Chinese expert: Vietnam can buy American landing ships and Apache helicopters

Colonel Du Wenlong, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, said that if the US lifts the arms embargo, Vietnam could buy A-10 attack aircraft and AH-64 armed helicopters.

US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. (Illustration photo)

In an interview with CCTV, Colonel Du Wenlong, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, assessed that in the future, when the United States lifts the ban on selling lethal weapons to Vietnam, Vietnam will need deterrent weapons and equipment to equip its air force and navy to improve its combat capabilities in the air and at sea.

Do Van Long believes that Vietnam needs two types of weapons equipment from the United States in the immediate future: first, equipment that can help protect its rights and interests, and second, weapons equipment to equip forces such as the air force and navy across the country to create a deterrent.

Long noted that Vietnam is looking to acquire weapons for its air force, navy and amphibious equipment. Most of the helicopters that Vietnam is currently using are from World War II or were spoils of war from the US in the 1970s such as the UH-1. If Vietnam is equipped with A-10 attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache armed helicopters, Vietnam will be able to accurately control targets as well as enhance and improve its reconnaissance and target detection capabilities in the East Sea.

In addition, due to the special need for landing ships of the Vietnamese army to improve its assault and landing capabilities, Vietnam may equip old landing ships from the US such as Wasp-class landing ships, or other types of landing ships and vehicles, along with the purchase of additional weapons and equipment from the United States, the combat capabilities of the Vietnamese army will be greatly improved. Vietnam may also purchase radar systems, such as maritime surveillance radar systems, reconnaissance and early warning, maritime surveillance radar systems and through a series of remote monitoring and early warning, improve maritime in the East Sea and aerial reconnaissance capabilities.

According to Soha