Viettel High Technology Industries, a division of the Vietnamese government-owned Viettel Group, appeared at Defense & Security 2023 for the very first time. In fact, this is the first time that Asian Military Review has witnessed the technology and telecom company at any Asian defence show.
Prior to the Bangkok show, Viettel had exhibited at MSPO in Poland. These appearances are evidence of a more extroverted attitude in Vietnam towards engaging with foreign partners and developing potential customers.
Viettel achieved $12.2 billion in revenue in 2021, from which it earned a profit of $1.8 billion. This made it Vietnam’s biggest company and the highest-value telecommunications brand in all of Southeast Asia.
Nguyen Vu Ha, general director of Viettel High Tech, said: “We have taken the opportunity to represent Vietnamese defence industry companies at this event due to the immense potential in this field. Our primary objective is to secure contracts and expand our product exports.”
The Vietnam pavilion measures nearly 100m², and it contains some 60 different products. Viettel High Tech presented communications, electronic warfare, simulation models, electro-optics, radars, command-and-control systems, UAVs and private networks.
Several radar systems were displayed. The 3D tactical air surveillance radar operates in the L band and has an 80km range. A similar S-band air surveillance radar gives 100km of range.
There is also a truck-mounted X-band coastal surveillance radar in Viettel’s catalogue. It can track more than 1,000 targets out to a distance of 100nm. Alternatively, a fixed radar gives coverage of low-altitude aircraft and surface vessels out to an identical range.
Also truck-mounted is a 3D S-band medium-range air defence surveillance radar. This gives 360º coverage for a distance of 360km. It takes less than 20 minutes to deploy after arriving at a location.
Viettel makes UAVs too. One is the VT-Patrol lightweight close-range UAV that has a 3.2m wingspan, 3-hour endurance and 26kg maximum take-off weight. It has been adopted by Vietnam’s military.
Another is a lightweight close-range UAV hybrid that takes off and lands vertically. Its wingspan is 2.9m, identical weight as the previously mentioned one, and an endurance of 4.5 hours.
by Gordon Arthur
