Updated 19 January 2025

VIDEX 2024

Vietnam remains a somewhat secretive country, at least from a military point of view. Outsiders have few opportunities to see kit belonging to the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), but the best chance to do so is at the biennial Vietnam International Defence Expo (VIDEX), of which the second edition was held in Hanoi from 19-22 December 2024. The venue is Gia Lam Air Base, an airfield belonging to Vietnam’s air force and which is situated within the city limits of the capital Hanoi. Late last year, King Arthur’s Writes attended this event for the first time.

Of interest, the US military had a significant presence at VIDEX 2024, bringing US Army equipment such as a Stryker armoured vehicle and M777A2 howitzer, whilst the US Air Force despatched a couple of A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and a C-130J Super Hercules. Why? And why were Western companies such as Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Rheinmetall and Thales all well represented? It is because the West is seeking to make inroads into Vietnam’s military market. There have been some successes already, such as several Airbus C295 transport aircraft and a dozen Beechcraft T-6C trainer aircraft, but Western companies are eagerly eyeing this market as it opens to the wider world.

Of course, most of these companies establishing their footprint for the first time will have to dislodge a well-entrenched Russia. Vietnam’s existence has always been predicated upon support from Moscow, and the vast majority of its equipment originated from the Soviet Union or Russia. Of course, that means much of it is now obsolete. Furthermore, Western companies and Russia must both contend with a fast-rising domestic defence industry within Vietnam itself. Most impressive at VIDEX 2024 was the company Viettel, actually owned by the nation’s military. At the Hanoi show, it displayed all manner of equipment, ranging from radars, electro-optics, drones, communications, systems, loitering munitions and even missiles.