Korean weapons - Vietnam's new choice

Ranked in the top 10 in defense technology in the world, Korean products are increasingly penetrating international markets, including Vietnam.

Meet all needs

In recent years, South Korea has secured a number of notable arms export deals. Currently, India is considering importing 100 K-9 155 mm self-propelled howitzers from South Korea at a cost of about $7.5 million, which will be manufactured under license from South Korea.

Previously, in 2004, Türkiye signed a contract to buy K-9 artillery from South Korea, worth $1 billion, becoming the first foreign customer of this type of artillery. Türkiye was granted a production license.

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has ordered 12 FA-50 light fighters from South Korea. The contract was signed in 2013 and is worth more than $402 million. The Philippines received its first batch of two FA-50s at the end of November 2015; the contract will be completed in 2017.

Philippine FA-50 aircraft.

A potential export weapon of South Korea is the Chang Bogo-class conventional submarine, a variant of the German Type 209/1200 submarine (South Korea bought the production license), with a displacement of 1,200 - 1,400 tons.

South Korea has also built a more modern Type 214 submarine under license from Germany, called the Chang Bogo 2 class, displacing 1,800 tons. This type of submarine was built at the Daewoo shipyard, the first of which was delivered to the South Korean Navy in 2006. The Chang Bogo 2 is equipped with an AIP system, and can operate continuously at sea for 50 days.

South Korea plans to build more advanced versions of its submarines, and there are even reports that it may build nuclear submarines. Seoul aims to build a strong submarine fleet by 2030.

In December 2011, Indonesia signed a contract to buy three submarines from DSME, worth a total of $1.07 billion. These submarines will be completed and delivered in 2018, 100% designed and manufactured by DSME. DSME will also provide the design and materials for the submarines.

In addition, the KDX-1 stealth missile frigate is a multi-purpose missile frigate of the Korean DSME Corporation, which can perform missions such as patrol, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air. This is also a naval equipment with export potential.

Weapons Vietnam will buy

With the diversity of Korean products, customers have many different choices. According to the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, Vietnam has had meetings with Korea since 2012 to expand cooperation in the field of arms export.

According to this information, the main content of the working sessions between the two sides was to discuss the purchase of FA-50 light fighter aircraft, a product of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). However, since then, this information has hardly been mentioned in the Korean press.

The FA-50 is a combat variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer aircraft. The FA-50 development program was closely coordinated between KAI and Lockheed Martin (USA), and the aircraft uses some designs from the famous American fighter F-16.

The FA-50 is equipped with an advanced EL/M-2032 fire control radar system (made in Israel) with a range of up to 150km. The FA-50 is equipped with a General Electric F404 turbofan engine that allows it to reach a maximum speed of 1,400-1,500km/h, a combat radius of over 900km, and a ceiling of over 16,000m.

The FA-50 is designed with a 20mm 3-barreled cannon in the fuselage and 7 hardpoints on the wings and fuselage that can carry: AIM-9, AIM-120 air-to-air missiles; AGM-65 ground-to-air missiles; MK-82/83/84 conventional bombs; guided bombs.

With its versatility, the FA-50 is a worthy replacement for the legendary MiG-21 fleet of the retired Vietnam Air Force.

According to Batdatviet