Over the past 50 years of construction, combat, combat service, and development (10 September 1974 - 10 September 2024), the General Technical Department and the Military Technical Sector have consistently fulfilled their assigned tasks, making significant contributions to the national liberation struggle and the building and protection of the Fatherland. In the current context, the entire sector continues to build upon its traditions, fostering innovation and creativity to enhance the quality and efficiency of technical work.

In response to the urgent needs of the resistance war against American forces and the struggle for national salvation, on 10 September 1974, the Prime Minister signed Decree No.211/CP establishing the General Technical Department - a strategic advisory body for military technical affairs and the direction of technical work across the Army. This event marked a new phase of development for our Army and the Technical Sector in particular. Immediately following its establishment, the General Technical Department undertook both the development of its forces and the coordination with ministries, agencies, localities, and units to comprehensively advise and direct the implementation of technical tasks. The technical forces were deployed across all battlefields, building a robust and extensive support network. They ensured the timely provision of tens of thousands of tonnes of weapons, ammunition, equipment, and technical means for combat operations, contributing significantly to the victory of the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, which led to the complete liberation of the South and the reunification of the country.

As the country entered a new era of pursuing both strategic goals of construction and national defence, the General Department promptly adapted its organisational structure and shifted its focus to enhance the quality and effectiveness of technical work, in response to military and defence demands. This included supporting the protection of the Fatherland along the southwestern and northern borders and fulfilling international duty as helping the Cambodian people escape from the horrors of genocide. In recent years, with the evolving requirements and tasks of building the Army and protecting the Father, the Technical Sector, led by the General Technical Department, has deeply internalised various resolutions and directives, aligning closely with military and defence tasks. The sector has proactively advised the Central Military Party Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, on numerous policies and solutions to improve quality and efficiency of the work. Notably, the General Technical Department has collaborated on developing and proposing the Strategy for Equipping the Vietnam People’s Army up to 2030 and beyond. It has refined its organisational system according to the new organisational adjustments of the Army. It has also overseen the implementation of projects to plan, adjust, and upgrade storage facilities, workshops, and technical support bases throughout the Army, establishing a new strategic layout. The General Technical Department has directed the refinement of the Regulations of Technical Work and related specialisations, ensuring that technical work adheres to established standards. It has successfully executed various groundbreaking programmes, projects, and plans in research, design, manufacturing, and modernisation of weapons and technical equipment, progressively mastering the technical support for new-generation armaments. These accomplishments have significantly enhanced national defence capabilities and the combat strength of the armed forces, contributing to the development of an “elite, streamlined, and strong” Army towards modernity.

In the coming years, the global and regional situation is expected to remain complex and unpredictable. The mission of consolidating national defence, protecting the Fatherland, and building an “elite, streamlined, and strong” Army towards modernity amidst globalisation, international integration, and the profound impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital transformation will place heavy demands on the Technical Sector, with new and higher goals and requirements. The merger of logistics and technical departments at all levels will transform the organisational structure and the technical force composition, directly affecting various technical tasks.

Leader of the General Technical Department visits technical innovations of units

To effectively fulfil its assigned functions and tasks, the Military Technical Sector must continue to implement comprehensive measures for innovation and improvement, enhancing the quality and efficiency of its work. Key areas of focus will include:

1. Improving the quality of research and recommendations to effectively advise leaders and commanders, particularly at the strategic level, on technical work. Party committees, commanders, and technical agencies at all levels must deeply understand and implement the Party’s military and defence guidelines, specifically the 8th Central Resolution (the 13th Tenure) on the Strategy for national protection in the new situation, and Central Military Commission Resolution No.1656-NQ/QUTW dated 20 December 2022 on the leadership of technical work until 2030 and beyond. This includes focusing on research and proposing policies and solutions to innovate and improve technical work quality to meet military, defence, and national protection requirements in the new context. Particular attention will be given to issues such as organisational development, restructuring of the Technical Sector in line with military organisation planning, weapon and equipment utilisation planning, and advising on procurement, production, improvement, and modernisation of weapons and technical equipment, especially for forces and specialisations advancing towards modernity. Technical specialisations will continue to advise on implementing planning, investment, and upgrading of technical support facilities in line with military development requirements. Additionally, ongoing advice will be provided to the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and relevant ministries and localities to strengthen the integration of economic development with technical capability building, reinforcing the logistics and technical support structure across strategic areas. The sector will also continue to review and update programmes and plans to implement Resolution No.1656-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Party Commission.

2. Enhancing the innovaiton of methods of technical support and improving the quality and effectiveness of technical work. Building on the results achieved over the past 15 years through Resolution No.382-NQ/ĐUQSTW and the programmes and plans under Resolution No.1656-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Party Commission, technical agencies at all levels will continue to comprehensively innovate technical support methods, management mechanisms, and operational processes. This will align with the development of new-generation weapons and equipment with integrated high technology, suitable for modern combat tactics and Vietnamese military strategy. Strict adherence to regulations on the management of weapons and ammunition will be enforced, with a focus on repairing long-term weapons and equipment, mastering and ensuring technical support for new-generation, high-tech, and upgraded weapons and equipment. Effective delegation of repair responsibilities will be implemented to ensure timely support for tasks and to maximise the capabilities of regional technical support facilities.

Efforts will continue to review and update the planning of repair facilities for weapons and technical equipment at various levels, tailored to different regions. Investment projects for upgrading defence repair factories and enterprises will be accelerated to enhance weapon and equipment repair capabilities and technical material production. The process will involve gradually improving and upgrading campaign and tactical repair stations to increase their mobility. There will be an expansion of international technical cooperation and collaboration with external entities, leveraging successful models in technical facilities, agencies, and support methods for specific types of weapons and technical equipment, and extending these practices throughout the Army. Rigorous inspections will be implemented to ensure advanced standards are applied for quality control of weapons, equipment, and technical materials. The sector will also play a central role in implementing the “Campaign 50,” harnessing the collective strength of various forces to improve technical work quality at the unit level.

3. Attaching great importance to building a robust organisational structure and developing a skilled technical workforce in adequate numbers, with appropriate structure and high expertise. This is an important task and solution, which directly determines the quality and effectiveness of technical work. Technical agencies across the Army, therefore, need to closely monitor the situation, particularly in the leadership and management of logistics and technical agencies following the merger as outlined in Resolution No.230-NQ/QUTW dated 2 April 2022 by the Central Military Party Commission regarding the organisation of the Vietnam People’s Army for the period 2021-2030 and beyond. Any issues or challenges should be promptly addressed with appropriate adjustments to ensure that logistics and technical agencies operate effectively and remain stable. At the same time, it is necessary to step up the implementation of solutions, deploy the merger of logistics and technical agencies at the campaign and strategic levels according to the roadmap to ensure solidarity, unity, and closeness, and not let the adjustment of force organisation affect the security activities and combat readiness of the Army. Along with consolidating the organisation and forces, the sector will also continue to focus on innovating and improving the quality of training and professional development for technical personnel. This will include diversifying training types, integrating school-based training with research institutions and technical support facilities, and enhancing international cooperation in training. Emphasis will be placed on researching and innovating training processes and programmes for technical staff, incorporating new combat conditions into training at academies and schools. Priority will be given to developing highly skilled technical personnel in key, specialised, and cutting-edge technical fields. There will be policies to attract top technical experts and specialists. The goal is to ensure that, in the near future, a sufficient number of technical personnel will be trained to master advanced, high-tech weapons and equipment for the military. Annual technical training standards will be strictly maintained, with a focus on technology transfer and technical support for new-generation weapons and equipment.

4. Enhancing science and technology, and implementing digital transformation in the technical work. Technical agencies at all levels, particularly research centres and institutes, should closely align with the realities of the country and the Army to intensify scientific and technological research, addressing current challenges in military technical fields. Emphasis should be placed on forecasting and identifying emerging issues to achieve breakthroughs in the application of scientific and technological advancements, particularly those stemming from the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This includes integrating these advancements into command, management, and technical support operations, with a particular focus on new-generation weapons and technical equipment. Concurrently, efforts should be increased to advance military administrative reforms, digital transformation, and the development of an electronic government throughout the sector.

In response to the demands of the new situation, personnel in the Technical Sector are expected to uphold the tradition of “Proactivity, Innovation, Self-reliance, and Resilience.” There must be a continuous effort to innovate and excel in fulfilling assigned functions and tasks, contributing to the development of an “elite, streamlined, and strong” Army towards modernity that firmly protects the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland in all circumstances.

Lieutenant General TRAN MINH DUC, Chief of the General Technical Department