Vietnam Begins Building Largest Domestically Made Frigate
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- Vietnam started construction on its largest and most advanced domestically made anti-submarine frigate at the defence ministry's Song Thu Shipyard in Danang City, according to the military-run Quan Doi Nhan Dan newspaper (Aug 10).
- Viettel, the military-run telecoms and technology group, will work with the navy and Song Thu — alongside other defence research and manufacturing units — on the vessel's construction and the development and installation of its weapons and equipment.
- The project is framed by the Vietnamese government as part of its defence industry policy of being "autonomous, self-reliant, self-strengthening, dual-use and modern."
- Vietnam's navy has historically relied on Russian-built hardware — including Kilo-class submarines and Gepard-class frigates — while building out a growing fleet of domestically produced missile boats and patrol vessels.
- Vietnam will host the third Vietnam International Defence Expo in Hanoi in December as it works to boost domestic defence production and diversify its sources of military equipment.
Why it matters: Vietnam's construction of its largest domestic anti-submarine warship — with Viettel and local firms handling weapons integration — marks a concrete step away from its historical reliance on Russian platforms amid long-running South China Sea disputes with China. The December defence expo doubles as a sales pitch to international buyers as Hanoi tries to diversify equipment sources.
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