The US is considering sending helicopters and drones to Vietnam to reduce its reliance on Russian arms.
Representatives from Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and other American defense firms recently met with top government officials to discuss potential deals, according to a report by Reuters.
The meeting comes amid Hanoi’s continuing search for foreign arms suppliers as Russia, its main military partner, experiences defense production woes due to sanctions brought on by its invasion of Ukraine.
Apart from helicopters and unmanned systems, the defense firms proposed non-lethal equipment, such as radars, to protect Vietnam’s air, sea, and space.
“This marks the beginning of a more open-minded Vietnam People’s Army to US weapons, and a willingness to engage deeper with the US in defense as a whole,” military expert and researcher Nguyen The Phuong said.
If the plan pushes through, contractors may face hurdles concerning the systems’ high cost and ability to be integrated with the Asian nation’s legacy weapons.
Turning Away From Russia
Earlier this month, Vietnam held its first-ever defense trade show to attract arms manufacturers and potentially sign new defense contracts.
The move is seen as the country’s way of turning away from Russia, which has reportedly supplied about 80 percent of its arsenal.
Dozens of defense companies from 30 countries participated in the event, hoping for a share of Hanoi’s $2-billion arms import budget.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh openly said the country wanted to diversify defense equipment procurement sources amid increasing tensions with China over the South China Sea.