US to deliver 3 more T-6 aircraft to Vietnam

Between March and June, the first three T- 6 aircraft will be delivered. US military officials told CNA that the remaining T- 6 aircraft will be delivered to Vietnam between 2024 and 2027.

The Coast Guard is expected to deliver the military ScanEagle UAVs to Vietnam when it completes training on drone operations.

The US has provided Vietnam with two decommissioned Hamilton-class cutters to increase Vietnam's capacity to patrol the disputed South China Sea. The US said that talks are under way for the transfer of the third Hamilton-class cutter to Vietnam.

Experts said Vietnam's purchase of American pilot trainer aircraft would open the possibility for Vietnam to buy American jet fighters in the future.

Brigadier General Sarah Russ, a representative for the US Department of Defence, told CNA that we gladly entertain the interests to secure other aircraft - currently we don't have any other types of sales this time.

The US has a large contingent at the expo with about 10 exhibitors - more than double the number of Russian exhibitors.

American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is presenting its multi-mission C-130 J Super Hercules, F-16 Multi-role Fighter Jet and Sikorsky S 70 BLACK HAWK in Hanoi.

Lockheed Martin is glad to participate in the event and looks forward to being a part of the defence and security conversation in Vietnam and the rest of the region, the company told CNA via email.

The defence trade show, which attracted more than 170 manufacturers from 30 countries, is the first large-scale expo of its kind in Vietnam as the country seeks to diversify its supply of weapons.

It will be very hard to fulfil our duties in defence industrial production, as well as protecting our country, if we depend on one country or region for defence material or equipment, said Major General Nguyen Viet Hung, Deputy Political Commissioner of Vietnam's General Department of Defence Industry.

He said Russia's war in Ukraine had a great impact on the supply chain of materials for defence industries.

Russia is typically Southeast Asia's largest arms supplier, with exports totalling nearly US $11 billion over the past two decades.