Vietnam has begun construction of what it describes as the country’s largest and most advanced domestically made anti-submarine frigate, marking a significant step in its effort to expand national defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported military equipment.
The vessel is being built at the Defence Ministry’s Song Thu Shipyard in Da Nang City and is expected to incorporate weapons and military equipment that are largely developed or assembled domestically, according to the Quan Doi Nhan Dan military newspaper. The project brings together the navy, the shipyard and defence research and manufacturing organisations in an effort to develop and install the vessel’s weapons and equipment within Vietnam.
The construction programme reflects Hanoi’s broader policy of developing a defence industry described by the government as “autonomous, self-reliant, self-strengthening, dual-use and modern”. Vietnam has been seeking to strengthen its domestic defence capabilities while reducing its dependence on imported military hardware, much of which has historically been sourced from Russia.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of Vietnam’s longstanding maritime disputes with China and other claimants in the South China Sea. The country has been modernising its navy for decades, combining imported platforms with an expanding capacity to produce military vessels domestically.
Military-run telecommunications and technology group Viettel will work alongside other defence research and manufacturing units, the navy and Song Thu Shipyard during construction of the frigate. Their responsibilities will include work on the development and installation of weapons and other military equipment.
The emphasis on domestic production represents an effort to expand Vietnam’s ability to design, manufacture and integrate increasingly sophisticated military systems. Rather than relying exclusively on imported platforms, the project is intended to strengthen the country’s ability to support its naval forces through national research, manufacturing and technological capabilities.
Vietnam’s naval modernisation has previously included the acquisition of Russian-built Kilo-class submarines and Gepard-class frigates. At the same time, the country has expanded its fleet of domestically built missile boats and patrol vessels, creating a growing combination of imported and locally produced naval assets.
The new frigate adds another dimension to that modernisation effort by focusing specifically on anti-submarine capabilities. The military newspaper described it as the country’s largest and most advanced domestically made anti-submarine warship, although the report did not provide details of its dimensions, armament or operational specifications.
The project also forms part of Vietnam’s wider effort to develop and diversify its defence industry. Hanoi is seeking greater domestic production while broadening the sources from which it obtains military equipment.
That strategy is expected to feature prominently at the Vietnam International Defence Expo in Hanoi in December. The event will be the third edition of the biennial exhibition, which Vietnam is using as part of its efforts to promote domestic defence production and diversify its military equipment suppliers.
The construction of the frigate therefore represents more than the development of a single naval vessel. It is a test of Vietnam’s ability to combine shipbuilding, defence research, telecommunications technology and weapons production within a domestic industrial framework, while supporting a broader effort to make its armed forces less dependent on foreign suppliers.
