Boosting morale is of utmost importance, aiming to enhance the overall strength, ensuring that the officers and soldiers of the Air Defence and Air Force are always ready to fight and defeat all enemies in the aerial theatre. Currently, the task of Homeland protection is posing increasingly new requirements, necessitating the consolidation of morale for troops as an urgent and long-term task, contributing to the firm management and protection of the country’s aerial sovereignty.

The fighting strength of the Military is attributed to many factors, in which, the fighting morale of the officers and soldiers always plays a decisive role. V.I. Lenin affirmed that: "In every war, victory ultimately depends on the morale of the masses that are shedding their blood on the battlefield". President Ho Chi Minh concluded that if the fighting morale of soldiers is low, in their hands, “a cannon is no more than a piece of iron". Imbued with that viewpoint, our Party and State have soon built an all-strong Air Defence and Air Force, first of all, its political strength and morale, worthy of being the core force on the aerial theatre, firmly protecting the air zone of the Homeland.

During the resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, with the determination of "daring to fight, knowing how to fight and win", troops of the Air Defence and Air Force, together with the military and people countrywide, won many glorious feats, the pinnacle of which was the "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air" Victory in 1972, forcing the US imperialists to sign the Paris Accords, withdraw their troops, contributing to the glorious completion of the cause of national liberation and unification of the country, and bringing the whole country to socialism. To achieve these feats and heroic traditions, along with the wise and talented leadership of the Party Central Committee and Uncle Ho, the Party Committee and Command of the Air Defence and Air Force always focused on leading and directing the building of mettle and determination to fight, considering it a guiding motto, ensuring that each officer and soldier of the Air Defence and Air Force always overcomes difficulties and challenges, is ready to fight, sacrifice, and firmly protect the sky of the Fatherland.

The Air Force practices display in Hanoi

In present time, apart from the trend of peace, cooperation and development, the outbreaks of local wars and armed conflicts in many areas have given rise to new methods and forms of combat, especially the use of high-tech weapons, strong electronic warfare, and airstrikes. If this is the case with our country, the Air Defence and Air Force will be the first to face the fierce attacks of the enemy. In addition, the increasingly sophisticated and vicious sabotage of hostile forces in various fields has had a significant impact on the mindset of officers and soldiers. Therefore, along with the modernisation of weapons and equipment, the Party Committee and the Command of the Service always attach importance to building the political and spiritual strength of officers and soldiers, in which, boosting fighting morale is of primary concern.

First of all, promoting propaganda and education on the patriotic tradition, solidarity and determination to firmly protect the air zone of the Homeland for officers and soldiers. This is the source of determination, fighting strength and victory of the Air Defence and Air Force, requiring that agencies and units of the Service actively innovate forms and methods of propaganda and education. The content of propaganda and education should focus on arousing patriotism, national pride, traditions of the Military and the Service, especially good lessons and valuable experiences that our ancestors have drawn from real wars to boost the strength and belief in victory for the troops. To make this work effective, units need to combine propaganda and education with the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style; the Campaign of Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, and deserving "Uncle Ho's Soldiers” - the elite Air Defence and Air Force Soldiers" in the new era, etc. Resolutely fight against erroneous and hostile viewpoints, as well as overcome all manifestations of ambiguity, subjectivity, inattention, pessimism, lack of confidence in weapons, battle formations and the strength of air defence, air force, and the strength of people's war. Doing this will help each officer and soldier deeply understand the goals and ideals of their mission, make them well-prepared, and not passive or surprised in any situation.

Secondly, thoroughly grasping the Party's guidelines and viewpoints, the directives and orders of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and the Command of the Service in building the will and determination to fight and to win the enemy. Agencies and units need to focus on thoroughly grasping and raising awareness of officers and soldiers about Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the Party's guidelines and viewpoints, the tasks of the Military, the Service and the units. Emphasis should be placed on new thinking and awareness of protecting the Homeland "early and from afar" according to Resolution 8 of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on "Strategy for Homeland protection in the new situation"; resolutions of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission on building an elite, compact, and strong Military. At the same time, it is necessary to proactively grasp, research, analyse, and accurately forecast the world and regional situations, especially military art, forms, and methods of air defence and air force operations in recent wars and conflicts to clearly identify the combat objects of the Air Defence and Air Force; promptly disseminate and educate troops to make them grasp the main plots, tricks, and methods of the enemy’s airstrikes. This is to make officers and soldiers of the Air Defence and Air Force clearly see the strengths and weaknesses, advantages and difficulties of ours and of the enemy; totally trust in the Party's leadership, in the weapons and equipment, the deployment of our forces, and our fighting methods, always maintain political mettle, spiritual strength, and the determination to fight and win, ready to defeat any attempts of the enemy.

Third, strengthening the order of training and combat readiness to foster the fighting morale of troops. The Party Committee and Command of the Service direct its agencies and units to continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the resolutions, conclusions, regulations and procedures issued by the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence and the Service on training tasks, especially Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022 of the Central Military Commission on "improving training quality in the 2023 - 2030 period and the following years"; focus on innovating training contents and methods, closely combining military training with political education, fostering fortitude and fighting morale with physical training to improve the troops' strength, so as to maintain mission-ready and able to fight in urgent, drastic and long-term situations. For the air force, it is necessary to focus on improving the flying levels and skills of the pilots; develop strong mentality for them and make them proficient in operating the existing aircraft, weapons, and technical equipment; train young pilots, key pilots, and make them able to fly in complex conditions and operate in all weather conditions, night and day. For the air defence force, it is necessary to conduct training to make troops understand and skillfully use all types of weapons and equipment available, and deeply those of the enemy to have appropriate countermeasures. Attach importance to synchronous and specialised training, improve the level of organisation, command, and execution of combat for all levels; train in the retrieval, moving, and deployment of weapons and equipment, and night training close to combat reality, etc. This is to improve the technical, tactical, and professional levels of troops, ensuring that they both develop strong political stance and pure revolutionary ethics, and become proficient in technical and tactical skills, sharp and creative in combat, not being made unattended, and firmly protecting the Homeland's sky in all situations.

Fourth, conducting ideological work effectively in boosting the fighting morale for troops. The negative impacts of the market economy and the fierce incitement and sabotage of hostile forces in the ideological and cultural fields, coupled with the organisational restructuring of the Service in the direction of "elite, compact, strong", are exerting a significant impact on the troops' mindset and thinking. Therefore, the Party Committee and Command of the Service require its subordinate agencies and units to strengthen education and awareness orientation and enhancement for troops; flexibly and promptly handle any arising problems, not to be surprised. First of all, it is necessary to thoroughly inform troops of the Party's directives and resolutions, focusing on Resolution No. 35-NQ/TW of the Politburo (12th tenure) on "Strengthening the protection of the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against erroneous and hostile views in the new situation". To be effective, Party committees, political commissars, political officers, political agencies, and commanders at all levels must uphold their roles and responsibilities in leadership and direction; regularly innovate the content, form, and measures to strengthen political and legal education and ideological orientation for soldiers. At the same time, they should promote the building of all-strong, "exemplary and typical" units with a rich and healthy cultural environment, and improve the material and spiritual life of soldiers.

Boosting the fighting morale for the Air Defence and Air Force plays a very important role, ensuring that its officers and soldiers are always ready to receive and complete all assigned tasks well; an absolutely loyal political force and fighting force of the Party, the Fatherland and the People, worthy of being the core force in the aerial theatre, together with the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army firmly protect the sacred air zone and the territorial integrity of the Homeland.

Lieutenant General TRAN NGOC QUYEN, Political Commissar of the Air Defence and Air Force