The Ministry of Public Security has established an Air Security force.

Prevent and address acts of terrorism or threats to flight security and safety.

Following the Government's issuance of Decree No. 92/2015/ND-CP on aviation security, the Ministry of Public Security leadership directed the Border Security Department (General Department of Security), now the Immigration Department, to take the lead in developing a plan for the organization and operation of the aviation security force. The Immigration Department coordinated with relevant ministries, agencies, and functional units to actively carry out the task and reported to the Minister of Public Security for approval of the plan in early 2020. They proactively recruited and developed a training plan for aviation security officers to be deployed on flights and routes, ensuring all requirements were met.

Accordingly, the Air Security Force is responsible for counter-terrorism, preventing and handling illegal interference, and ensuring security on flights of Vietnam Airlines. The Air Security Force is under the direct command of the Director of the Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security.

The Air Security Force is tasked with monitoring the situation related to aviation security; organizing and implementing operational measures to collect, synthesize, analyze, evaluate, and forecast information related to plots, methods, tactics, and acts threatening the security and safety of domestic and international flights of Vietnamese civil aviation. The Air Security Force advises and proposes to the Director of the Immigration Department policies, plans, and operational preventive measures to proactively detect, combat, prevent, and handle acts of terrorism or threats to flight security and safety; and decides on the deployment of Air Security Force on flights if there is a risk of illegal interference with aircraft in flight.

Air Security Forces are also responsible for coordinating with flight crews to handle situations involving illegal interference or independently handling sudden and unexpected situations that seriously threaten the security and safety of aircraft in flight. They are permitted to use weapons, support tools, force, and technical means... as prescribed by law to neutralize illegal interference on board aircraft. This force also cooperates with airlines and domestic and foreign authorities to resolve issues related to ensuring security on aircraft.

As a special task force within the People's Police.

Speaking at the ceremony, on behalf of the Central Public Security Party Committee and the Ministry of Public Security leadership, Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang affirmed: The establishment of the Air Security Department is an important milestone, demonstrating the development, maturity, and strength of the Immigration and Emigration Management force in general, and the Immigration and Emigration Department in particular. It also marks the birth of a core, professional force in aviation security protection, creating a foundation for the early development of aviation security work in a revolutionary, professional, elite, and modern direction.

The decision to establish the Air Security Department reflects the increasingly high demands of the Central Party Committee of Public Security and the Ministry of Public Security on the Party Committee, leaders, officers, and soldiers of the Immigration Department in the work of protecting aviation security. It requires the Party Committee, leaders of the Department, and the Air Security Department to uphold a high sense of responsibility, overcome all difficulties, and successfully complete the assigned tasks, gradually affirming the role and position of the core force protecting aviation security - Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang emphasized.

Regarding several key tasks, Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang requested the Immigration Department and the Air Security Division to urgently complete the remaining requirements regarding infrastructure, office space, and personnel to quickly stabilize the organization; finalize regulations, procedures, and work plans; actively coordinate with functional units of the Civil Aviation Authority to propose the deployment of security officers on flights in accordance with regulations and schedules. They should continue to research and propose improvements to the legal framework for the operation of the Air Security force; and coordinate in proposing the signing of agreements on air security deployment and cooperation with countries that have deployed air security officers.

"It is necessary to unify understanding that the Air Security force is a special task force within the People's Public Security, directly involved in counter-terrorism, preventing and handling illegal interference on civil flights, and deploying covert reconnaissance measures of the Public Security force to prevent, deter, and handle early and remote threats to aviation security," Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang emphasized.

The Deputy Minister requested that the Immigration Department prioritize the selection and development of a truly professional, elite, and modern air security force that is absolutely loyal to the Party and the people, possesses a strong sense of organizational discipline, is knowledgeable in law, and is proficient and sharp in professional skills and tactics for handling situations to meet requirements and tasks. The force needs to be highly proactive in studying the experiences of other countries, accurately assessing practical work to propose conditions to ensure the operational and combat capabilities of the air security force, aiming for modernization by 2025 in accordance with the Party and State's policies.

This also involves ensuring regular, close, and effective coordination between aviation security forces and other relevant forces within and outside the People's Public Security. Public security units and localities regularly exchange and coordinate information assessments, forecasting risks of illegal interference in civil aviation operations occurring on aircraft in flight; information on terrorists and suspected terrorists; and risks when flying to unstable or conflict-ridden countries and regions. Aviation security forces closely coordinate with other functional forces to ensure the security and order of flights; and continue to refine the theory of aviation security, contributing to the refinement of the theory of national security protection in the new situation.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang expressed confidence that, with its tradition as a Heroic Unit of the Armed Forces, the Immigration Department will gradually build the Air Security Division into a mature and strong organization, capable of fulfilling its nhiệm vụ, contributing to building a revolutionary, professional, elite, and modern People's Public Security force in general, and the Immigration Department in particular, firmly protecting national security and social order.

Speaking at the ceremony, Major General Quach Huy Hoang, Director of the Immigration Department, affirmed that the Party Committee, the Department's leadership, and the entire leadership and officers and soldiers of the Air Security Division are determined to promote the spirit of unity, resourcefulness, creativity, and proactive research and proposal for the implementation of various aspects of work; learn from the experiences of countries that have implemented air security, especially Poland, South Korea, and the United States; and propose the equipping of fully modern means and equipment to serve the training of air security officers to meet the requirements and assigned tasks.