In 2023, the Military Technical Branch overcame all the difficulties and challenges to ensure sufficient, timely, and synchronised technical equipment for different tasks, achieving various breakthroughs. Building on these results, the Army continues to promote the spirit of “proactivity, creativity, self-reliance, and self-strength”, striving to overcome all difficulties to successfully meet the targets and tasks of technical work in 2024.

 In 2023, under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, party committees and commanders at all levels, and the efforts of the entire Army, the technical work has achieved positive results. The Technical Branch, particularly the General Department of Technology, effectively advised on specialised matters, especially at the strategic level, and directed and guided the comprehensive and effective implementation of technical work. The entire Army has thoroughly grasped and thoughtfully implemented Resolution No. 1656-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022, of the Central Military Commission regarding the leadership of technical work until 2030 and beyond. The organisation of technical forces at the tactical level was adjusted according to plan, meeting the requirements of Army building in the new situation. As a result, the targets and objectives of technical work were met and exceeded the planned expectations, and the quality of equipment and technical assurance was continuously improved, especially in the research and mastery of technical assurance for new-generation weapons and equipment. Besides, the system of factories, enterprises, warehouses, and workshops throughout the Army continued to be planned, invested in, and consolidated in a regular and modern direction, gradually meeting the requirements of peacetime and being ready to perform tasks in wartime. The Campaign entitled “Effective, durable, safe, and economical management and use of weapons and equipment, and traffic safety” continued to be promoted, being more in-depth and achieving practical effectiveness. The Technical Branch ensured sufficient and timely provision of weapons and technical equipment for units performing training, exercises, combat readiness, search and rescue, and ad hoc tasks. Notably, the Branch excellently completed the task of ensuring technical support for strategic combat exercises and participated in the inspection of civilian motor vehicles, which were highly appreciated by the Government and the people.

Despite the results achieved, several limitations exist in technical work. The ability to exploit, master, and ensure technical aspects for new weapons and equipment has not yet met the set requirements; the maintenance of technical work regimes at some units has not always been strict; several factories and enterprises have not timely adjusted and supplemented in accordance with the existing technological equipment; and incidents of labour insecurity, fires, explosions, and traffic safety violations still occur.

Lt. Gen. Tran Minh Duc check supply work at Centre 334 under the Staff of the General Department of Technology

In 2024, global and regional situations are predicted to continue to evolve in complex and unpredictable ways while the tasks of Army building and Homeland protection set new demanding requirements. This year is also crucial for accomplishing the objectives and targets of the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress and the Resolution of the 11^th Military Party Congress, with the entire Army completing its reorganisation towards being “elite, compact, and robust”. The Military Technical Branch has to implement significant projects and tasks. Given this situation, the entire Army, particularly the Technical Branch, needs to continue promoting the spirit of “proactivity, creativity, self-reliance, and self-strength” and implement intense, comprehensive, and synchronised technical work, with a focus on some tasks as follows:

Firstly, the Technical Branch proactively research and improve the quality of its advice and proposal to the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and party committees and commanders at all levels on the effective implementation of technical work. The Military Technical Branch, especially the specialised departments and functional agencies of the General Department of Technology, must further grasp higher echelons’ resolutions and directives, particularly the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on the Strategy for Homeland protection, Resolution No. 1656-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022, of the Central Military Commission on leadership of technical work until 2030 and beyond, and the 2024 Order of the Minister of National Defence on technical work. Additionally, the Branch proactively research and thoroughly understand the situation, especially the status of technical equipment, procurement, production of technical materials, and the capacity of technical assurance of facilities within and outside the Army. Based on that, it proactively advises and proposes leadership policies, directives, and specialised measures to create breakthroughs in technical work. The focus is put on the procurement, production, improvement, and modernisation of technical equipment and the completion of the organisational structure of technical forces at all levels, hence meeting the requirements of building an “elite, compact, and robust” Army that advances towards modernity. The Branch attaches importance to advising and directing the effective implementation of tasks identified in the 5-year Programme and Plan (from 2021 to 2025) and Plan No. 866/KH-BQP, dated 21 March 2023, of the Ministry of National Defence on the implementation of Resolution No. 1656-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission. Accordingly, units need to link the implementation of technical work targets and tasks in 2024 with the implementation of objectives and targets in the plan and action programme to carry out the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) and the Resolution No. 1656-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission, thus contributing to bringing the resolutions to people’s daily lives.

Secondly, the Branch focuses on comprehensively implementing all aspects of technical work and enhancing the capability to exploit, master, and ensure technical aspects for different tasks. In response to the current requirements of building an elite, compact, and robust Army that advances towards modernity, the General Department of Technology intensifies the implementation of key projects, programmes, and plans for procurement, production, improvement, and modernisation of technical equipment. It also advises on procurement, production, and improvement of technical equipment that suits combat conditions and the ability to exploit and ensure technical aspects. The procured equipment should match the synchronisation among technical equipment, technical materials, training, technical assurance facilities, etc., to maintain tactical and technical performance throughout the equipment’s lifecycle. Moreover, the Branch directs the comprehensive implementation of all aspects of technical work in a basic and focused manner. In the short term, the Branch attaches importance to ensuring high-quality, synchronised technical equipment for units performing training, combat readiness, search and rescue and ad hoc tasks. It also maintains synchronisation for previously synchronised technical equipment, focusing on new-generation ones with high technological content and integration. Besides, it selectively extends the lifecycle of technical equipment, such as missiles, aircraft, and submarines that has strict regulations on usage duration. The Branch improves the quality of repairing technical equipment at factories and repair facilities; effectively ensures the safety of weapon and ammunition depots; and maintains the discipline of the Technical Branch while strictly managing weapons and ammunition. It should also review the depot system, especially ammunition and weapon depots, during hot, rainy, and stormy seasons; invest in constructing strategic-level military depots with the application of new technologies to replicate them across the Army. Besides, the Branch timely handles technical equipment and ensures strict, correct compliance with regulations for level-5 ammunition.  

Lt. Gen. Tran Minh Duc check technical work at Fatory A31 of the Air Defence and Air Force

Thirdly, the Technical Brand intensifies the completion of its organisational structure and regularity building. All technical agencies and units, particularly those under the General Department of Technology, continue to lead and direct the strict implementation of Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated 02 April 2022, of the Central Military Commission and Plan No. 1228/KH-BQP, dated 25 April 2022, of the Ministry of National Defence. During the implementation process, they should emphasise the leadership and direction on political education and closely combine ideological and policy works, resolutely preventing any impact of the reorganisation of forces on the quality of technical assurance and combat readiness of the Army. In addition to the reorganisation of forces, party committees and commanders of agencies and units should concentrate on leading and directing the comprehensive and synchronised implementation of measures to create solid transformations in regularity building and discipline compliance. Besides, they should strictly implement Directive No. 79/CT-BQP, dated 22 July 2022, of the Minister of National Defence to build comprehensively strong, “exemplary and typical” agencies and units that can ensure the safety of depots, workshops, agencies, and units, with a focus on building exemplary units in terms of regularity building, discipline management, and technical work.

Fourthly, the Branch encourages research in science and technology and carries out digital transformation in the Technical Branch. By thoroughly grasping Resolution No. 1652/NQ-QUTW, dated 20 December 2022, of the Central Military Commission on leading military science work until 2030 and beyond and based on the functions, tasks, and specialisations, technical agencies and units at all levels focus on the enhancement of the effectiveness of scientific and technological activities, promoting research and application of the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in technical work to improve and modernise technical equipment and enhance the ability to master, repair, and domestically produce technical materials. Agencies and units should effectively implement coordination programmes on technical work and promote military technical cooperation with foreign countries, emphasising the transfer of technology, the research, manufacturing, production, and testing of technical equipment and materials in Vietnam. Furthermore, the Technical Branch accelerates the implementation of Plan No. 3826/KH-BQP, dated 28 September 2021, of the Ministry of National Defence regarding administrative reform for the 2021 - 2025 period by intensifying the application of information technology and digital transformation into military administrative reform, thus building an e-Government in the Military Technical Branch.

Additionally, the entire Army needs to continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022, of the Central Military Commission on improving the quality of training for 2023 and beyond and the Technical Training Guidance of the General Department of Technology for 2024. Focus is put on training to enhance the ability to exploit, master, and ensure technical aspects of current weapons and technical equipment, especially new-generation, high-tech weapons and equipment as well as technical assurance training for different operational plans and situations in Homeland protection. The Branch promotes the implementation of Campaign 50, striving to reduce traffic accidents across all three criteria, namely the number of accidents, the number of fatalities, and the number of injuries compared to 2023. This Campaign is associated with the Determined-to-Win Emulation Movement, leveraging the comprehensive strength to successfully accomplish the technical work tasks in 2024, hence contributing to building an elite, compact, and robust Army that can firmly protect the Homeland in the new situation.

Lieutenant General TRAN MINH DUC

Director of the General Department of Technology