In 2022, all aspects of technical work in our Military have expericenced many reforms and innovations, achieving many important results, contributing to the success of units and agencies in the Military in fulfilling their assigned tasks. To uphold that result, the Technical Branch needs to closely follow the directions and tasks regarding military and defence matters, continue to promote internal strengths, and overcome difficulties to successfully realise the targets and objectives of 2023.

Thanks to the regular and direct leadership and guidance of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence (MND), and the efforts and commitment of leadership and Party committee at all levels, in the past year, the Technical Branch has thoroughly grasped and effectively implemented assigned tasks according to the Technical Work Instruction, ensuring the quality, quantity and the uniformity of weapons and equipment for all tasks, especially for the tasks of training, combat readiness, exercising, search and rescue; and maintain the technical coefficients in accordance of weapons and equipment as prescribed. The entire Branch has worked closely with relevant authorities to negotiate, assess, accept, manufacture, and improve weapons and equipment according to the MND's decisions; effectively advised, developed, and implemented programmes, projects, and legal documents of the Branch, and build technical contingents in line with the strategies and guidelines for building the Military in accordance with Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW, dated January 17, 2022 of the Politburo (13^th tenure) and Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated April 2, 2022 of the Central Military Commission on the Organisation of Viet Nam People's Army (VPA) in the period of 2021 - 2030 and beyond. Besides, the General Department of Technology (GDT) effectively organised, directed and implemented the technical work for the MT-22 Exercise, VietNam International Defence Expo 2022; speeded up the implementation of technical support plans and projects, and held military technical competitions and contests successfully. Notably, the Branch proactively studied and assessed the impacts of the Russo – Ukrainian Military Conflict on our technical work and advised the MND on multiple solutions to address this issue. In addition, the GDT informed the General Staff on the results of the pilot implementations of solutions to strengthen the management and safety assurance of weapons and ammunitions  for combat readiness missions and assisted the Central Military Commission and the MND in the successful organisation of the Review Conference of the 15 Years of the Implementation of Resolution No. 382-NQ/DUQSTW, dated November 29, 2007, of the Central Military Commission on the Technical Work in the new situation to determine directions, objectives, guiding views, tasks, and solutions for this important work in the future.

Sr. Lt. Gen. Le Huy Vinh, Deputy Miniter of National Defence speaks at the review conference of technical work in 2022

In 2023, the global and regional situations will continue to witness rapid, complex, and unpredictable developments, and there will be new developments in our military and national defence tasks. This is also a pivotal year in the implementation of military and national defence objectives and tasks as stipulated in the 13^th National Party Congress Resolution and the 11^th Military Party Congress Resolution. Therefore, the Military will have to carry out many important tasks, thus the demand for technical work will increase sharply, and the requirements for this work are also heightened, especially the requirements for task of defending the Motherland’s airspace, maritime territory, border and inland, etc. This requires the Military in general, the Technical Branch in particular, to promote reforms, making comprehensive transformations in all aspects, and successuflly completing goals and tasks of 2023; in which, the following key tasks must be emphasised:

1. Proactively advise the Central Military Commission, the MND, Party committees and commanders at all levels in the implementation of tasks related to technical work. On the basis of studies and forecasts on the task of defending the Motherland in 2023, the Military Technical Branch needs to timely and make recommendations and comprehensively implement technical work for military and defence tasks; and effectively utilise resources to preserve, maintain and extend the life cycle of weapons and technical equipment, especially newly-acquired and modern ones. In short term, the Branch needs to proactively develop and effectively and simultaneously implement resolutions, decisions, and projects related to technical work issued by the Central Military Commission; and make itself a strong, compact, unified, uniformed, and effective Technical Branch, appropriate to the current force organisation, contributing to the modernisation of the Military. Along wih that, the GDT must effectively play its role as the leading department in advising the Central Military Commission and the MND on military technical work; and continue to improve the quality and effectiveness of technical work to ensure the quality, quantity, and uniformity of weapons and equipment for the Military in a timely manner, meeting the demands of the cause of firmly defending the Socialist Viet Nam Motherland. In addition, the GDT must make procurement recommendations, as well as manufacture and improve current weapons and equipment appropriate to our combat conditions, and our utilisation and maintenance abilities. Procured equipment must be uniformed with weapons and equipment in use for training as well as the current technical infrastructure to preserve its effectiveness throughout its life cycle. At the same time, the Branch must focus on leading and direction the promotion of the Movement 50, the digital transformation in the Technical Branch and the effective application of the 4^th Industrial Revolution achievements to strengthen the quality of our technical work.

2. Focus on the  technical support  for  weapons and equipment. This is the most important task, it ensures the stipulated technical coefficients of weapons and equipment of military units in performing their tasks, especially training, combat readiness, natural disaster and disease prevention and relief, and search and rescue activities. Therefore, all units in the Military need to well-maintain their weapons and equipment, especially new-generation weapons and equipment. In addition, the Branch must step up the study and application of new  technologies for storing and maintaining weapons and equipment; selectively extend the life cycle of weapons and equipment which have strict regulations on their expiration date. Besides, the GDT needs to focus on researching, prototype and manufacturing domestic technical supplies, especially those used for repairing newly-acquired weapons and equipment; and maximising the use of domestically manufactured and reserve technical supplies in regular technical support work. Also, special departments need to closely coordinate with relevant agencies to develop the Production Plan for technical supplies in the period of 2023 – 2025 and beyond.

Additionally, agencies and units in the Military must actively mobilise resources to improve their storage capability, which includes the storage condition (area, environment), storage equipment, and fire and explosion prevention equipment to ensure safety and life extension for weapons and equipment, especially modern and high value ones. It is also necessary to step up the construction of the new model of ammunition and explosive warehouses and build new systems of underground weapon and equipment depots in key areas and strategic locations to be ready in any contingency. Besides, we must strengthen the safety management of weapons and ordnance used for combat readiness activities. Along with that, the Technical Branch must actively spend resources on upgrading weapon and equipment repair facilities; prioritising units in remote and key areas; and seek for foreign cooperation in developing and transferring critical technologies compatible with our technical capability to ensure our ability to repair new generation weapons and equipment currently in our arsenal. In addition, the Branch must promote occupational safety and hygiene work in the Military in according to Directive No. 399-CT/QU of the Central Military Commission Standing Committee; focusing on improving technical safety inspection capability, strengthening the work of inspecting and examining occupational safety and hygiene and fire and explosion prevention capabilities of grassroots units. 

3. Actively reform and improve the quality of technical training. Military and defence practice shows that training in general, technical training in particular, plays an important and decisive role in ensuring the quality of technical support work in the new conditions. Especially now that all military units have been equipped with modern, high technology weapons and equipment, the innovation and quality improvement of technical training has become even more important. Therefore, on the basis of closely following the Guideline on Military and Defence Work 2023 of the General Staff and the Instruction on Technical Training 2023 of the GDT, agencies, units and local detachments of the Military must implement technical training with the correct schedule, contents and subjects stipulated in these documents. The training must focus on improving proficiency in using new-generation weapons and equipment to fully exploit their capability and extend their life cycle. In addition, it is necessary to organise training and test on the vocational skills of military members according to regulations. Besides, units of the Technical Branch must fully participate in exercises, competitions, and contests as planned; strengthen training on mobile repair and rescue in association with the condition in the field, and training on the utilisation of construction vehicles at strategic, operational and tactical levels. At the same time, the Branch must focus on safety assurance before, during and after live fire drills and training activities.

Technical detachments at all levels need to closely work with staff and political departments at the same level to effectively implement technical personnel management, and propose training and re-training plans to meet the increasingly demanding tasks of technical work in the new period. In addition, we must continue to reform technicians' training programmes and processes at all levels of the Military and improve technical training equipment. Besides, it is necessary to focus on training high-quality human resources for services, branches and forces that are the prioritised in modernisation; and create favourable conditions for cadets of technical academies and officer training schools to intern at combat units. Additionally, the Branch needs to pay attention to foreign language training for technical contingent  to improve their proficiency in weapon and equipment utilisation.

4.Strengthen the work of technical management and Branch building. Commanders and Party executive committees of agencies and units of the Technical Branch must continue to grasp and strictly follow the Resolution of the Central Military Commission and the MND's Plan  on the implementation of the Resolution of the Politburo on the Organisation of the VPA in the Period of 2021 – 2030 and beyond, and Resolution No. 1656-NQ/QUTW, dated December 20, 2022 on Technical Work to 2030 and beyond. In addition, the Branch must continue to seek innovations in technical support  methods; effectively perform its leading role in directing technical work for the Military according to Circular No. 45/TT-BQP, dated March 30, 2018, and the MND's Decision No. 1210/QD-BQP, dated April 14, 2020, and make amendments and supplements for the current system of legal documents on technical work to suit the requirements and tasks in the new situation.

Besides, technical detachments of military units and agencies must focus on reviewing, supplementing, and following technical processes and regulations, the technical day regime, and strengthening technical discipline in using and maintaining weapons and equipment, especially new, modern ones, applying strict requirements for the use and maintenance of such weapon and equipment. Besides, the Technical Branch needs to proactively compile, translate and develop technical training documents, and train personnel on the use of newly equipped weapons and hardware. Furthermore, we must strictly maintain technical management and quality control in repair facilities from tactical to operational and strategic levels. Moreover, it is necessary to organise quality assessments of weapons, equipment, and technical supplies and quality reviews of hardware post-inventory according to regulations. Additionally, we must continue to develop the system of technical support quotas for weapons and equipment according to the plan approved by the MND. Also, the Technical Branch must complete the development of Project 08-KT and the Guidelines for the Implementation of the amended Technical Work Regulations of the VPA.

5. Step up scientific and technological research. The Technical Branch needs to continue to reform, innovate, and apply scientific and technological achievements to address urgent issues in using, repairing, improving and modernising weapons and equipment, especially high-technology hardware; apply new technologies in storing and maintaining weapons and equipment, and develop and manufacture pilot scale materiels. Also, units and agencies of the branch must continue to review and supplement rules and regulations on supporting the research and application of valuable projects and initiatives; combining the use of research outcomes with the technical support work; utilising and mastering weapons and  equipment in the new situation. In addition, the Branch needs to strengthen its coordination with research institutes of the State and upgrade a number of key research facilities. Furthermore, it is necessary to accelerate the digital transformation within  the Technical Branch according to the Plan approved by the MND; apply the achievements of the 4^th Industrial Revolution and our own technical work in recent years to improve the quality and effectiveness of this work; and research and apply environmental protection measures in technical activities.

Along with that, technical detachments and agencies in the Military must step up the implementation of the Project on Ensuring Traffic Order and Safety in the Military for the Period of 2021 – 2030 with a Vision to 2045 according to the approved roadmap; promote the implementation of Movement 50 in a practical and effective manner and associate it with other emulation movements of the Military; strive to build a comprehensively strong Technical Branch according to the MND's directive ; and focus on building and replicating exemplary units in technical work and the Movement 50 in the period of 2023 – 2025. Realising the aforementioned objectives, the Technical Branch will surely be able to muster a synergised strength to complete all plans, targets and tasks of the technical work in 2023 to contribute to the success of the implementation of the military and defence tasks of the VPA.

Lieutenant General TRAN MNH DUC, Chief of the General Department of Technology