Is Vietnam warming to Nato-style weaponry? A rugged South Korean howitzer holds clues
- South Korea’s durable K9 howitzer has attracted interest from Hanoi as it seeks to diversify from Russian arms
- But a shift to Nato-standard weapons could signal Vietnam’s intent to counter China, analysts say
Meeting in Hanoi on April 23, Vietnamese deputy defence minister Hoang Xuan Chien and his South Korean counterpart Kim Seon-ho agreed to “further strengthen practical cooperation in various fields such as defence industry and logistics cooperation”, the South Korean defence ministry said.
Nguyen Hong Phong, a Vietnamese artillery commander, said Hanoi expressed hopes for a “prompt introduction” to the K9 in another meeting with Kim on April 25.
During a visit to South Korea last year, Phong personally confirmed the high standards of howitzer, according to the South Korean defence ministry. “He said that if the K9 howitzers were introduced in Vietnam, they could be deployed to the 204th artillery brigade,” the ministry said.
Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Van Giang and other delegates were given a demonstration of the K9 during a visit to South Korea in March last year.
The K9 is a 155mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzer developed and manufactured by South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace. It can carry up to 48 projectiles and is capable of firing six rounds per minute with a range of 60km (37 miles).
