The Prime Minister visits and extends New Year greetings to officers and soldiers of Naval Unit 681.

This is a new combat unit of the Navy operating the world's most advanced coastal anti-ship missile system.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2013 (Year of the Snake), on the morning of February 18th, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited, extended New Year greetings, and worked in Binh Thuan province. The Prime Minister inspected the duty roster and combat readiness training of the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment in Tien Thanh commune, Phan Thiet city. This is a newly established combat unit of the Navy, but it manages and operates one of the most modern coastal anti-ship missile systems in the world today.

The Prime Minister visits and extends New Year greetings to the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment.

Established on August 23, 2006, the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment is tasked with, along with the Navy and other forces, firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands, and continental shelf along the central and southern coasts within a 300km firing range. With this mission, the 681st Regiment is equipped with the "Bastion" Coastal Missile System and the "Monolit B" air and sea observation radar system. This is the most modern missile system in Vietnam and the region, and also one of the most modern coastal anti-ship missile systems in the world today. The weapons in the "Bastion" system are "Iakhont" cruise missiles used to destroy individual ships or groups of ships such as attack ships, escort ships, and landing ships. These missiles have a range of 300 km. The maximum flight altitude is 14,000 m and the cruising altitude is 10-15 m above sea level with a maximum speed of 750 m/second. Due to its high speed and low cruising altitude, to date no system has been able to intercept this type of missile…

Inspecting the duty roster and combat readiness training of the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung commended and highly appreciated the achievements of the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment, especially its efforts in building a strong unit, successfully completing assigned tasks, quickly receiving, operating, and conducting combat readiness training scenarios with modern weapons, contributing to building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern naval force. The 681st Coastal Missile Regiment has also done well in building barracks and taking care of and improving the lives of officers and soldiers.

The most modern coastal anti-ship weapon system in the world today.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his wish that the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment in particular, and the Navy in general, would uphold their heroic traditions, continue to research, master, and effectively utilize modern equipment and weaponry, contributing to enhancing defense capabilities and self-defense strength to maintain independence and firmly protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The Prime Minister stated: The top priority of the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment is to maintain a high level of vigilance, firmly grasp the situation, and avoid being caught off guard in any situation, while simultaneously doing a good job of training and maintaining a high level of combat readiness with practical combat plans to ensure victory in any situation… Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also requested the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment to further improve Party building and the building of a clean and strong unit; strengthen political and ideological education among officers and soldiers, and ensure absolute loyalty to the Fatherland and the people. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed: The Party, State, and Government have been, are, and will continue to care for and improve the material and spiritual lives of officers and soldiers in the army, ensuring they can work with peace of mind and excellently fulfill all assigned tasks. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Snake, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent his greetings and best wishes to the officers and soldiers of the 681st Coastal Missile Regiment, the Navy in particular, and the entire armed forces in general, wishing them a new year of health, happiness, and success.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visits the Duc Thanh School historical site - where President Ho Chi Minh lived and taught.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited and offered incense to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Museum - Binh Thuan branch and the Duc Thanh School historical site where President Ho Chi Minh stayed and taught in 1910 before going to Saigon to embark on his journey to find a way to save the country. Writing in the guestbook at the Duc Thanh School historical site, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung wrote: "I pledge to study and follow the example of President Ho Chi Minh's thoughts and morals."

Also this morning, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung inspected the Quao River irrigation project. With a capacity of 73 million cubic meters of water, this project is currently supplying water to more than 8,000 hectares in Ham Thuan Bac district and Phan Thiet city of Binh Thuan province.

According to (vov.vn) - LT