For the first time, officially communist Vietnam has taken delivery five T6-C Texan trainer aircraft from the US. Seven more are on order.
According to a report in the Eurasia Times, this acquisition could put Vietnam in line to buy F-16 jets from the US, of which there have been reports since October last year. The Texan trainer is commonly used by the US Air Force to train pilots for advanced jets like the F-16.
Vietnam has until now bought only Russian military hardware and its air force is known to deploy 35 SU-30 fighter jets and older Su-22s. There were also reports that Vietnam was in talks with Russia to buy the more advanced SU35S multi-role aircraft for as much as a billion dollars. But nothing happened.
The Eurasia Times report says Vietnam may be signalling “a potential shift towards more advanced, Western-made fighters as Vietnam seeks to enhance its defence capabilities and reduce its reliance on Soviet-era equipment.”
In 2016 the US lifted the ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam, and at Vietnam’s inaugural defence expo in December 2022, former US Ambassador Marc Knapper indicated they fully supported Vietnam’s effort to modernise its military and integrate more advanced technologies.
Buying Russian weapons may also be riskier given international sanctions on Moscow for the Ukraine war.
As a result, Eurasia Times says “Russia’s once secure foothold in the region is eroding with China increasingly stepping in to fill the void. In response the US has ramped up its efforts …. offering a range of advanced military technology and fostering clsoer defence relationships with Southeast Asian nations.”
In August 2023, Indonesia announced plans to buy 24 US F-15 Eagle fighters from Boeing, abandoning plans to invest in the Russian Su-35. Acquisition of more US hardware may be under consideration as Jakarta girds for more confrontation with China on the high seas.
