On 26 January 2022, the Politburo (13^th tenure) promulgated the Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on stepping up developing the General Department of Defence Industry (GDDI) through 2030 and beyond on the basis of summing up 10 years’ implementation of the Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of the Politburo (11^th tenure). These are important directions that need to be grasped and carried out by many synchronous, effective solutions.

On grasping and realising the Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, dated 16 July 2021, of the Politburo (11^th tenure) on establishing and developing defence industry through 2020 and beyond, the defence industry has been making great strides under leadership of the Party and State, first and foremost the Central Military Commission (CMC) and Ministry of National Defence (MND). Organisation of the defence industry has been strengthened to meet military requirements and missions and increasingly integrate into the national industry. Management mechanism and organisational system are more and more improved in an adept, lean, and effective direction. Facilities and equipment are further upgraded, innovated, and modernised. Human resources, especially the high-quality one, are increasingly developed. The defence industry has completed the goal of researching and producing technical equipment for the Ground Force and made vital contribution to modernisation of the Navy, Air Defence-Air Force, Signal, Electronic Warfare, Signals Intelligence, Cyber, etc., so far which helps to reduce the volume of imports and cut spendings. Besides, the defence industry has also mastered core technologies; researched, developed, and produced many types of high-tech weapons and strategic weapons; achieved significant breakthroughs in research, development, and production. In addition to in-depth development and research and development of modern, smart weapons, the defence industry has manufactured dual-use products to make active contribution to industrialisation and modernisation of the country.

Apart from the above-mentioned outcomes, the establishment and development of defence industry has its limitations. Collaboration among ministries, sectors, and localities in developing the defence industry is not close and effective. Investment in the defence industry is not commensurate with requirements. There are not many dual-use products for the welfare of the people and export. Limitations are shown in the mastery of foundational technologies, specialised materials, and some key sectors such as mechanical engineering, special metallurgy, electronics, and new materials.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visits the Z111 Factory under the GDDI

In the coming years, situations in the world and the region are likely to witness complex developments when major powers step up adjusting strategies and competing with each other. Armed conflict, dispute over territorial sovereignty, and cyberattack are believed to be fiercer. Radical development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will have a profound influence on military science and technology. The emergence of many new weapon systems, trend in high-technology warfare, and stand-off warfare are presenting new, pressing demands for national defence and defence industry of many countries, including Viet Nam. It is within this context that our Party advocates establishing and developing the defence industry in a proactive, self-reliant, resilient, dual-use, modern direction, capable of researching, developing, and producing advanced weapon systems and equipment to satisfy the demands of military building and safeguarding the Homeland in the new situation. To fulfil the assigned goals requires the defence industry to focus on leading and directing implementation of the following key measures.

First, further research is needed to improve the legal system regarding defence industry to create a sufficient legal corridor for the development of this sector. On grasping and realising resolutions, directives, and conclusions of the Party and State on establishing and developing the defence industry, first and foremost the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress, the Resolution of the 11^th Military Party Congress, and the Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW, dated 26 January 2022, of the Politburo (13^th tenure) on accelerating development of the defence industry through 2030 and beyond, the GDDI has worked closely with relevant agencies to study and assist the CMC and MND in formulating action programmes and plans to carry out resolutions and submitting the Government for approval. It also needs to propose legalising unique mechanisms and policies such as scientific, technological research and application; implementation of projects to develop key products; mobilisation of the State’s, economic sectors’ and businesses’ financial resources for developing defence industry; attraction, training, and development of high-quality human resources; attraction and preferential treatment of talented people, and so on. Additionally, the GDDI is requested to collaborate closely with functional agencies to create a state management agency in defence industry, which is efficient, effective, and suitable for conditions. Core defence industry entities are to be reorganised toward establishing a defence industrial complex, ensuring that it is adept, compact, highly efficient, advanced, modern, capable of both manufacturing and repairing weapon systems and technical equipment, and suitable for strategic disposition in three regions. Some research institutes continue to be transformed into scientific, technological businesses. It is necessary to explore the possibility of setting up the Defence Industry Innovation Centre.

Second, ramping up efforts to achieve a breakthrough in research and development of weapons and equipment to satisfy demand of modernising the military. To be further proactive in the context of globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution requires the GDDI to step up reform, improve quality of scientific, technological research and application, master advanced, modern technologies, and enhance capability to research and develop weapons and equipment, especially strategic weapons and next-generation army weapons, ensuring maneuver and operation in complex terrain, weather conditions. More resources must be invested into researching, transferring, and mastering foundational, core technologies and increasing domestic production, which contributes to modernisation of the military. In the immediate term, the GDDI concentrates on leading the enhanced progress of the Programme to research and develop new weapons in the 2021-2025 period with a vision for 2030; research and develop military vehicles and national products in terms of high-tech weapons. It is necessary to propose and effectively carry out projects to receive transfer of foreign technologies; upgrade production lines; accelerate reform of scientific research activity to ensure effectiveness and practicability; tighten discipline and minimise late projects to quickly transform research results into production of military weapons and equipment.

Third, diversification of resources for developing defence industry capabilities and enhanced linkage between defence industry and national industry. Establishment and development of defence industry are major issues, which involves a wide range of aspects and requires huge investment in human resources, finance, science and technology, and so forth. Consequently, the GDDI needs to keep proposing and enabling the MND to request the State to develop mechanisms and policies to create a legal corridor for the participation of sectors, organisations, and individuals into operations of the defence industry. The task of establishing and developing defence industry must be closely integrated in development strategies of ministries, sectors, and localities, especially in major projects and key products. In the short term, the GDDI must focus on helping the MND to reform capital mobilisation and its leadership of implementing investment projects regarding defence industry programme; effectively carry out the Medium-term Public Investment Plan in the 2021-2025 period; concentrate on working out plans for medium- and long-term defence industry capability investment; continue to diversify sources of investment capital for establishing and developing the defence industry.

Additionally, the defence industry steps up joint ventures, affiliation, and transfer of technologies to produce weapons and equipment; attaches importance to cooperation with partners at home and abroad in joint research, development, and consumption of products. It also needs to establish and successfully implement collaboration mechanisms among ministries, sectors, and localities in defence industry; gives priorities to advantages of the defence industry in support of the national economy. The government should have preferential policies to encourage the development of key sectors such as chemical industry, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, electronics, information technology, telecommunications, etc., which serves to bring about a dramatic transformation to meet requirements of establishing and developing the defence industry.

Fourth, developing high-quality human resources for defence industry. This is a deciding factor in the development of the defence industry both in the short- and long-term. Accordingly, together with devising and effectively implementing plans to train and use human resources in accordance with objectives and the road map for establishing and developing the defence industry, the GDDI continues to propose formulation of appropriate policies with the aim to attract talented people from socio-economic organisations and research institutes at home and abroad to high-tech projects in the defence industry. Priorities are given to attraction, training, and use of the corps of brilliant management cadres, technicians in unique fields of the defence industry, most notably leading experts, chief engineers, and master builders in research, design, and development of weapons and technical equipment. Moreover, the GDDI attaches importance to preparation of high-quality human resources for management and market research in defence businesses; actively applies international standards on the business management as well control of product quality; accelerates digital transformation; effectively promotes international cooperation in defence industry; steps up trade promotion, first and foremost the organisation of the defence exhibition in 2022 in Viet Nam.

Apart from the above-mentioned solutions, in the coming time, the GDDI concentrates on improving the effectiveness of inspection, supervision, prevention, and strict punishment of wrongdoings during implementing projects, programmes, and research topics regarding defence industry. Satisfactory policies on people undertaking scientific, technological research, especially research into core technologies and militarily specific technologies, must be put forward to create a new position and strength for vigorously developing the defence industry capable of meeting requirements of military modernisation, becoming the key element of the national industry, and actively contributing to industrialisation and modernisation of the country.

Lieutenant General, Doctor Ho Quang Tuan, Chief of the General Department of Defence Industry