The success of the Air Defence Campaign in late 1972 marked a significant development of the arts of air defence operation, including the art of technical service implementation. These lessons of military art still provide us invaluable experience to apply in today’s task of safeguarding the Motherland.

After heavy defeats throughout the battlefields in Vietnam, especially the failure of Operation Linebacker I, the U.S. imperialist was forced to declare a halt to all bombing operations northwards of 20th Parallel, but still determined to prepare for a new aerial campaign. For our side, with high vigilance, sharp political vision, scientific analysis and forecast, the Politbureau and the Central Military Commission predicted that there is a high possibility that the enemy will resume bombing in the North with higher tensity, including using B-52 to strike Hanoi Capital, Haiphong and other major cities. Thoroughly grasping the instruction of the Central Military Commission, the General Command, and on the basis of firmly monitoring the situation, deep comprehension of combat requirements and characteristics of all forces, and thanks to a careful and comprehensive preparation in all aspects, our Air Defence – Air Force proactively conducted uniform technical preparation at all levels for large-scale and prolonged combat. The main focus of our preparation was making adjustment and supplementation for technical service plans, force strenghthening, relocating the network of depots, stations, workshops in the North, especially those in the vicinities of Hanoi and Haiphong, and building a battle array in accordance to the combat plan. At the same time, we actively worked to improve anti-air missiles; stockpiled technical materials and ammunition at all levels and sites ensured focused and in-depth readiness to meet the combat requirements of all forces.

Notably, to realise Directive No. 1216/BTL, dated November 3, 1972 of the Air Defence – Air Force Command on the work of ordnance supply and technical maintenance, the Technical Department of the Service made efforts to ensure maintenance work and repair of vehicles, weapon platforms and other hardware. At the same time, the Department issued 04 control stations, 02 missile assembly lines for the 274th Air Defence Regiment; 01 set of missile control station for the 363rd Air Defence Division; 01 transceiver vehicle, 01 calculation vehicle, 01 antenna system, 02 launchers, 34 generators, 06 sets of П-12 radars, and swapped 03 П-12 radar station and 80 calculation sets for units in Hanoi, Hai Phong. By December 15, 1972, 100% of weapon systems of missile battalions were ready for combat; 95% to 100% of anti-air guns, 87% of detection and tracking radars, and 70% of fighters were in good technical condition. Regarding ordnance supply, air defence missile regiments had enough missiles for combat (2,16 bases for units in Hanoi, 1,8 bases for units in Hai Phong); each anti-air gun company had 06-08 ordnance bases on average. Our fighter force was also developed quickly with 04 regiments, equipped with MiG-17s, MiG-19s, and MiG-21s (MiG-21 was the fighter assigned the role of hunting B-52).

Preparing the surface-to-air missiles for combat readiness

Besides preparation activities, the Service’s Technical Department actively advised superior commands and directed subordinate units on using expired and repaired ordnance; developing new methods to improve ordnance repair and assembly processes; at the same time, ordered assembly lines to work overtime to ensure a sufficient number of ordnance for the Operation. With the determination to fight and to win, courage, and not afraid of sacrifice and hardships, our Air Defence – Air Force managed to achieve significant developments in technical work with innovative and flexible methods to ensure the key role of the Service in defeating the upcoming air operation of the U.S. Imperialists, securing the historic victory of “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the air”.

In the future, if we have to fight a war against a foreign invader, it will be a modern war, and the enemy in the air will be more dangerous in terms of force, weapons, equipment and fighting method, which have direct impacts on all of our air defence activities, including technical work. Inheriting and developing lessons learnt on technical work of the Air Defence Campaign of 1972, in combination with the new conditions of people’s war to defend the Motherland, especially aerial warfare in which the enemy widely employs high-tech weapons and electronic suppression, the Air Defence – Air Force must closely follow the actual situation, step up technical capability and capacity building and the development of technical measures to ensure the combat performance of the Service both in peacetime and wartime.

First, step up the organisation and building of a “capable, compact, and strong” technical force. Thoroughly grasping and implementing Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW, dated January 17, 2022 of the Politburo, and Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated April 2, 2022 of the Central Military Commission on the leadership and organisation of Vietnam People’s Army in the period of 2021 – 2030 and the following years, the Air Defence – Air Force Command and Party Committee focuses on reorganising technical and logistics contingents at all levels with appropriate structure and strength; reducing leadership positions and increasing personnel that involves directly to task implementation, and rebalancing the number of technical teams to have an effective, capable and compact technical force. During the implementation of these tasks, subordinate departments and units focus on conducting effective ideological work, developing detailed plans, and organising appropriate personnel to ensure robust leadership and management.

At the same time, the Air Defence – Air Force attaches great importance to the improvement of the works of planning, training and educating technical staff in line with the Service’s equipment orientation to 2030 and the following years. To implement the policy of taking the lead in equipment procurement and in-depth training, in the coming time, the Service will continue to ask the Ministry of National Defence for permission to send cadres abroad to join in-depth training courses on high technologies, including equipment design and weapon operation to improve their technical specialties, mastering new technologies and gradually solving the shortage and imbalance in terms of human resources in technical force, ensuring the Service’s technical capability for immediate and long-term tasks.

Second, actively mobilise resources to enhance and upgrade technical infrastructure, make adjustment and supplements on strategic planning for the disposition of technical warehouses, stations and workshops to ensure an interconnected and robust technical network. Base on the approved organisation, personnel assignment, weapon and equipment development roadmap and combat plans, the Air Defence – Air Force continues to make adjustments in the technical infrastructure system to ensure its concentration and compatibility with our technological features and technical maintenance methods, the main focus of these adjustments is strategic and operational repair stations, another focus is the specialisation in manufacturing and repairing hardware and spare parts. To realise these objectives, the Service actively mobilises resource to step up the implementation of Project 08-KT on the planning of weapon and equipment repair facilities; Project KA-10 on the adjustments and supplement of weapon and equipment warehouse systems in the period of 2020 – 2025 and the subsequent years. Besides, the Air Defence – Air Force accelerates the progress of transferring, constructing and upgrading technical maintenance facilities to meet the requirements of technical maintenance for weapons and equipment, especially new hardware in each area of operation. Also, the Service actively renovates and upgrades weapon and vehicle shelters; aerial and infantry weapon warehouses, and technical material depots, and assigns more equipment and tools for the mechanisation of warehouses to improve their storage condition; at the same time, prioritise the supplement of firefighting and prevention equipment and means for air bases and enhance lighting prevention systems, and explosion prevention mounds for warehouses and depots. Additionally, the Air Defence – Air Force invests resources to improve the technological capability of weapon and equipment repair facilities; continue to develop and perfect technological processes and strengthen technological discipline, enhance and consolidate quality inspection systems, strictly maintain and implement standards of origin for weapons and technical equipment, step up the implementation of technical maintenance at each level, and strive to gradually master the repair techniques for the new generation and high-tech weapons and equipment.

Third, step up breakthroughs in technical training to improve the ability to utilise and master current weapons and equipment and scientific and technological research capabilities. Based on the review of 10 years of the implementation of Resolution No. 765-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission on improving the quality of training in the period 2013 - 2020 and the following years, the Air Defence – Air Force continue to step up the reform of training programmes and methods to make them more suitable for current weapons and equipment and tasks; improve personnel training for in-depth, professional specialisation, multitasking, and capable teamwork ability; focusing on the utilisation and maintenance of new equipment in specific combat scenarios. Strengthen training, practising and exercising according to combat technical maintenance plans; train the commanders and staff members of technical units at all level in shifting combat readiness, and manoeuvring, coordinating and cooperating with local technical teams in various missions.

Also, the Service’s agencies, schools and units must step up scientific research and technical innovation movements. During the implementation of these movements, they must focus on the objectives, the effectiveness and practicality of the research projects, and link the research results with the technical requirements of the Service. Regularly organise scientific information dissemination; and apply the products of research projects in technical work. Build close relationships between management, research and training institutions and the Service’s units and factories. Actively apply scientific and technological achievements, especially the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the manufacture of weapons, new technical equipment and materials, and the renovation and modernisation of old weapons and technical equipment, improving their combat performance.  

Fourth, accelerate the procurement of new weapons and equipment and the modernisation of current weapons and equipment. Currently, although our economy and scientific and technological capabilities have been improved, they are not enough to meet the our defence task requirements, therefore we still have to import many types of weapon and equipment. However, it is a challenge for us to purchase a large number of weapons and equipment at the same time capable of dealing with the enemy at all altitudes and directions. Therefore, the Air Defence – Air Force continues to assess and make adjustments for the planning of the procurements and utilisation of weapons and equipment for long, medium-term and intermediate tasks. During the implementation of this goal, the Service’s agencies and units have actively sought for reliable partners to purchase new weapons and technical equipment and to ensure the effective utilisation of hardware until the end of their life cycle; effectively promoted Project 324-KT on procurement budget for weapons and technical equipment in the period of 2021 – 2030. Associate hardware procurements with conversion training, technical material assurance, and technology investments in combat units and technical facilities to ensure their longevity and combat performance. Continue to propose technical maintenance methods for new weapons and equipment; strictly follow the schedule of repair, upgrade and improvement plans of a number of current weapons and equipment; implement evaluation to propose suitable projects to the Ministry of Defence to improve and upgrade other weapons and technical equipment in accordance to the planning on the use of weapons and technical equipment of the Air Defence – Air Force in each period.

Fifth, proactively secure the supply of technical materials, especially materials for new weapons and equipment. At the moment and in the coming years, the global and regional situations, as well as international relations will continue to be complicated and unpredictable, so it is a challenge for us to have reliable partners to purchase and repair weapons and technical equipment. Therefore, to meet the requirements of technical work in a profound and secure way, the Air Defence – Air Force focuses on strictly implementing technical work for equipment used for combat missions, combat readiness tasks, airspace and maritime surveillance, and search and rescue missions, etc. At the same time, proactively mobilise resources to ensure the supply of regular technical materials, especially materials for new weapons and equipment. In short term, the Service focuses on proposing appropriate amendments to technical supply regulations in the new situation; and comprehensively evaluates the current material capacity, develop plans for effective and practical resource mobilisation to meet the requirements of assigned tasks in the coming years. Combine the promotion of the manufacture, repair and restoration of domestic materials and spare parts with surveys to seek for new suppliers to ensure stable supply, striving to have multiple partners that can supply us with the same types of product. Strictly follow legislations on procurement processes to ensure the quality of procurement contracts, avoiding financial waste and loss. At the same time, the Service continues to effectively coordinate with the General Department of Defence Industry, Viettel Group, Military Technical Academy, Military Science and Technology Institute and other research centres to increase the localisation in the repair, upgrade, and improvement of weapons and equipment in the new situation.

Half a century has passed, but the values of the lessons on the art of technical assurance in the Air Defence Campaign late 1972 remain valid. This is a very important note for the task of defending the Motherland in general and protecting our airspace in the new situation, in particular. That requires us to continue to study and effectively apply these important lessons in training, practice, exercises, and implementing combat readiness missions,... to avoid any surprise from the air in any circumstances, contributing to the work of defending Vietnam Socialist Motherland of our Party, People and Military.

Major General PHAM VAN TINH, Deputy Commander of the Air Defence – Air Force