Thoroughly grasping and implementing Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW issued on April 2^nd, 2022 by the Central Military Commission (the CMC) and Plan No. 1228/KH-BQP issued on April 25^th, 2022 by the Ministry of National Defence (the MND) on leading the organisation of the Vietnamese People’s Army in the 2021-2030 period and beyond, the Department of Vehicle and Machinery has been implementing multiple measures to accelerate the perfection of the organisation and structure in line with the building of a lean, compact, and strong Branch to meet all task requirements.

Closely adhering to the characteristics, functions, and tasks, over the past years, Military Vehicle – Machinery Branch has made every endeavour to overcome all difficulties and accelerate the consolidation of the organisation and forces; comprehensively implemented all working aspects and produced positive outcomes which have been highly appreciated by the CMC and the MND. Notably, the Branch has proactively advised the MND to lead and direct the implementation of technical work on vehicles and machinery throughout the Military; implement Resolution No. 1656-NQ/TW issued on December 20th, 2022 by the CMC on leading technical work until 2030 and beyond; participate in preventing the Covid-19 pandemic; assist the accreditation of motor vehicles. The Branch has also effectively implemented projects and plans on purchasing and renovating equipment; ensuring traffic safety throughout the Military in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2045; applying information technologies in directing and managing the technical safety accreditation and environmental preservation; implemented Project No. 324-KT and programmes on mending command vehicles, specialised vehicles for military services and corps, especially vehicles in border provinces, etc. At the same time, importance has been attached to training and improving professional qualifications for cadres and technical personnel; instructing all units to well perform technical work to satisfy the requirements of combat readiness, training, search and rescue operations, etc. All annual goals and targets are achieved and exceed the set plans.

Sr. Lt. Gen Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff checks technical work for MT-22 Exercise

At present and in the forthcoming years, to satisfy all task requirements, Military Vehicle – Machinery Branch is required to continue thoroughly grasping resolutions and directives of the Party, the CMC, the MND and the General Department of Technology, thereby adopting synchronous and drastic measures and accelerating the consolidation of organisation and structure to build a lean, compact, and strong Branch.

To that end, first and foremost, the Department must intensify the leadership and direction of party committees and commands at all levels in organising and building forces. Closely adhering to the directions of higher echelons and strictly performing Resolution No. 595-NQ/ĐU issued on August 30^th, 2022 by the Department’s Party Committee on leading the organisation within the Department in the 2021 – 2030 and beyond, the Branch must concentrate on the successful implementation of set targets and measures. The focus must be placed on establishing a Steering Board and mapping out plans to implement the Resolution. Functional agencies are required to propose plans for mergers, establish new organisations, and restructure agencies and grass-roots units; arrange and use personnel; train and cultivate cadres; and effectively implement regulations. Concerning the structure, it is necessary to increase the proportion of salaried personnel, strictly manage human resources and appropriately arrange officers and technical staff in accordance with professional requirements, qualifications, competencies, and specialised training; make balanced arrangements of strength among agencies and units; step-by-step handle the exceeding strength in line with appropriate policies. Importance must be attached to adjusting the organisation and structure of storehouses and repairing facilities in accordance with Project KA-10 and Project 08-KT; merging logictic and technical agencies; effectively preparing for the acceptance of the Department of Transportation to ensure balanced, synchronous, and appropriate forces. For maximum effectiveness, agencies and units are required to bring into play their roles in directing the implementation; engage in democratic discussions and reach consensus on the implementation, and promptly report any obstacles, especially those concerning personnel and policies. Coordination is required in inventorying weapons, equipment, defence land, facilities, and properties; constructing and adjusting barracks; promptly settling and handling material and financial backlogs, etc. by making records and strictly regulating handover and reception processes to avoid losses. Simultaneously, there should be an emphasis on political and ideological education, internal political protection, and proper implementation of policy regimes for relevant subjects to ensure soldiers’ commitment to service, maintain internal unity, and readiness to accept and accomplish all assigned tasks.

Second, improving competence in advising, directing, and instructing the implementation of vehicle-machinery work. On the foundation of thoroughly grasping Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW issued on April 2^nd, 2022 by the CMC as well as the evaluation and experience drawn from the merger of internal agencies, the Department must advise the General Department of Technology to participate in directing the merger of logistic and technical agencies at all levels and proposing plans for the merger of several units in accordance with higher echelons. The Department should also direct and advise units in planning equipment; adjusting vehicles to tow combat-ready reserve artillery; promoting the omission of old-styled vehicles; proposing the purchase, allocation, and replacement of modern vehicles and machinery to accord with the Military modernisation process. The resolutions and conclusions issued by the CMC must be actively built and effectively implemented with a focus on the projects, programmes, and plans of the Branch. On that foundation, the Department must direct and instruct the entire Military to improve the efficiency in manufacturing and repairing at factories and enterprises; maintaining, repairing, and storing existing equipment, especially the planning for extending the service life of modern vehicles and machinery; combine multiple measures to maintain and improve the technical coefficients of vehicles for combat readiness, training, the participation in competitions, and other unscheduled tasks. It is crucial to intensify the synchronous repair of specialised vehicles, command vehicles, and armour with priority given to units conducting combat readiness and the safeguarding of the seas, islands, and borders.

Third, accelerating training and competitions and developing contingents of technical cadres and personnel. To satisfy the requirements of a lean, compact, and strong structure, the process of consolidating the organisation and structure must parallel the building of competent technical cadres and personnel to satisfy the requirements of modernising weapons and equipment and conducting regular and agile technical work. Accordingly, together with the arrangement of cadres in accordance with competencies, the construction of managerial and technical positions, as well as the sending officers for furthering education specialising in technical staff and command and the operation of specialised vehicles and machinery, etc. domestically and internationally should be promoted. Regular training should be provided in areas such as the management of technical personnel, weapon and equipment and the construction of regularity within the Branch; technical staff and command and task operation in accordance with positions and titles; and the application of high technology to maintaining and repairing modern weapons and equipment, etc. so that technical cadres can attain proficiency in renovating and effectively using modern weapons in combat. For the technical staff, it is necessary to conduct training and skills assessment; design training courses on repairing new-generation vehicles and electric charging stations; upgrade multi-axle vehicles, inspect specialised vehicles and machinery; and provide supplementary training for drivers, combat vehicle drivers, and drivers supporting for Military World Games. These efforts aim to constantly improve the level of management and utilisation of vehicles and machinery.

Fourth, concentrating on scientific research and perfecting the mechanisms for management and direction, standards, and regulations. This pivotal content has a direct impact on tasks and plans for the building of a lean, compact, and strong unit in the new situation. Therefore, the Department determines to continue inspecting and perfecting the mechanisms for direction and renewing management methods; propose decentralisation and stipulate functions, tasks, and activities to avoid being overlapped. Units should be instructed in the implementation of the Regulation and the building and supplementation of technical inspection standards, quality classification, preservation, and maintenance. For maximum effectiveness, the Branch must step up scientific research, application of technology; implement technical topics and tasks to address challenges in technical assurance. The focus should be put on researching theory on the management, direction, and technical assurance of vehicles and machinery in combat; the maintenance and repair processes for the latest generation of vehicles and machinery; the production of technical materials; organisation of storehouses; the development of standards associated to the compilation of training documents, technology to utilise equipment; the systems of technical and economic limit and quota for maintenance, repair, etc. There should be an emphasis on the implementation of the Technical Branch’s Plan for digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period; the application of information technology in the administrating process; complete information on military science; the collection of information to develop a data management system for equipment utilisation.

Finally, accelerating the building of regularity within the Branch; strengthening and upgrading facilities and materials for technical assurance. Agencies and units must stringently implement technical work on vehicles and machinery; unify the system of forms and regulations on management; improve the quality of inventorying equipment and technical material; effectively manage the state of equipment, technical facilities, and technical personnel; regularly inspect, evaluate, and draw timely experience in guidance, instruction, and implementation. It is necessary to actively invest in technology such as manufacturing lines, the maintenance of equipment and repairing of equipment; equipment to inspect vehicles; the strengthening of warehouses and workshops, etc. to enhance technical assurance and material production at the units. Simultaneously, agencies and units should proactively create reserves of rare and non-metallic materials for high-level command vehicles through special budgets and other funding sources to ensure constant technical maintenance of vehicles and machinery. Outdated reserve equipment and technical materials should be replaced and moved to national defence reserves. It is important to continue to inspect and assess the actual state, and exploit inventory materials; propose the disposal of low-quality materials to ensure effective utilisation and create a seismic shift in technical work on vehicles and machinery throughout the Military.

Additionally, the Vehicle – Machinery Branch always brings into play its core role in advising party committees and commands at all levels to accelerate the implementation of Campaign 50 as well as measures for traffic safety to contribute to the building of a strong Branch and all-powerful, “exemplary and typical” units to meet the requirements of constructing the Military and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation.

Major General DUONG XUAN NAM, Head of the Vehicle and Machinery Department