Major Russian Arms Buyer Chooses To Go American

[Rogue Valley]

Major Russian arms buyer chooses to go American

Vietnam and the U.S. have been expanding their defense partnership since Washington lifted its arms sales ban on Hanoi in 2016.

www.newsweek.com

7.25.25
Vietnam will purchase helicopters from the United States for its police force, as Hanoi—historically reliant on Russian weaponry—deepens its partnership with Washington. A Reuters report also stated that Vietnam's Defense Ministry is negotiating with Lockheed Martin over the purchase of C-130 military transport aircraft. Vietnam and the United States—former adversaries during the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975—have been expanding their defense cooperation since Washington lifted its arms sales ban in 2016, after which Hanoi acquired U.S. coast guard vessels and training aircraft. Prior to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia was a major weapons supplier to Vietnam. However, the Southeast Asian country is now diversifying its arms sources and enhancing domestic weapons production, creating opportunities for American defense firms. Earlier in July, President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with Vietnam, under which U.S. goods exported to the Vietnamese market will face zero tariffs. Choosing American defense equipment may also help narrow the U.S. trade deficit with Vietnam.

Citing people with knowledge of the talks, Reuters reported on Thursday that Vietnam's Public Security Ministry has agreed to acquire two helicopters from Lockheed Martin as Vietnamese pilots have been training with the U.S. defense giant's S-92 helicopters. According to Lockheed Martin, this type of helicopter is capable of performing a range of missions, including offshore energy transport, search and rescue, and airline operations. A total of 28 countries operate the S-92 helicopter for both civilian and military purposes. In addition to the helicopter deal worth over $100 million, the report stated that Vietnam's Defense Ministry is negotiating with Lockheed Martin over the purchase of C-130 military transport aircraft—designed for airlift missions and currently operated by 23 countries. The U.S.-based defense analysis website 19FortyFive reported in April—citing sources—that Vietnam is expected to buy 24 F-16 fighter jets, also manufactured by Lockheed Martin, to supplement its combat aircraft fleet, which is composed mainly of Russian jets.

It would be a foreign policy triumph to pry Vietnam away from the Russian orbit.

 

[Tigerace117]

Major Russian arms buyer chooses to go American

Vietnam and the U.S. have been expanding their defense partnership since Washington lifted its arms sales ban on Hanoi in 2016.

www.newsweek.com

It would be a foreign policy triumph to pry Vietnam away from the Russian orbit.

Vietnam is actively trying to build up a domestic arms industry. They’ve been close Russian allies for decades, and the idea that a few helicopters would change that is rather silly.

Egypt, for example, is a case of a U.S. ally who routinely buys Russian equipment. Does that mean they are about to jump ship?

Russia-Vietnam Ties Are Set To Grow Following Lam's Eurasia Tour | RANE

Vietnam is strengthening its relationships with Eurasian countries, especially Russia, as it looks to further diversify economic and energy ties away from great powers amid an unstable geopolitical landscape.

worldview.stratfor.com

On the other hand, Vietnam and China have had tense relations for decades ever since the Vietnamese overthrew the Khmer Rouge(much to the U.S.’ fury)

 

[rhinefire]

Nixon is rolling over in his grave.

Vietnam is actively trying to build up a domestic arms industry. They’ve been close Russian allies for decades, and the idea that a few helicopters would change that is rather silly.

Egypt, for example, is a case of a U.S. ally who routinely buys Russian equipment. Does that mean they are about to jump ship?

Russia-Vietnam Ties Are Set To Grow Following Lam's Eurasia Tour | RANE

Vietnam is strengthening its relationships with Eurasian countries, especially Russia, as it looks to further diversify economic and energy ties away from great powers amid an unstable geopolitical landscape.

worldview.stratfor.com

On the other hand, Vietnam and China have had tense relations for decades ever since the Vietnamese overthrew the Khmer Rouge(much to the U.S.’ fury)

I think China would never go to war with Viet Nam and Viet Nam trusts China as far as they can throw them.

 

[Tigerace117]

Nixon is rolling over in his grave.

I think China would never go to war with Viet Nam and Viet Nam trusts China as far as they can throw them.

.....China did go to war with Vietnam.

 

[Roadvirus]

Major Russian arms buyer chooses to go American

Vietnam and the U.S. have been expanding their defense partnership since Washington lifted its arms sales ban on Hanoi in 2016.

www.newsweek.com

It would be a foreign policy triumph to pry Vietnam away from the Russian orbit.

After seeing so much Russian shit get knocked out of the air by a military that isn't even in the Top 30 over the last couple of years, i'd stay away from their products too.

 

[Tigerace117]

After seeing so much Russian shit get knocked out of the air by a military that isn't even in the Top 30 over the last couple of years, i'd stay away from their products too.

Gee, their “Russian shit” sure did well against supposedly “best in the world” American planes when put to the test.

 

[notquiteright]

.....China did go to war with Vietnam.

and lost....

 

[Tangmo]

In 2023 Potus Biden travelled to VN to sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Hanoi that led to these arrangements. And more to come. The Biden agreement upgraded US-VN military and diplomatic relations from the more basic Strategic Partnership or SP negotiated by the Obama administration to the ultimate CSP.

Over recent years Hanoi has expanded its military and political alignments to include CSP's with Indonesia, Singapore, Australia/NZ, India, South Korea, Japan, France and Malaysia. Four of these countries are formal defense treaty allies with the US: Australia, New Zealand, SK and Japan.

Hanoi has also made Strategic Partnerships or SP's with Thailand and the Philippines that are US formal defense treaty allies. Hanoi has existing SP's with Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, the Czech Republic and Poland. It moreover has signed comprehensive partnerships CP's with Mongolia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Switzerland, Canada and the UAE.

In recent years Hanoi and Singapore have reconstructed port facilities to accommodate USN aircraft carriers as well as carriers from Japan, UK, France and India -- but not for China and the PLA Navy that remains uninvited. In fact Hanoi reconstructed its naval base at Cam Ranh Bay on the South China Sea to accommodate friendly aircraft carriers and to store supplies and equipment. The Pentagon is currently arranging with the Phils to establish refueling and resupply bases there. The US-India CSP includes supply storage and access to all India military bases to include for operations against a third country.

France is the only European country to maintain a Pacific Naval Fleet to include conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations with the USN in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

 

[iguanaman]

Vietnam is actively trying to build up a domestic arms industry. They’ve been close Russian allies for decades, and the idea that a few helicopters would change that is rather silly.

Egypt, for example, is a case of a U.S. ally who routinely buys Russian equipment. Does that mean they are about to jump ship?

Russia-Vietnam Ties Are Set To Grow Following Lam's Eurasia Tour | RANE

Vietnam is strengthening its relationships with Eurasian countries, especially Russia, as it looks to further diversify economic and energy ties away from great powers amid an unstable geopolitical landscape.

worldview.stratfor.com

On the other hand, Vietnam and China have had tense relations for decades ever since the Vietnamese overthrew the Khmer Rouge(much to the U.S.’ fury)

LOL Russia can't supply any military aid to anyone due to all their own equipment being destroyed by Ukraine. Beside their stuff doesn't work either. The days of Russia selling military equipment are over forever. They can't even supply their own army. Vietnam has been growing weary of Russia for a decade due to their alliance with China who they see as their historic enemy. The enemy of your enemy is your friend and that is the US.

 

[Tigerace117]

LOL Russia can't supply any military aid to anyone due to all their own equipment being destroyed by Ukraine. Beside their stuff doesn't work either. The days of Russia selling military equipment are over forever. They can't even supply their own army. Vietnam has been growing weary of Russia for a decade due to their alliance with China who they see as their historic enemy. The enemy of your enemy is your friend and that is the US.

Except for the inconvenient fact Ukraine hasn’t even come close to doing anything of the sort.

All those wrecked Western Abrams tanks and other wunderwaffe sure say otherwise

Except that isn’t remotely true, as I already proved.

Oh, and America has spent the last decade proving over and over only a moron would trust it.

 

[Oozlefinch]

I think China would never go to war with Viet Nam

You forget 1979 already?

 

[Oozlefinch]

After seeing so much Russian shit get knocked out of the air by a military that isn't even in the Top 30 over the last couple of years, i'd stay away from their products too.

The performance in use against Ukraine.

The performance against the Coalitions twice against Iraq.

The performance against the US and Israel in Iran.

A hell of a lot of nations are now seriously questioning the actual capabilities of that cheap Russian and Chinese equipment.

 

[Tigerace117]

The performance in use against Ukraine.

The performance against the Coalitions twice against Iraq.

The performance against the US and Israel in Iran.

A hell of a lot of nations are now seriously questioning the actual capabilities of that cheap Russian and Chinese equipment.

Gee dude, trying to make an assessment of its performance based on the Iraqi military is rather dubious. After all, Iraqi Abrams tanks didn’t perform particularly well against ISIS in those early days either.

The U.S. and Israel failed to accomplish their supposed goals in Iran….pretty explicitly.

Ukraine’s western wunderwaffe have failed miserably to “change the game” against Russian equipment, with the Abrams in particular doing so poorly the Ukrainians don’t even really seem to want more.

 

[rhinefire]

You forget 1979 already?

You mean the 1979 attack by Chinese troops that killed an estimated 26.000 screaming Chinese before they tucked their tails and ran after one month??!! As I said China will never do it. Lesson learned. China added to the list of countries defeated by Ho Chi The Man Minh. Next?

 

[pedex]

Gee, their “Russian shit” sure did well against supposedly “best in the world” American planes when put to the test.

And air defense systems. Even Iran and Houthis demonstrated our technology isn't infallible.

 

[Oozlefinch]

You mean the 1979 attack by Chinese troops that killed an estimated 26.000 screaming Chinese before they tucked their tails and ran after one month??!!

They did not tuck tale. It was a punitive action, and they won every battle they were in. It was not a retreat, they departed in good order just as they invaded.

And you mention 26,000 losses. Western sources for the losses to Vietnam was over 30,000. And almost all of their military inventory including most of their armor and aircraft were also destroyed. Including over 150 F-5 fighters and 200 A-37 ground support fighters. They captured a significant percentage of the South Vietnamese Air Force when they took over in 1975, most of that was destroyed in 1979.

 

[rhinefire]

They did not tuck tale. It was a punitive action, and they won every battle they were in. It was not a retreat, they departed in good order just as they invaded.

And you mention 26,000 losses. Western sources for the losses to Vietnam was over 30,000. And almost all of their military inventory including most of their armor and aircraft were also destroyed. Including over 150 F-5 fighters and 200 A-37 ground support fighters. They captured a significant percentage of the South Vietnamese Air Force when they took over in 1975, most of that was destroyed in 1979.

You are hallucinating. 26,000 invaders killed not to mention wounded stats caused by an invasion. I thought invasions were uniquely planned to succeed but China failed and the Vietnamese achieved their goal. Your logic hedges toward saying America's cowardly abandonment of the southern cowards was an honorable departure.

 

[Fledermaus]

You are hallucinating. 26,000 invaders killed not to mention wounded stats caused by an invasion. I thought invasions were uniquely planned to succeed but China failed and the Vietnamese achieved their goal. Your logic hedges toward saying America's cowardly abandonment of the southern cowards was an honorable departure.

What do you imagine China's goals were?

 

[Tigerace117]

They did not tuck tale. It was a punitive action, and they won every battle they were in. It was not a retreat, they departed in good order just as they invaded.

And you mention 26,000 losses. Western sources for the losses to Vietnam was over 30,000. And almost all of their military inventory including most of their armor and aircraft were also destroyed. Including over 150 F-5 fighters and 200 A-37 ground support fighters. They captured a significant percentage of the South Vietnamese Air Force when they took over in 1975, most of that was destroyed in 1979.

Except for the inconvenient fact that the Chinese invaded to “punish” the Vietnamese for toppling the Khmer Rouge, and their objective of taking pressure off their Cambodian ally was not even remotely accomplished.

Furthermore, Western analysis pretty conclusively agreed that the PLA was outperformed by the Vietnamese, which makes your claims suspect at best.

 

[Oozlefinch]

You are hallucinating. 26,000 invaders killed not to mention wounded stats caused by an invasion. I thought invasions were uniquely planned to succeed but China failed and the Vietnamese achieved their goal. Your logic hedges toward saying America's cowardly abandonment of the southern cowards was an honorable departure.

Who said killed? I did not say killed. If you are going to try and turn what I say against me, actually use what I say. Do not make up your own claims then try to put them into my mouth. That is extremely dishonest, and damned close to lying.

 

[Oozlefinch]

What do you imagine China's goals were?

I do not think that rhinefire comprehends what a "punitive action" is.

It is kinda hard to even make any realistic claim if one does not understand the terminology.

But I can think of two other punitive actions since then that most should be aware of. First is Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986 after they conducted a bombing in West Berlin that killed two US servicemen. That resulted in a punitive raid by the US Air Force and Navy that destroyed multiple Libyan military facilities.

Then you have Operation Praying Mantis in 1988. After several ships were damaged or sunk by Iranian mines (including the USS Samuel B. Roberts FFG-58), the US conducted a series of punitive attacks on Iranian targets. And in the end destroying a significant part of the Iranian Navy with almost no losses.



I guess some simply can not comprehend why a nation would "spank" another, and not try to take over their territory or topple their government.

 

[rhinefire]

Who said killed? I did not say killed. If you are going to try and turn what I say against me, actually use what I say. Do not make up your own claims then try to put them into my mouth. That is extremely dishonest, and damned close to lying.

I said killed

 

[rhinefire]

What do you imagine China's goals were?

To prevent the overthrow of the Cambodian leader by Vietnamese.

 

[Oozlefinch]

To prevent the overthrow of the Cambodian leader by Vietnamese.

Oh my dear sweet lord, really? That is what you believe?

Democratic Kampuchea and the Khmer Rouge had already been overthrown in early January 1979.

As I already stated, it was a punitive war. In short it was punishing Vietnam for overthrowing the Khmer Rouge (in addition to multiple border incursions as well as part of the ongoing "Cold War" between the CCP and USSR). Not to prevent the overthrow of Kampuchea from happening, is had already been done.

You really do not know a damned thing about that conflict, that is clearly obvious.

You really should not try to make stuff up and try to pass it off as "real history". Some of us actually do know what happened, and know the timeline. Kinda hard to conduct a war to prevent something that had already happened almost a month before.

I guess you also believe that the US staged their oil embargo against Japan because of Pearl Harbor.

 

[rhinefire]

Oh my dear sweet lord, really? That is what you believe?

Democratic Kampuchea and the Khmer Rouge had already been overthrown in early January 1979.

As I already stated, it was a punitive war. In short it was punishing Vietnam for overthrowing the Khmer Rouge (in addition to multiple border incursions as well as part of the ongoing "Cold War" between the CCP and USSR). Not to prevent the overthrow of Kampuchea from happening, is had already been done.

You really do not know a damned thing about that conflict, that is clearly obvious.

You really should not try to make stuff up and try to pass it off as "real history". Some of us actually do know what happened, and know the timeline. Kinda hard to conduct a war to prevent something that had already happened almost a month before.

I guess you also believe that the US staged their oil embargo against Japan because of Pearl Harbor.

Garbage! You think you know what you don't.