Vietnam Marine Police arrested 11 pirates

At 20 h 45 November 22, Vietnam Coast Guard Region 3 arrested 11 pirates hijack tanker ZAFIRAH (Malaysian) in Vung Tau (Ba Ria-Vung Tau).

According to Captain of Zafirah ship , Mr. Sann Winnaung (37 age, nationality Myanmar), at 3:00 hours in the November 18, the ships from the Pasir Guadang port while passing through the sea of Indonesia has been attacked by pirates.

Receiving reports robbery, the Vietnam Marine Police Department ordered the Coast Guard fleet deployment Region 3 2 minutes 6007, 9001, 4034 and 4031, 2011 held traced. 2 hours and 20 days 22:11, border police fleet 4031, 4034 detect ship Zafirah are in the waters of Vietnam, immediately deployed to control, ask the people on the ship moored.

Receiving reports of pirates, the Vietnam Marine Police Department ordered the Coast Guard fleet Region 3 deployment the ship 6007, 9001, 4034, 4031, 2011 to search. November 20, ZAFIRAH ships in Vietnamese waters and constantly moving to evade the inspection of the Coast Guard.

2:00 November 22, the Coast Guard 3’s fleet detected a suspicious ship at coordinates 9o50’N-107o20’E are moving in the direction of 44o, speed 5 knots / hour.
After taking ships ZAFIRAH, pirate groups have painted almost outside the ship to divert the attention of the authorities.Color ship Zafirah from green to black. The ship’s name changed to “SEA HORSE”; ship’s IMO number from 9016387 to 9016081; nationality of ships Malaysia changed to Honduras . The ship’s satellite navigation system ZAFIRAH destroyed completely to cut off the agency’s monitoring function.

After identifying suspicious ships are tankers ZAFIRAH seized by pirates, the Police Coast Guard ship 4031, 4034 immediately deployed to control, ask the Zafirah ship moored. 16:00 November 22, Colonel Le Xuan Thanh, Commander Coast Guard Region 3, commanders to attack the pirates. Coast Guard opened fire attack, captured 11 pirates Indonesian citizenship. Entire crew ZAFIRAH of was rescued, no one was injured.
Vietnam Marine Police arrested 11 pirates

Russian have finished the first of six submarines for Vietnam Navy

The first Vietnam’s 636 Submarine Kilo class diesel-electric will be launched at the shipyard Admiralteiskye (St Petersburg) in August this year – a source of information from the defense industry The Russian said this on Tuesday.

December 2009, Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung signed a contract to purchase six Russian Kilo class submarines worth about 2 billion 636 million U.S. dollars.

The first submarine under the contract to be launched in August this year, then will start the test cycle of the ship, – the source said. Also according to this person, before the end of 2012, the first submarine to deliver to the order. All contracts are scheduled for completion in 2016.

The 636 submarine is 3100 tons of water, speed 20 knots / hour, the ability to dive 300 meters deep, with a crew of 52 people. It is equipped with weapons such as torpedoes 533 mm (six units), landmines, Kalibr rocket attack combinations.
Russian have finished the first of six submarines for Vietnam Navy

Defence & Security USS Blue Ridge visits Vietnam

USS Blue Ridge, flag ship of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet, on April 23 will join a number of group ships to Da Nang to start his visit to Vietnam.

Flagship USS Blue Ridge weighs 19,000 tons and has been active on the payroll of the U.S. Navy from 1970 to present. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) is the lead ship of the two Blue Ridge-class command ships of the U.S. Navy, and is the command ship of the United States Seventh Fleet. Her primary role is to provide Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) support to the commander and staff of the United States Seventh Fleet. She is currently forward-deployed to US Navy Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan and is the third Navy ship named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, a range of mountains in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States.

With USS Blue Ridge, joined visit to Vietnam this time there are missile destroyer USS Chafee, USNS Safeguard, Task Force 73 and Force logistics Western Pacific region Ocean, as well as diving and rescue teams working.

Official welcome ceremony will be held at the Tien Sa port, Da Nang province. This ceremony will be attended by U.S. Ambassador at Vietnam David Shear; 7th Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Scott Swift; officials and American commanders.

USS Blue Ridge visits Vietnam

Vietnam upgraded T-54/55 tanks

Vietnam upgraded T-54/55 tanks
News agency Lenta said that with the help of Israel, Vietnam People’s Army will upgrade all of about 10 T-54/55 tank battalions, each battalion equipped with 31 tanks.

According to the public, as of 2010, Vietnam have 850 T-54/55 tanks manufactured by the Soviet Union. In addition, Vietnam has about 350 medium tanks of the Chinese Type 59, the modernization variants from T-54 tanks.

In the coming years, there will be about 310 T-54/55 tanks modern upgrades. upgrade testing sample T-55M3 tanks in Vietnam is improving, both in terms of firepower and defensive capabilities.

Tank modernization T-54/55M3 equipped M68/L7 105 mm artillery of Israel. L7 cannon can fire bullets APAM, or cross bar kinetic energy rounds.

T-54/55 tanks are equipped with 60mm mortar on the roof. 60 mm mortars are being deployed on the main battle tanks Magach and Mekava of Israel. With the support of 60 mm mortars, tanks can attack more effective against infantry hiding in fortifications, trenches, or other buildings.

tanks are equipped with the upgraded equipment MAWS6056B meteorological sensors by the Swiss company Idram. MAWS6056B sensors provide meteorological parameters like wind direction and speed, temperature and atmospheric pressure for computing trajectories of artillery. MAWS6056B modern sensors use for the French Leclerc tanks

Defense systems, tanks fitted with explosive reactive armor boxes of Israeli Blazer ERA against hollow explosive ammunition, bullet B-41 grenade launcher (RPG-7) ..Flanks of the vehicle turret is also fitted tube system smoke grenades, to release smoke when the laser beam, or aim.

tanks were installed to modernize 1,000 HP diesel engine developed by German manufacturing. With this engine, the ability to move the tanks will be increased significantly. Gearbox and transmission system of the engine developed by Ukraine.

In the last exercise in 2011, T-55M3 tanks took part in fire tested and rated, in which the vehicle was able to shoot while traveling forward, the ability to turn the turret is also faster than before.
Vietnam upgraded T-54/55 tanks