Naval News – At Vietnam’s second ever international defence exhibition –VIDEX 2024, held at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi from 19-22 December 2024 – the country’s most prominent defence company Viettel showed off its new VCS-01 Truong Son coastal defence missile system now operational with the Vietnam People’s Navy.

US Naval War College Review – Vietnam’s policy of nonentanglement called the “Four Nos”—intended to hedge against China’s political, economic, and military strength—is challenged by Beijing’s increasing aggression and maximalist claims in the South China Sea, opening opportunities for U.S. policy in the region.

War on the Rocks – Vietnam has been busy. In recent months, it has exponentially expanded the size of several features it controls in the Spratly Islands, including Barque Canada Reef, Namyit Island, Pearson Reef, and Discovery Great Reef. China appears to have allowed these expansion efforts to occur largely unmolested. And yet, elsewhere in the Spratlys at Second Thomas Shoal, Beijing is preventing the Philippines from supplying food, water, and limited building supplies to the handful of Filipino personnel on the Sierra Madre, a Philippine Navy ship grounded at the shoal in 1999. Why have Chinese leaders chosen to take such a hard line against resupply efforts by the Philippines while permitting Vietnam’s large-scale island building at multiple nearby features?

CIMSEC – In recent years, China has deployed grey zone tactics, such as utilizing micro-aggressive measures such as maritime militia and the deployment of survey vessels to enforce its claims. Vietnam, as one of the major claimants involved, has been a frequent target of these tactics. With only weak, symbolic reactions to China’s aggression, Vietnam is without a proactive or effective strategy to fight back. There are policies that Vietnam should adopt, but at the heart of these policies is the need for more international cooperation in resolving the issues linked to China’s strategy.

– Global Times – Vietnamese fishing boats have been increasingly intruding into Chinese territorial waters near Hainan Island and Guangdong Province, both are home to many Chinese military bases.

– Washington Free Beacon – State Department warns Chinese to end ‘bullying’ toward oil and gas search.

– USNI News – The U.S. Coast Guard transferred a Hamilton-class cutter to the Vietnam Coast Guard during a Thursday ceremony in Hawaii.

– US Naval War College Review – This article examines Vietnam’s geostrategic circumstances to understand better its choice of a sea-denial strategy. Hanoi’s current achievements in building its sea-denial capability, as well as the characteristics and limitations of that capability, are reviewed. Finally, as the United States and its allies vis-à-vis China increase their military presence in the South China Sea, the article discusses the effects of Vietnam’s sea-denial strategy and the country’s relevant military capabilities on the geostrategic situation.

– Breaking Defense – In many ways, today marks the final exorcism of the Vietnam War as America turns to the much greater challenge of a rising, militarizing China — and as Hanoi seeks just enough US help to balance Beijing without provoking it.

– CIMSEC – On 2 May, the French amphibious assault ship FS Tonnerre arrived in the Cam Ranh International Port (CRIP) for a four day visit. It was the third international visit to the newly established CRIP, nee Cam Ranh Bay, following the mid-March visit of a Singaporean naval vessel and a mid-April visit by two Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force ships. These three visits reflect Vietnam’s strategic interests, most importantly, the development of an omni-directional foreign policy. While much attention will be paid to President Obama’s visit to Vietnam this month, it is important to note both how far bilateral relations have come, but also how much they are only a piece of Vietnam’s overall strategic framework.

– The Diplomat – New subs might not be enough for Vietnam to defend its South China Sea claims.

– The Diplomat – Another one of Hanoi’s six Kilo-class subs arrives.

– USNI News – A U.S. guided missile destroyer and Littoral Combat Ship have arrived in Da Nang to conduct a series of low-level exercises with the Vietnamese People’s Navy.

– USNI News – The third Project-636 Kilo-class has arrived in Vietnam, marking the halfway point in the Vietnamese Navy’s planned six boat, $1.8 to 2 billion deal with Russia.

– Want China Times – Vietnam’s recent acquisition of three new 636MV attack submarines has cast the spotlight on the burgeoning regional submarine race in the South China Sea.

– USNI News – Vietnam’s Vice Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh told Reuters on Monday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that the country expects to receive patrol boats from Japan early next year.

– BBC – Vietnamese naval ships and Chinese vessels have collided in the South China Sea, Vietnamese officials say. The incident happened as the Vietnamese navy was trying to prevent the Chinese from setting up an oil rig in an area claimed by both nations.

– War is Boring – Under the waves, the Pacific is becoming a very dangerous place—and that could be good for peace.

– The Diplomat – ASEAN countries are looking to bolster their submarine fleets, but this is not an arms race.

– USNI News – Vietnam has taken delivery of the first of a planned six Project-636 Kilo-class submarines from Russia.

– The Diplomat – By the end of this year the naval balance of power in the South China Sea will begin to alter when Vietnam takes delivery of its first Kilo-class fast attack submarines.

– Associated Press – Vietnam kicked off a weeklong naval exchange Monday with the U.S. Navy, with the former battlefield enemies cooperating amid percolating tensions in the South China Sea with Beijing.