) was largely unknown to the public. However on August 2, 1964, two North Vietnamese Swatow class patrol boats attacked the USS Maddox (DD-731) in what became known as the Tonkin Gulf Incident2. The second attack, which the United States claimed to have occurred on August 4, was dismissed by the North Vietnamese as a fabrication.

Sailors of the Vietnam People's Navy in June 2007
Vietnamese Navy's troops on Spratly Island

The North Vietnamese, however, had maintained their own version of the events which took place. According to official VPN accounts the Maddox penetrated North Vietnamese waters on July 31, 1964, and provoked a battle with the North Vietnamese1. In response to American provocation, three 123K class torpedo boats from the 135th Torpedo Boat Battalion were dispatched to intercept the American destroyer. The resulting clash became known as the 'Battle of Thanh Hoa' in which North Vietnamese "torpedo boats succeeded in driving the Maddox out of Vietnam’s territorial waters, shooting down a U.S. aircraft and damaging another".1

Apart from patrolling territorial waters, the Navy also had the mission of transporting military supplies to support the Vietnam People's Army and their NLF ally during the Vietnam War. On October 31, 1961, a sea route version of the Ho Chi Minh Trail was established by the North Vietnam Navy, with the 759th Transport Unit responsible for carrying military supplies and other goods for the Communist ground forces in South Vietnam3. In order to avoid detection by the South Vietnamese and U.S navies, North Vietnamese transport ships were often disguised as fishing trawlers. On February 16, 1965, a 100-ton North Vietnamese trawler from the Transportation Group 125 was discovered at Vung Ro Bay. This led to the creation of Operation Market Time by the US Navy to intercept disguised enemy ships.

On April 19, 1972, the North Vietnamese Navy and Air Force participated in the Battle of Dong Hoi off the coast of North Vietnam. During this battle it was believed that the U.S Navy destroyed a Soviet-made cruise missile for the first time. The USS Higbee (DD-806) was damaged after an VPAF MiG-17 dropped a 250 lb (110 kg) bomb, destroying a 5" aft gun mount.

In the years following the complete withdrawal of U.S and other allied forces, the North Vietnamese went back on the offensive. As part of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, the North Vietnamese Navy increased the transportation of military supplies, food and uniform to the Communist forces in the South. When the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) occupied the northern provinces of South Vietnam in 1975, captured South Vietnamese vessels were pressed into service with the Vietnam People's Navy. On April 29, 1975, ex-South Vietnamese Navy vessels carried North Vietnamese troops to capture the Spratly Islands. At around the same time the Chinese Navy took over control of the Paracel Islands from the South Vietnamese Navy. These islands are also claimed by Vietnam, however they have no current presence there.

Prior to 1975, the North Vietnamese Navy operated fewer than forty patrol boats along with the coastal junk force. With the collapse of the Republic of Vietnam on April 30, 1975, the Vietnam People's Navy was expanded with ships from the defunct South Vietnamese Navy. Captured vessels included two patrol frigates, over one hundred patrol craft, and about fifty amphibious warfare ships. In the late 1970s the naval infantry (or marines) was formed to be stationed on the areas claimed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Spratly Islands. The naval infantry is equipped with PT-76 light tanks, BTR-60 personnel carriers and other weapons.

In 1988, Vietnam People's Navy fought against Chinese Navy at Johnson Reef of Spratly islands.

File:Manage by Vietnamese Navy 2.jpg
Manage by Vietnamese Navy

Establishment of a Regional Navy

Regional Navy are inter-military campaign of naval tactics, territorial division, comprising the regions, fleets, naval air forces, marines, defense island soldiers, coastal artillery and combat units to ensure (radar, information technology, logistics ...).[10]

October 26, 1975, Ministry of Defence (Vietnam) issued Decision No.141/QD-QP established five Coastal Areas of Naval Command and jurisdiction provisions of the five regions. In 1978, renamed become Regional Navy.

  • 2nd Regional Command (B Regional Command): manage south coast from Binh Thuan to Bac Lieu, southern continental shelf, including the key areas are economic science service areas (called DK1, DK2). Command Headquarters: Nhon Trach, Dong Nai.

Modernization

File:HQ-012 Ly Thai To.jpg
Flagship HQ-012 Ly Thai To in Cam Ranh Bay military port, October 2011
File:Hai quan viet nam tap luyen bao ve chu quyen - soha thong tin.jpg
Vietnam People's Navy: training for defend country

Today, Vietnam People's Navy is responsible for protecting the sovereignty and economic activities at sea, chase boats foreign intrusion into Vietnamese sea. When intrusion into areas of sovereignty, Vietnam People's Navy determined to defend, even to fight sacrifice. In general, Vietnam's policy has considered the modernization is a Navy priority tasks in modernization military plant. Vietnam People's Navy and Vietnam People's Air Force are preferred modernization fastest, constantly upgrading weapons, ammunition and combat capacity, the ability to master the equipment. Can see this plant through the reporter on August 5, 2011 by Minister of Defense Phung Quang Thanh: "The military build-up project towards revolution, formal elite, gradually modernized, including Navy, Air Force, contact information, electronic warfare ... forward to modernization to defend country". [11]

  • Frigates and Corvettes: Laid down two Gepard class frigate in 2011 by Zelenodolsk shipyard-Russia, named HQ-011 Dinh Tien Hoang and HQ-012 Ly Thai To; and two more order. Contract with Schelde Naval Shipbuilding-Netherlands to built two Sigma class corvette[12]. Especially, Vietnam People's Navy has built itself many Tarantul class corvette (Molniya class) with Russia supervision; besides, Vietnam People's Navy has designed and built the first warship names TT-400TP gunboat[13].
  • Submarines: In April 2011, Vietnam has ordered six Kilo class submarine, worth about 1.8 billion dollars, the contract is said to occupy the entire defense budget of Vietnam in 2009. With six submarines, to be delivered in 2014, Vietnam will own more modern submarines than any countries in Southeast Asia.[14]
  • Naval Air Force: Vietnam People's Navy prepared to build Naval Air Force to increase the capacity of coastal defense. Vietnam has purchased three CASA C-212 Aviocar aircraft Series 400 professional beach patrol and tracking. The aircraft equipped with radar MSS 6000 and Naval Air Force will use for general patrol purposes. Viking Air Company of Canada has contracted to sell to Vietnam six Seaplane DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 from 2012 to 2014. And 15 Kamov Ka-27 helicopters will be transferred to naval air force.[15]
  • Coastal defense missile force: Vietnam People's Navy is building Coastal defense missile force become the core force in maritime security strategy by equip Russian and Indian missile systems. Vietnamese Navy has already produced itself P-5 Pyatyorka/Shaddock anti-ships missile, range upgraded to 550 km. Russia has delivered two K-300P Bastion-P coastal defense system to Vietnam. The Bastion system uses the P-800 Oniks/Yakhont supersonic anti-ship missile, primarily used to attack targets on land and sea, attack range is 300 km, can be used to protect a coastline of over 600km[16]. Joint venture company Russia-India BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited will sold Vietnam 15 BrahMos stealth supersonic cruise missile, and become the first military in the world imports Brahmos defense missile, if compared with other types of missiles being used in the world, BrahMos missile has the advantages of speed faster 3 times, range longer 2.5 times, respond shorter time 3-4 times.[17]

Fleet

In addition to the VPN Naval Infantry, the Vietnam People's Navy currently operates:

Class or name Builder Type Quantity Service Date Ships
File:HQ-012 Ly Thai To.jpg
 Gepard class frigate  Russia
Yantar/Zelenodolsk Design Bureau 		Frigate 2 in active (2 more ordered)[18] HQ-011 Dinh Tien Hoang
HQ-012 Ly Thai To
Petya class frigate  Russia
Yantar 		Frigate 5 in active HQ-13
HQ-15
HQ-17
HQ-09
HQ-11
File:OP KILO.JPG
 Improved Kilo class  Russia
Admiralty Shipyard 		Submarine 6 2014-2019[19][20][21][22]
File:Yugo class submarine.jpg
 Yugo class  Democratic People's Republic of Korea Submarine 2 to be decommissioned in 2012
File:Vietnamese Navy's Molniya.jpg
 Tarantul class corvette
Molniya class Project 1242.1/1241.8 		 Russia
Almaz Central Design Bureau 		Corvette 6 in active (more on order) HQ-336, HQ-362, HQ-375, HQ-376, HQ-389
File:Vietnamese Navy's Tarantul 1.jpg
 Tarantul class corvette
Project 1241 		 Russia
Almaz Central Design Bureau 		Corvette 7 in active HQ-371, HQ-372, HQ-373, HQ-374, HQ-377, HQ-378, HQ-381
Tarantul class corvette
Pauk class Project1241.2 		 Russia
Almaz Central Design Bureau 		Corvette 1 in active HQ-381
Sigma class corvette  Netherlands
Schelde Naval Shipbuilding 		Corvette 4 to negotiate[23]
File:Vietnamese Navy's Svetlyak.jpg
 Svetlyak class patrol boat  Russia Patrol 4 in active HQ-261, HQ-262, HQ-263, HQ.?
File:Vietnamese Navy's TT400TP warship.jpg
 TT-400TP gunboat  Vietnam Patrol 1 in active HQ-272
Osa class missile boat  Russia Patrol 8 in active HQ-353, HQ-354, HQ-355, HQ-356, HQ-358, HQ-359, HQ-360, HQ-361
File:Vietnamese Navy's Turya.jpg
 Turya class torpedo boat  Russia Patrol 6 in active HQ-307, HQ-331, HQ-332, HQ-333, HQ-334, HQ-335
File:Vietnamese Navy's Shershen 2.jpg
 Shershen class torpedo boat  Russia Patrol 4 in active HQ-305, HQ-306, HQ-311, HQ-312, HQ-358
HQ-5011 (coast guard vessel)

Inshore Patrol:

  •  Vietnam 8 (+24) HQ-56 class (Stolkraft; 22.4 meter) PB with 1x20mm
  •  Vietnam 4 HQ-37 class (built by Vinashin)
  •  Russia 14 Zhuk class patrol boats (Project 1400M)

Riverine Patrol:

  •  United States 22 PBR Mark II and 6 PCF (Swift Boats). These riverine patrol boats are no longer in service.

Mine Warfare:

Amphibious Landing Ships:

Transports:

  •  Vietnam 1 HQ-966 class logistics ship AK
  • 2 BD-621 class logistics ship AK

Auxiliaries:

  •  Russia 1 Sorum class logistics tug (Project 745) ATA
  •  Russia 1 Voda (MTV-6/Project 561) AWT
  •  Russia 2 Nyrat-2 (Project 376U) diving tenders (YDT)
  • 2 floating drydocks (YFDL)
  •  Russia 2 PO-2 (Project 376) YFL
  •  United States 2 ex-US 53-meter harbor tankers (YO) - lilely ex-USN YOG-5 Class Gasoline Oiler
  •  United States 2+ Chaolocco tugs (YTM)
  • 9 or so harbour tubs (YTL)

Missiles: Coastal Defence:

Missiles: Shipboard:

  •  Russia Kh-35 Uran/SS-N-25 Switchblade 3M-24E subsonic cruise missile (poss, Project 11660 KBO-2000 Gepard)
  •  Russia P-15 Termit/SS-N-2A/B Styx anti-ship missile (PTG craft and patrol ship)

Missiles: Air-launched:

Amphibious aircraft:

Vietnam Marine Police (a.k.a. Vietnam People's Coast Guard) formed in 1998, is currently an independent unit from the Vietnam People's Navy, which was started in November 2008.

Larger transport ships of the Navy include the Truong Sa class ship which was built by the state-owned shipbuilding firm, Vinashin.

All pennant numbers start with the prefix HQ which stands for Hải Quân or Navy in Vietnamese, which inherit from the Republic of (south) Vietnam Navy (hải quân Việt nam Cộng Hòa) nomination.

Manpower

The current total manpower of the navy is around 42,000 officers and enlisted personnel including naval infantry [i.e. marines] and other specialised units.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bach_Dang_River_%28938%29
  2. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bach_Dang_%281288%29
  3. ^ Phan Huy Lê, Bùi Đăng Dũng, Phan Đại Doãn, Phạm Thị Tâm, Trần Bá Chí 1998, pp. 69–71
  4. ^ Phan Huy Lê, Bùi Đăng Dũng, Phan Đại Doãn, Phạm Thị Tâm, Trần Bá Chí 1998, p. 72-75
  5. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_R%E1%BA%A1ch_G%E1%BA%A7m-Xo%C3%A0i_M%C3%BAt
  6. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gia_Long
  7. ^ http://www.thanhnien.com.vn/pages/20110919/bi-mat-hai-quan-nha-nguyen-ky-1-tu-thuy-quan-den-hai-quan.aspx
  8. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gia_Long
  9. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguyen_Trung_Truc
  10. ^ http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu%C3%A2n_ch%E1%BB%A7ng_H%E1%BA%A3i_qu%C3%A2n_Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam
  11. ^ http://www.thanhnien.com.vn/pages/20110805/hien-dai-hoa-hai-quan.aspx
  12. ^ http://defense-update.com/20111023_vietnam-negotiate-buying-four-sigma-corvettes-from-the-netherlands.html
  13. ^ http://www.anninhthudo.vn/Thoi-su/TT400TP-Tau-chien-made-in-Viet-Nam/417290.antd
  14. ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Vietnam-Reportedly-Set-to-Buy-Russian-Kilo-Class-Subs-05396
  15. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/vietnam/2009/09/090915_naval_air.shtml
  16. ^ http://dmilt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2432:vietnam-navy-incepts-yakhont-coastal-missile&catid=3:asia&Itemid=56
  17. ^ http://defense-studies.blogspot.com/2011/11/vietnam-requests-brahmos-and-corvettes.html
  18. ^ http://lenta.ru/news/2011/12/07/gepard
  19. ^ http://flotprom.ru/news/?ELEMENT_ID=80927
  20. ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Vietnam-Reportedly-Set-to-Buy-Russian-Kilo-Class-Subs-05396/
  21. ^ http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4059508&c=ASI&s=SEA
  22. ^ http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9034
  23. ^ http://defense-update.com/20111023_vietnam-negotiate-buying-four-sigma-corvettes-from-the-netherlands.html
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