List of equipment of the Vietnam People's Air Force

This is a list of equipment of the Vietnam Air Defence - Air Force. During the Cold War, it received equipment from the Soviet Union. After the Vietnam War, it also used equipment captured from South Vietnam which had been supplied by the United States. Russia became a supplier after the Cold War.

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Sukhoi Su-22	Fighter-bomber	Su-22M4 Su-22UM3K	16 9	Soviet Union	The Soviets transferred 70 Su-22s (including Su-22M-3R reconnaissance and Su-22UM versions) to Vietnam from 1981 to 1984.^[1] According to the Vietnam Air Force Air Defense newspaper, the A32 factory overhauled 20 aircraft from 2019 to 2024.^[2]
Sukhoi Su-27	Fighter	Su-27SK Su-27UBK	5 5	Russia	According to the Vietnam Air Force Air Defense newspaper, the A32 factory overhauled 5 aircraft from 2019 to 2024.^[2]
Sukhoi Su-30	Multirole	Su-30MK2	35	Russia	According to the Vietnam Air Force Air Defense newspaper, the A32 factory overhauled 4 aircraft from 2019 to 2024.^[2]

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Antonov An-2	Transport		6^[3]	Soviet Union
CASA C-212	Transport	NC-212i	3^[3]	Indonesia	The aircraft are equipped with MSS 6000 radar.
Airbus C295	Transport	C-295M	3^[3]^[4]	Spain

Image	Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
	Mil Mi-8	Utility	Mi-8 Mi-8MT^[5]	16^[3]	Soviet Union
	Mil Mi-17	Utility	Mi-17 Mi-17-1	6^[3] 8 (incl 4 SAR)^[3]	Russia

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Yakovlev Yak-130	Jet trainer Light multirole		10	Russia	According to publicly available documents from the media of Vietnam Air Force Air Defense Command, there is gradually researching and using the Yak-130 to fight enemy air attacks, and partake in Land-Air-Sea attack missions. One aircraft crashed in November 2024,^[6] another in January 2026.^[7]
Aero L-39 Albatros	Jet trainer	L-39 L-39NG	17^[3] 12^[8]	Czechslovak SR Czech Republic	Flight International reported 43 aircraft in inventory, and three ordered, in 2025.^[4]
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II	Trainer aircraft	T-6C Texan II	12^[9]	United States	According to Vietnamese sources, all 12 orders have been delivered.^[10]^[11]
Yakovlev Yak-52	Trainer aircraft		30^[12]^[13]	Soviet Union	According to the official Vietnamese press, the Yak-52 are still actively being used.^[14]

Image	Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
	M-96CT	Unmanned aerial vehicle	M-96CT M-96D		Vietnam	Used for air defence training.^[15]
	M-100CT	Unmanned aerial vehicle			Vietnam	Used for air defence training.^[15]

List of equipment of the Vietnam People's Air Force

Aircraft

Combat Aircraft

Transport

Helicopter

Trainer

Unmanned aerial vehicle

Air Defense

Surface-to-Air Defense

Anti-aircraft Artillery

Self-propelled anti-aircraft

Radar

Munition

Former

Combat Aircraft

Bomber

Maritime patrol

Transport

Helicopters

Trainer

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Air Defense

Anti-aircraft Artillery

Radar System

Development

Aircraft

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Munition

Surface-to-air missile

Procurement

Aircraft

Transport

Trainer

See also

References

Sources

Related Articles

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
S-300	Long range air defense and anti-ballistic missile system.	S-300PMU1	12 launchers	Russia	Two systems were acquired.^[17] Received upgrade to the command center and range of the missile. Said to be upgraded to S-300PMU2 standards. Factory A31 capable of domestically manufacturing spare and critical parts for SAM missile.
SPYDER	Medium range air defense system	SPYDER-MR	5^[18]-10 (approx.)^[3] systems	Israel	Five received in 2016–2018.^[18]
SA-2 Dvina	Short to medium range air defense system.	Volga S-75M/M3	~25 launchers	Soviet Union	~27 to 35 km range. The Volga S-75M/M3 air defense missile complex (modern version of SAM-2) uses 5IA23 missiles and is a High-altitude air defense system. All SAM-2 complex systems have been modernized. Able to domestically produce complexes and equipment. Factory A31 capable of domestically manufacturing spare and critical parts for SAM missile. Old missiles had certain analog parts replaced with digital systems.
S-125 Neva/Pechora	Short to medium range air defense system.	S-125TM Pechora-2TM S-125M Pechora-M S-125-VT	51 launchers	Soviet Union Vietnam (S-125-VT)	~35 km range. 30 S-125TM Pechora-2TM and 21 S-125M Pechora-M batteries as of 2024.^[19] The S-125-VT domestic modernized variant was reported to be in service in July 2024.^[20] Factory A31 capable of domestically manufacturing spare and critical parts for SAM missile. Old missiles had certain analog parts replaced with digital systems.
9K35 Strela-10	Short range air defense system.		20 launchers	Soviet Union	~10 km range. Still being used according to official Vietnamese newspaper from 2024, but not mentioned in the Military Balance of 2024.^[21]

Model	Type	Caliber	Variant	Origin	Notes
61-K	Autocannon	37 mm	Type 65	Soviet Union China Vietnam (partial production)	37 mm automatic anti-air autocannon. Modernized with a fire-control system and radar.
AZP S-60	Autocannon	57 mm		Soviet Union Vietnam (partial production)	57 mm automatic anti-air autocannon. The Vietnamese heavily upgraded the AZP S-60 by equipping it with a fire-control system with radar, optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment, an electromechanical gun control complex, and a digital firing element identification system connected to a computer. Has an LCD screen. The upgraded AZP S-60 can operate without a gunner, is fully automatic, and no longer needs to be manually reloaded.^[22] A part of the VPK-57 project. Fire-control system integrated with X-band AESA radar.
KS-19	Towed Anti-aircraft gun	100 mm		Soviet Union	Used during Vietnam war.^[23] Still in service according to Military Balance of 2024.^[24]

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
EL/M-2288	Long-range 3D air search radar^[26]	EL/M-2288 ER^[27]	2^[28]	Israel^[28]	Delivered in 2013.^[28]
Kasta 2E2	Low-altitude 3D air search radar^[29]	Kasta 2E2		Russia	Acquired in the 2000s.^[30]
Kolchuga	Passive radar		4	Ukraine	4 bought in 2008 for $27 million per unit.^[31] Entered service by 2022.^[32]
Nebo-SV^[33]	Mid-range 2D air search radar^[33]		2^[33]	Russia
Nebo-U		Nebo-UE^[33]	2^[33]	Russia
P-18	Acquisition radar^[34]	P18M^[35]		Soviet Union	Variant developed in Vietnam using technology from the Czech Republic.^[35]
RV-02^[36]	Anti-stealth radar^[36]			Vietnam	Vietnemese development of the Belarus-Vietnam RV-01.^[36]
VERA	Passive radar	VERA-NG	4^[37]	Czech Republic	Delivered from 2014 to 2016.^[37]
VRS-2DM^[35]	Low-altitude radar^[35]			Vietnam	Based on the P-19 radar. Developed by Viettel.^[35]
VRS-M2D^[38]	Medium-range radar^[38]			Vietnam	Produced by Viettel.^[38]

Image	Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Air-to-air Missile
	K-13 (AA-2)	Air-to-air missile		2,550	Soviet Union	Used by former MiG-21 and Su-22M4/UM3K. 1000 R-3S, 800 R-3R, and 750 R-13M missiles.^[39]
	R-60 (AA-8)	Air-to-air missile		400	Soviet Union	Used by Su-22M4/UM3K fighter-bombers.^[39]
	R-27 (AA-10)	Air-to-air missile		320	Russia Ukraine	Used by Su-30MK2 and Su-27SK/UBK fighters.^[40]^[41]
	R-73 (AA-11)	Air-to-air missile	R-73E	375	Russia	Used by Su-30MK2, Su-27SK/UBK and Yak-130. Short range missile.^[39]
	R-77 (AA-12)	Air-to-air missile	RVV-AE		Russia	RVV-AE is carried by Vietnamese Su-30MK2.^[42]
Air-to-surface Missile
	Kh-28 (AS-9)	Anti-radiation missile	Kh-28E	100^[43]	Soviet Union	Used by Su-22M4/UM3K fighter-bombers.^[44]
	Kh-25 (AS-10)	Air-to-surface missile Anti-radiation missile	Kh-25ML Kh-25TE Kh-25MR Kh-25MP	400^[45]	Russia
	Kh-59 (AS-13)	Air-to-surface missile		200	Russia	Kh-59 is carried by Vietnamese Su-30MK2.^[46]^[39]
	Kh-29 (AS-14)	Air-to-surface missile		100^[39]	Russia	Used by Su-30MK2, Su-27SK/UBK and Su-22M4/UM3K fighter-bombers ^[47]
	Kh-31 (AS-17)	Air-to-surface missile	Kh-31A Kh-31P	100	Russia	Kh-31 is carried by Vietnamese Su-30MK2.^[39]
Rocket
	S-5 rocket	Rocket			Soviet Union	S-5 is carried by Vietnamese Mi-8/17, Su-22 or L-39/L-39NG.^[48] Additionally, the S-5 is also used on Yak-130, but it is rarely used.^[49]
	S-8 rocket	Rocket			Soviet Union	S-8 is carried by Vietnamese Mi-8/17, Su-22 or L-39/L-39NG.^[48] Additionally, the S-8 is also used on Yak-130 or Su-27SK/UBK, Su-30MK2.^[50]
	S-13 rocket	Rocket			Soviet Union	S-13 is carried by Vietnamese Su-22, Yak-130 or Su-27SK/UBK, Su-30MK2. Additionally, the S-13 is also used on L-39/L-39NG, but it is rarely used.^[49]
Bomb
	KAB-500KR	Electro-optical TV-guided fire and forget bomb		200^[51]	Russia
	KAB-1500L	Laser-guided bomb		200^[51]	Russia
	OFAB-100-120	Aerial bomb			Soviet Union
	OFAB-250-270	Aerial bomb			Soviet Union
	P-100P Bomb	Training bomb		500	Indonesia	The type purchased is the P-100P practice variant used on Su-30.^[52]

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Shenyang J-6	Fighter		30^[53]	China	10 units per year delivered in 1970, 1971, and 1972.^[54]
Shenyang J-5	Fighter		10	China	The Vietnamese Air Force used J-5s alongside the Soviet supplied MiG-17s for interception missions until the 1990s when they were retired, along with the remaining MiG-19s, being replaced with newer MiG-21s and Su-27s.
MiG-21 Fishbed	Fighter	MiG-21bis MiG-21UM MiG-21PF MiG-21PFM MiG-21MF MiG-21F-13	645	Soviet Union	Retired from service in November 2015.^[55] Replaced with Su-22. The MiG-21 fleet has reserved in storage and some frames are still capable of flying. There are plans to turn these retired aircraft into UAVs.
MiG-19 Farmer	Fighter		30	Soviet Union	15 delivered in 1967; another 15 in 1973.^[56]
MiG-17 Fresco	Fighter	MiG17A MiG17P MiG17PF	367	Soviet Union	^[57]
MiG-15 Fagot	Fighter Trainer		3	Soviet Union
Northrop F-5	Light ground-attack Light fighter	F-5A F-5E	? (possibly 41 in 935th Fighter Regiment)	United States	114 possibly captured after Vietnam War, post 1975.^[58]^[59]^[60]
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly	Light ground-attack	A-37A A-37B	? (likely in the 1970s and 80s)	United States	95 possibly captured after Vietnam War, post 1975.^[61]

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Antonov An-26	Transport		~50^[64]	Soviet Union
Antonov An-24	Transport		7^[65]	Soviet Union
Beriev Be-12	Transport		6	Soviet Union	^[66]
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	Transport		7	United States	Captured during Vietnam War. Still serviced after 1975 and retired after 1980
Fairchild C-119	Transport		4	United States	Captured during Vietnam War.
de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou	STOL transport aircraft	C-7A		United States	Captured during Vietnam War.^[67]
Douglas C-47 Skytrain	Military transport aircraft			United States	Captured during Vietnam War.^[67]

Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Mil Mi-24	Attack helicopter	Mi-24A Mi-24D	~10^[68] ~30^[69]	Soviet Union	In 2012, Mi-24As reportedly equipped with American-made rockets from captured American/South Vietnamese stockpiles after the Vietnam War.^[70]
Mi-4	Transport		~10	Soviet Union	^[71]
Mi-6 Hook	Transport	Mil Mi-6	~15-26	Soviet Union	They were actively used during the Vietnam War to move aircraft at forward airstrips and also took part in delivering supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.^[72]
CH-47 Chinook	Transport	CH-47A	5	United States	Captured during Vietnam War.^[73]
UH-1 Iroquois	Utility	UH-1H	44	United States	Captured during Vietnam War.^[74]

Image	Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
	Aero L-29	Trainer			Czechoslovakia
	TL-1	Trainer			Vietnam	Designed and manufactured from 1984 - 1985. The TL-1 is said to be a 4 seater with side-by-side seating arrangement. The HL-1 is a 2 seater with tandem seating. The HL-2 is either a 2nd iteration of HL-1 or a new variation.^[75] Also, seen at the Vietnam People's Air Force Museum in Hanoi.

Image	Model	Type	Variant	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Small UVA
	ITAD M-400	Reconnaissance			Vietnam	No longer in service. Designed in 2001 and produced in 2005. Produced and developed by Viettel.^[76]

Image	Model	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
2D Radar
	P-18 radar	2D Very-high Frequency Radar		Soviet Union	May have been retired and replace by P18M radar.
	P-15 radar	2D Ultra-high Frequency Radar	+1	Soviet Union	It has been retired and replace by more powerful radars.^[77]
	P-35 radar	2D Medium-Long-range E/F-Band Radar		Soviet Union	It has been retired and replace by more powerful radars.^[77]
	P-14 radar	2D Very-high Frequency Radar		Soviet Union	It has been retired and replace by more powerful radars.^[77]
	P-12 radar	2D Very-high Frequency Radar		Soviet Union	It has been retired and replace by more powerful radars.^[77]

Image	Model	Type	Origin	Notes
MALE UVA
	HS-6L	MALE UAV	Belarus Vietnam	Jointly developed by Vietnam's Academy of Science and Technology with Belarus; completed in 2015 around November.^[78]^[79] Specs: Range: 4,000 km (claimed) Endurance: 35 hours Wingspan: 22 m
	UAV2-20	MALE UAV	Vietnam	Resembles MQ-9 Reaper drone. Certain parts painted in red.
	VU-MALE	MALE UAV	Vietnam	Multi-purpose UAV.^[80] Specs: Range: 1,000 km Endurance: 12 hours Operational features: Carry long range weaponry, high-precision weapons, and reconnaissance equipment
Small UVA
	ARP-A-1	Reconnaissance	Vietnam	Payload of 1–3 kg. Classified as AI drone. Produced and developed by Viettel.
	ARP-A-2	Reconnaissance	Vietnam	Payload of 3–7 kg. Classified as AI drone. Produced and developed by Viettel.