Vietnam’s People’s Air Force (VPAF) has officially received its first batch of Beechcraft T-6C Texan II trainer aircraft from the United States, marking a key moment in its military history.
The delivery, which took place on November 20, includes five of the twelve aircraft that are scheduled for delivery by 2025. This is the first time since the end of the Vietnam War that the country has inducted US-made fixed-wing aircraft into its arsenal.
The handover ceremony took place at the Phan Thiet military airport in central Binh Thuan province. US Ambassador Marc Knapper and US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kevin B. Schneider joined Vietnam’s Air Defense Air Force (ADAF) Commander Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien.
The arrival of the T-6C Texan II trainers is seen as a milestone in the growing bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Vietnam.
The US Air Force highlighted in a statement that the delivery of these aircraft is a significant achievement for both nations. “The delivery signifies a milestone for the US Air Force and the Vietnam ADAF,” the statement read. The remaining seven T-6C aircraft are expected to arrive by 2025.
The five T-6C trainers departed from the United States earlier in November, flying via Europe and the Middle East before arriving in Vietnam. According to the flight-tracking data from Flightradar24, the first aircraft landed in Vietnam on November 18 after a brief stopover in Bangkok.
The T-6C aircraft will be stationed with the 920 Regiment at Phan Thiet military airport, which is located on the coast east of Ho Chi Minh City.
“The arrival of the first T-6 aircraft to the Vietnam Air Defence Air Force represents the promise we made to assist in your air force modernization efforts,” General Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, said. “This moment reflects our shared commitment to peace and the rule of law in the region.”
ADAF Commander Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien noted that the T-6C aircraft would play a crucial role in the training and readiness of Vietnamese pilots.
He said the aircraft would improve the country’s military capabilities and mission preparedness while strengthening interoperability with the United States.
“In the coming time, Vietnam side commits to collaborate with the US side in exploiting and utilizing T-6C aircraft in the most effective manner, to serve as a basis for the training and assigning tasks in Vietnam Air Defense Air Force,” General Nguyen Van Hien added.
Vietnam’s Shift Toward US-Made Aircraft
After the end of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese Air Force operated a mix of Western aircraft, which were seized from South Vietnam’s military during the conflict. However, the acquisition of the Beechcraft T-6C Texan II is the first time the country has directly purchased US-made aircraft.
In 2021, Vietnam ordered 12 new T-6C Texan II aircraft, a variant of the T-6 trainer aircraft. This acquisition has been widely viewed as a major step forward for Vietnam’s air force modernization and a sign of the country’s increasing efforts to diversify its military relationships.
The thawing of relations between the US and Vietnam has played an important role in this shift. In 2016, Washington lifted its ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam, opening the door for deeper defense cooperation.
At Vietnam’s inaugural defense expo in December 2022, former US Ambassador Marc Knapper reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s efforts to modernize its military and integrate more advanced technologies.
He highlighted the US’s intention to assist Vietnam in diversifying its defense capabilities, a sentiment that laid the groundwork for the T-6C deal.
Vietnam’s defense industry has traditionally been closely tied to Russia, with most of its aircraft being supplied by the Soviet Union and, later, Russia. The Vietnamese Air Force currently operates 35 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and over 30 older Sukhoi Su-22s.
In 2019, Vietnam also purchased twelve Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia. However, earlier this month, a Yak-130 crashed in Binh Dinh province, though the two pilots managed to eject and survive.
At the time of the Yak-130’s purchase, there was speculation that Vietnam might seek to acquire more advanced Russian fighters, including the Sukhoi Su-35S multirole aircraft.
Reports indicated that the two countries were in talks to finalize an arms deal worth around US$1 billion, which could have included up to 12 of these 4++ generation fighters. However, this potential deal never materialized, and the talks were eventually abandoned.
In October 2023, fresh reports surfaced stating that Vietnam was exploring the possibility of acquiring F-16 fighter jets from the United States following the strengthening of bilateral defense ties between the two countries.
This has led analysts to suggest that purchasing the Beechcraft T-6C Texan II may be a precursor to further US-made acquisitions, particularly the F-16, as Vietnam modernizes its air force.
The T-6 Texan II, a single-engine turboprop trainer aircraft, is commonly used by the US Air Force to train pilots for advanced fighter jets like the F-16.
This acquisition signals a potential future shift toward more advanced, Western-made fighters as Vietnam seeks to enhance its defense capabilities and reduce its reliance on Soviet-era equipment.
US Increases Corporation With Southeast Asia
For the past two decades, Russia has been the largest arms supplier to Southeast Asia, with exports totaling nearly US$11 billion. Traditionally, Russia’s military equipment was favored by countries in the region due to its affordability, flexible payment terms, and the fact that it did not impose human rights considerations on contracts.
However, this once-dominant position is now facing significant challenges as buying Russian weapons has become riskier.
Experts predict that Russian arms sales to Southeast Asia are expected to decline due to the impact of international sanctions on Russia and the tarnished reputation of its military equipment, particularly following its poor performance on the battlefield in Ukraine.
As a result, Russia’s once-secure foothold in the region is eroding, with China increasingly stepping in to fill the void.
In response, the United States has ramped up its efforts to counterbalance China’s growing presence, offering a range of advanced military technology and fostering closer defense relationships with Southeast Asian nations.
US continue to collaborate on issues such as maritime security while working on a new action plan for the US-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, set to guide relations from 2026 to 2030.
Moreover, in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, US officials have increased multilateral law enforcement training for Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia and Thailand, using the Philippines as a hub in collaboration with Japan.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is not alone in reconsidering its defense procurement options. In 2014, Russia offered its Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to Indonesia to replace the country’s aging fleet of F-5E Tiger IIs.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense initially favored the Su-35, signing a US$1.14 billion deal with Russia in February 2018 for 11 aircraft. The deal was expected to deliver the first batch of jets in October 2018, but delays pushed the delivery to 2019.
However, the growing pressure from the United States and fears of potential sanctions led Indonesia to back away from the deal. In 2021, Indonesia formally abandoned its plans to purchase the Su-35 from Russia.
Instead, in August 2023, the Indonesian government announced plans to procure around 24 F-15 Eagle fighter jets from US defense giant Boeing, signaling a shift towards Western military technology.
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