Recognising the importance of ensuring effective communication for training, combat readiness, and protection of maritime and island sovereignty, Party Committee and commanders of Signal Brigade 602  have implemented synchronous and resolute measures to improve the quality of the work to meet the requirements and tasks of safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation.

Signal Brigade 602 under the General Staff of the Navy is tasked with ensuring the Naval High Command’s communication with the superiors and commanding and directing subordinate forces in training, combat readiness, and steadfast protection of national sovereignty, territorial sovereignty, and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the seas, islands, and continental shelves of the homeland.

Currently, faced with increasingly demanding tasks, the Brigade's Party Committee and Command always maintain unity and solidarity, proactively overcome difficulties, and focus on leadership and active direction in thoroughly grasping the situation and timely providing advice and proposals to the superiors on ensuring communication for forces performing their tasks. Importance is attached to ensuring timely and smooth information flow for forces directly operating at sea, on islands, and on platforms, as well as units ready for combat, patrols, and the protection of maritime and island sovereignty, disaster prevention, search and rescue at sea; serving delegations visiting and inspecting the Spratly Islands and the DK1 platforms; and conducting joint patrols with naval forces of other countries in the region. Despite the challenges of dispersed forces, limited equipment, and constrained resources, the Brigade always takes the initiative in developing, adjusting, and supplementing appropriate communication plans in line with the current tasks and available equipment and resources. It also maintains strict command duty, combat readiness duty, communication duty, and mobile duty and follows regulations on the storage, maintenance, and repair of communication equipment and assets. The cadres, personnel, and soldiers of the Brigade are united, determined to overcome difficulties, stay on duty, and stay vigilant; actively engage in research, learning, training, improving their professional, technical, and operational levels, and mastering new technologies; maintain the HA-01 and HA-02 switchboards and transmission systems and ensure the stable and synchronised operation of equipment.

Thanks to synchronised, scientific, and appropriate measures, along with the efforts of the cadres, personnel, and soldiers, the mission of ensuring communication of the brigade remains stable and smooth. The transmission and reception of messages, documents, images, videos, and the communication system on networks, directions, especially on ships, islands, platforms, and units involved in training, combat readiness, protection of maritime and island sovereignty, and search and rescue operations are carried out in a timely, safe, and secure manner. Any communication incidents, cable line failures, and the maintenance and repair of technical equipment are promptly addressed and resolved.

Conducting training on mobile signal deploying

In the coming time, the situation in the East Sea in general, and our country’s waters and islands in particular, will continue to see many factors that may cause instability. The demand for ensuring communication for the task of protecting maritime and island sovereignty is increasing. This requires the Brigade to have the high political determination and strive to accomplish the task of ensuring timely, accurate, confidential, and safe communication in all situations through various synchronised and effective measures. The Brigade will focus on implementing the following key aspects:

Firstly, to focus on educating and raising awareness and responsibility among the cadres, personnel, and soldiers involved in ensuring communication. This is a fundamental and crucial solution that determines the outcome of task completion. Therefore, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command will direct the units to actively innovate the content, forms, and methods of improving the quality of propaganda and education and focus on building a contingent of cadres, personnel, and soldiers with steadfast political determination, unity, the ability to overcome difficulties, love for the unit, and a clear understanding of the important role of ensuring communication in protecting maritime and island sovereignty. This will enhance their awareness and responsibility in fulfilling the task. The Party committees and commanders at all levels will thoroughly communicate and effectively implement the resolutions, directives, and instructions from the superiors regarding combat readiness and ensuring communication for regular and unexpected tasks, especially in handling situations at sea, on islands, and platforms. This includes a focus on Command Directive No.6666/CL-BTL, dated May 22^nd, 2017, of the Naval Commander; Instruction No.10222/HD-TM, dated August 28^th, 2017, of the General Staff regarding combat readiness of the Navy; Guidance No.9512/CT-BTL, dated August 3^rd, 2018, of the Naval Commander on enhancing combat readiness and coordinating to ensure political security, order, and social safety in the new situation and others.

Furthermore, agencies and units will be directed to diversify forms and methods of political education, closely combining basic program education with mission-oriented education, traditional education with legal education, and promptly grasping, orienting, and resolving ideological issues for the soldiers; effectively implementing the Determination-to-Win Emulation Movement, associated with the implementation of the Drive for Promoting traditions, dedicating talents, and being worthy of the title “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers - Naval Soldiers”; and strengthen learning and following Ho Chi Minh thoughts, ethics, and style, coupled with improving knowledge and professional qualifications through the model of “Learning one Uncle Ho’s teaching every day” and implementing the “Three-good and three-strong” program. Through these efforts, a dynamic movement will be created, focused on accomplishing the tasks of combat readiness and ensuring timely and smooth communication.

Secondly, to strictly adhere to watchkeeping and duty regimes along with improving the management, command, operation, and utilisation of equipment and assets. Based on a firm grasp of the situation and task requirements, especially the requirements for ensuring communication in the maritime and island environment in the new situation, the Brigade will consistently maintain strict command duty, combat readiness duty, communication duty, and mobile duty, with special attention paid to combat readiness watchkeeping and communication duty squads from the Brigade Headquarter to subordinate units; enhance the capacity for management, command, and operation of the Communication Centre of the Naval Headquarter and the quality of implementation of tasks related to surveillance stations, alert notification networks, and communication networks through remote control, specialised and high-tech communication equipment, multi-service reporting lines, submarine command centres, and naval aviation; and promote the effectiveness of equipment to ensure timely, flexible handling and steadfast communication in all situations, following the principle of “being mobile when given orders.”

To maintain a smooth communication system, the Brigade will instruct its units and agencies to develop plans for organising and utilising forces, resources, equipment, and communication systems in a scientifically appropriate manner, with a focus on prioritising air force, coastal missile, submarine forces, and forces operating in key maritime areas to fulfill their combat readiness tasks and protect maritime and island sovereignty; emphasise the role and responsibility of cadres and commanders at all levels in directing, commanding, inspecting, and closely monitoring the soldiers and communication centres; connect the effectiveness and quality of fulfiling communication assurance tasks for units and personnel with the annual evaluation and assessment of Party organisation and members; and strictly maintain regulations, discipline, and communication culture to ensure absolute safety for personnel, equipment, and communication, among other aspects.

Thirdly, to innovate training forms and methods and improving the capacity for communication assurance. To build a military communication force that is “proficient in traditional communication, agile in mobile communication, and mastering high-tech communication”, the Brigade will instruct its units and agencies to closely adhere to the training principles of “basic, practical, and firm”; actively innovate and enhance training quality for all subjects involved; closely integrate basic training with mission-oriented training and comprehensive training covering both technical and tactical aspects; and closely link theoretical knowledge to practical application, with an emphasis on comprehensive, in-depth, and tailored training that considers the organisational structure, technical equipment, tasks, and operating environments.

For cadres and officers, the focus will be on training them to be proficient in combat planning, training, handling sudden communication situations on the sea, islands, and platforms, and in operating and utilising the information system within the organisation, and improving their language skills and information technology proficiency. Newly graduated officers will be actively assigned to shifts, sessions, stations, and centres to enhance their command, coordination, and communication system management capabilities, as well as their professional expertise and skills. Meanwhile, technical staff will receive specialised training to enhance their skills, expertise, and proficiency in utilising and maintaining existing technical equipment, as well as mastering new advanced equipment, particularly high-tech equipment, submarine information systems, and Integrated Radio Communication Systems (IRCS). Regarding the detachments, basic and in-depth training will be provided in weapon and technical equipment exploitation, adhering to safety regulations. Training will be intensified for the overall station command team and cross-training will be organised among specialised positions. Training will also be provided for mobile information units to proficiently execute plans for safeguarding maritime and island sovereignty. Outdoor and night training will be emphasised, closely integrated with mobile deployment training for information stations, with importance placed on inspection, examination, competitions, contests, and post-training evaluation to draw lessons after each training content and topic.

Finally, to well perform technical and logistical tasks to support the mission of communication assurance. The Brigade will direct its forces to ensure an adequate quantity and quality of synchronised communication equipment and assets for combat readiness tasks, with a particular focus on forces operating at sea, on islands, platforms, and long-duration sea operations; strictly maintain the preservation, repair, and hierarchical management regimes to ensure that communication equipment and assets are in good technical condition, with high combat readiness and stable and reliable operations; fully implement the “Good Management, Utilisation of Weapons and Technical Equipment, Durability, Safety, Economical Usage, and Traffic Safety” campaign, accompanied by breakthroughs in building standard technical infrastructure and mastering weapons and technical equipment; and encourage cadres and specialised staff to innovate, improve techniques, and enhance the quality of communication assurance.

Additionally, the Brigade will ensure sufficient reserves of logistical supplies for combat readiness tasks and other emergencies. Efforts will be made to increase production and improve the living standards and healthcare of military personnel, contributing to the overall quality of communication assurance and the steadfast protection of national sovereignty over sacred seas and islands.

Senior Colonel LE QUANG DONG, Brigade Commander