Vietnam Begins Construction of First Indigenous Frigate

Vietnam has begun construction of its first multipurpose frigate of its own design — the largest and most advanced warship ever built in the country.

The Vietnamese publication Tuổi Trẻ reported the start of construction.

According to the publication, the project is being implemented as part of a government policy aimed at creating a “self-reliant, self-sufficient, resilient, modern and dual-use-oriented” defense industry. The frigate is scheduled to be completed within 36 months.

Construction was assigned to Sông Thu, which is described as one of the country’s leading military shipbuilding companies. The company has built two multipurpose patrol vessels with a displacement of about 2,400 tons based on the Damen OPV 9014 design, as well as four Damen RoRo 5612 support vessels.

As Naval News notes, Vietnam has traditionally relied on the Soviet Union and later Russia for a significant portion of its military equipment.

Vietnam operates 4 Project 11661 (Gepard-class) frigates, 5 Project 159 (Petya-class) patrol ships, and 6 Project 636.1 Varshavyanka (Kilo-class) submarines. However, the country seeks to diversify its sources of supply and reduce its dependence on Russia in order to achieve greater self-reliance in equipping and supporting its armed forces.

Vietnam’s Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Pham Hoai Nam said during the August 10 ceremony that a significant number of domestically developed weapons and technical systems would be installed on the ship. He called on government agencies and enterprises to regard the shipbuilding program as a key political task requiring the concentration of all available resources and close coordination.

The exact specifications of the future ship are currently unknown. Its displacement is estimated at 2,500-3,000 tons, with a length of about 105 meters.

Based on the published model, the frigate is planned to be armed with a 76 mm naval gun based on the AK-176, which is already produced by Vietnamese companies Z173 and Z125. Two 30 mm AK-630M close-in weapon systems manufactured by Z173 are also mounted behind the funnel.

The model also shows a 12-cell vertical launch system. Each cell is believed to be capable of accommodating four TLĐK-01 surface-to-air missiles developed by Vietnamese company Viettel. The missile’s estimated range is 70 kilometers.
Two four-container launchers shown in the middle section of the ship are likely intended for VCM-family anti-ship missiles. Viettel could also supply a multifunction phased-array radar, a combat information and control system, and an electronic intelligence system.

Two twin launchers for man-portable air defense missiles manufactured by Z131 are located on the roof of the bridge.
For anti-submarine warfare, the frigate is planned to be equipped with two RBU-6000-type rocket-propelled anti-submarine bomb launchers and two trainable twin 533 mm torpedo tubes of unknown origin.

The stern features a flight deck and a hangar capable of accommodating an anti-submarine helicopter. It is likely to be a Ka-28, which is already operated by the Vietnam People’s Navy.