Vietnam equips its Coast Guard vessels with 23mm-2ML cannons.
According to the Vietnam Coast Guard website, all Coast Guard vessels DN-2000 are now equipped with 23mm-2ML cannons and 14.5mm machine guns.
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| On June 17th, in Quang Ninh, the Coast Guard Command, in coordination with the Z133 Factory under the General Department of Engineering and Company 189 of the General Department of Defense Industry, successfully inspected and approved the 23mm-2ML cannon and 14.5mm machine gun on board the CSB 8001 vessel. |
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| According to publicly available information, prior to the CSB 8001, the DN-2000 class patrol vessels of the Vietnam Coast Guard, including 8002, 8004, and soon 8005, were all equipped with 23mm-2ML cannons and 14.5mm machine guns. |
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| The two 23mm-2ML gun systems and two 14.5mm guns on board the CSB DN-2000 vessel are robustly constructed, installed according to design specifications, and meet technical requirements. Before, during, and after firing, the guns on board were in good technical condition and operated correctly, with firing angle diagrams ensuring the safety of the ship's equipment. |
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| Based on the acceptance test results, Major General Nguyen Van Son also outlined the development direction for the 23mm-2ML cannon for future Coast Guard shipbuilding projects, in line with the trends of the 4.0 technological revolution. |
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| It is known that although it was the first ship of the DN-2000 class, CSB 8001 was one of the last ships to be equipped with a 23mm cannon among the four ships currently in service with the Vietnam Coast Guard. |
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| The 23mm-2 anti-aircraft guns (models 23-2M and 23-2ML) installed on Vietnamese Coast Guard vessels are derived from the 23mm Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft gun; they were brought onto the ships as naval guns with technical assistance from Israeli experts. |
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| These new generation 23mm cannons will gradually replace the older 2M-3 25mm cannons. This weapon has been successfully integrated onto TT-400 patrol boats before being widely deployed on DN-2000 vessels. |
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| Compared to the original ZU-23-2, the 23mm-2ML gun has been upgraded with an additional gunner's cabin and an electrically operated rotating platform instead of the usual manual mechanism. Furthermore, this new gun system can utilize an electric trigger or integrate an electro-optical aiming system. |
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| Compared to the 25mm 2M-3 cannon, the ZU-23-2 cannon, although having a smaller caliber, boasts a superior rate of fire (400 rounds/minute compared to 300 rounds/minute for the 2M-3), and the effective range of both cannons is comparable. |
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| However, the ZU-23-2's advantage over the 2M-3 lies in its upgrade capabilities and independent manufacturing of cannons and ammunition, as the supply of 25mm ammunition for the 2M-3 is currently limited. Production is only aimed at maintaining the weapon's combat effectiveness, not at mass production. |