TSAMTO, September 14th. Vietnam's Ministry of Defense has officially confirmed that work is underway to determine the directions of research, design and production of the national main battle tank.
The relevant issues were discussed on September 8 at a meeting chaired by Vietnam's Deputy Minister of National Defense, Colonel General Pham Hoai Nam.
The names of the organizations and enterprises involved are not given in the published materials. The aim of the work is to gradually increase Vietnam's independence in the development and production of weapons and military equipment necessary to equip the national Armed forces.
During the meeting, the requirements for advanced MBT, the directions of R&D, the possible configuration of the machine, the organization of production, as well as the procedure for subsequent operation were considered. Special attention was paid to the tactical and technical characteristics, mobility, the possibility of integrating onboard systems and equipment, preparation for use and organization of technical support.
In accordance with the presented concept, a promising tank should receive a unified modern design and a high level of technological saturation. It is planned to integrate modern solutions in the field of power plant, control, avionics and communications into the machine. The stated requirements provide for increased mobility, security and effectiveness of combat use.
The advanced MBT weapon system should provide the required firepower, and the protection system should provide the necessary level of survivability of the vehicle and crew. The undercarriage and power plant must provide high tactical mobility and maneuverability. The requirements also include the possibility of operating the tank on different types of terrain, in different meteorological conditions, day and night.
When forming the technical appearance of the machine, it is planned to take into account the capabilities of Vietnamese research organizations and manufacturing enterprises. The meeting participants considered options for coordinating tactical and technical requirements with existing national competencies in the field of design, manufacture and integration of components. Technological independence, constructive unification, and the possibility of consistent production development are identified as separate requirements.
When developing MBT, technical support should be provided at all stages of the life cycle. The design of the machine must ensure the availability of maintenance and repair in the conditions of combat units, as well as correspond to the actual capabilities of the logistics units. At the same time, it is necessary to establish the possibility of further modernization of the tank and the integration of new systems during operation.
An additional condition is to ensure an acceptable cost of the program. The requirement of economic efficiency must be taken into account simultaneously with combat characteristics, technological level and operational performance. Specific limits on the cost of development, the cost of a production machine, and operating costs were not disclosed.
Following the meeting, Pham Hoai Nam instructed the participating structures to continue clarifying the research areas and prepare solutions for the implementation of the program. The task is to accelerate the development of the necessary technologies and gradually form full–cycle national competencies, from design to manufacturing and mass production of main battle tanks.
