TSAMTO, October 2. Textron Aviation Defense LLc (Wichita, pc.Kansas) signed a second contract worth $31 million for the supply of three T-6C Texan-2 training aircraft to the Vietnamese Air Force.
Recall that the commander of the US Air Force in the Pacific Region (PACAF), General Ken Wilsbach, said on June 4, 2021, that the US Air Force Command had agreed to supply Vietnam with T-6 Texan-2 training / light combat aircraft.
Later it became known that Hanoi will receive a total of 12 TCB T-6 "Texan-2". Delivery of aircraft is expected in the period from 2024 to 2027: the first three TCB – in the first quarter of 2024, two or three more units. – until the end of 2024, steel – in 2027. The new aircraft will replace the outdated Yak-52.
The procurement format is carried out within the framework of the procedure regulated by the Foreign Military Sales program, but the financing of the transaction is carried out not by the customer, but by the US government.
The US Department of Defense announced the signing by the US Air Force Command with Textron Aviation Defense of the first contract for the supply of T-6C aircraft to Vietnam on August 12, 2021. The cost of the order was $43.84 million.
The contract provided for the purchase, supply and support of three T-6C aircraft, including ground support equipment, two spare engines, spare parts, individual life support equipment, external fuel tanks and pylons, air support and support. Works under the contract will be performed at the enterprise in Wichita (pcs.Kansas) and should be completed by September 30, 2024.
It was reported that this program will be Vietnam's largest purchase of military products in the United States since Washington completely lifted the arms embargo against Hanoi in 2016.
The U.S. Air Force's program to deliver the T-6 to Vietnam is likely to be supported by American aid programs. In recent years, the US government has increased financial assistance to Vietnam through such mechanisms as the Foreign Military Financing Program (FMF), the Maritime Security Initiative in Southeast Asia and the Maritime Security Initiative in the Indo-Pacific Region as part of Washington's strategy to strengthen its position in the Indo-Pacific region.
Since the US government completely lifted the embargo on the sale of military products to Vietnam in May 2016, these financing mechanisms (mainly FMF) stimulate the purchase of American weapons by Hanoi. These included two Hamilton-class patrol boats from the US Coast Guard, six Insitu ScanIgl UAVs and 24 Metal Shark high-speed patrol boats, the last six of which were delivered in May 2020.
Last week it became known that the United States and Vietnam are negotiating another major package agreement on the purchase of weapons, which will be implemented in 2024, including the sale of a squadron of F-16 fighter jets.
According to Janes All the World's Aircraft: Development & Production, the Texan-2 T-6C is an export version of the T-6B aircraft, equipped with an integrated glass cabin and modern avionics, including a collimator indicator, a control panel at the top of the dashboard, three-color multifunction displays, controls made according to the HOTAS concept. It differs from the standard T-6B in that it is equipped with a wing with suspension points for installing additional fuel tanks. The first flight of the T-6S took place in July 2010.
