Editor's note: In order to build a modernised Army to firmly safeguard the Fatherland in all situations, inheriting and developing previous resolutions, on 26 January 2022, the Politburo (13th tenure) issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on "Promoting the development of the defence industry to 2030 and the following years". This document is of special significance, demonstrating the Party's thoughts and strategic vision on developing the defence industry in the new period.

To clarify this issue, from issue 8/2024, the National Defence Journal respectfully introduces a series of articles: "The Party's thoughts on developing the defence industry to meet the requirements of safeguarding the Fatherland in the new period".

I. Practical requirements and the Party's viewpoint on the development of the defence industry in the new period

Defence industry is a part of the national industry, playing a particularly pivotal role in direct researching, producing, maintaining, repairing, improving, and modernising weapons, military technical equipment, and products, contributing to enhancing the potential and strength of the military and national defence in building and safeguarding the Fatherland. Therefore, building and developing the defence industry is always an important, regular task that cannot be taken lightly.

Historical practice has shown that in the military and national defence fields, the combat strength of the armed forces in general, and the army in particular, is the result of a synthesis of multiple factors: people, weapons, fighting art, fighting style, etc., in which people and weapons are the two most important factors, having a dialectical relationship with each other. In this relationship, people always play a decisive role, but weapons also have a very pivotal position. Regarding this issue, V.I. Lenin pointed out that: “The best army, the most loyal people to the revolutionary cause will be immediately destroyed by the enemy, if they are not armed, supplied with food and trained properly”. Therefore, along with building and promoting the human factor, the producing and equipping of weapons for the army is extremely crucial.

President Ho Chi Minh talks with Maj.Gen. Tran Dai Nghia, the first Director of Military Ordnance Department (A file photo)

Applying and creatively developing the viewpoint of Marxism-Leninism, inheriting and promoting the traditions of the nation, from the experience of countries around the world, in the process of leading the revolution, in addition to building and promoting the leading factor of human beings, our Party and President Ho Chi Minh attached great importance to developing weapons and equipment to arm the entire people, taking the armed forces as the core to firmly safeguard the achievements of the revolution. Accordingly, on 15 September 1945, just a few days after the nation’s independence, President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree to establish the Military Ordnance Department under the Ministry of National Defence, laying the foundation for the birth and development of the Vietnam Defence Industry.

After two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, with the help of socialist countries, the Military Ordnance Department and then the Defence Industry Department overcame countless difficulties and challenges; both building and fighting, and manufacturing, repairing, and supplying weapons, technical equipment, etc. to the battlefields, meeting the development requirements of people's war and increasingly modern operations of main military forces. In particular, at the end of 1972, with our intelligence and creativity, we successfully improved and enhanced the combat performance of the SAM-2 missiles with their range and sufficient power to destroy the enemy's B52 "Flying Fortress", creating the historic "Dien Bien Phu in the Air" victory, making a significant contribution to the cause of national liberation and reunification.

Entering the period of building and safeguarding the country, especially since the implementation of the national renovation, the defence industry continues to receive special attention and priority from the Party and the State and has made remarkable progress. In the past 10 years, the defence industry has autonomously researched, manufactured, produced, as well as repaired, improved, synchronised and modernised numerous types of weapons and equipment, especially new types of weapons and equipment, gradually meeting the requirements of modernising the Army and the task of safeguarding the Fatherland. However, compared to practical requirements, the defence industry's capacity is not yet commensurate with its potential and advantages and in some aspects has yet to meet the requirements and tasks. Meanwhile, the world and regions’ situations are complicated and unpredictable; armed conflicts, territorial sovereignty disputes, local wars, and cyber attacks are taking place fiercely; military science and technology have developed rapidly with plentiful types of new weapons, leading to new forms of war, types of strategic operations in spaces, and new methods of conducting war; the trend of war using high-tech weapons, remote warfare is becoming more and more popular, etc. All of these issues have been greatly influencing the process of building the Army, strengthening national defence, and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation.

SAM-2 air defence missile in the "Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air" Capaign in 1972      (A file photo)

As highly being aware of the importance of the defence industry for the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland, as well as appropriately assessing the situation in all aspects, since years ago, the Party has issued many resolutions and directives on the development of the defence industry. On 20 July 1993, the Politburo (7th tenure) issued Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW on "Building and developing the defence industry until the year 2000"; On 13 June 2003, the Politburo (9th tenure) continued to issue Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW on “Building and developing the defence industry until 2010”. Then, in order to concretise the policies and viewpoints of the Resolution of the 11th Party Congress, on 16 July 2011, the Politburo (11th tenure) issued Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on “Building the defence industry until 2020 and the following years”. In particular, with the mindset of innovation and facing the increasingly high requirements of the cause of building the Army, consolidating national defence, safeguarding the Fatherland, especially the requirement of building an elite, compact, strong, and modern Army, on 26 January 2022, the Politburo (13th tenure) issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on “Promoting the development of the defence industry until 2030 and the following years”; which clearly states the position and importance of the defence industry in the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland; at the same time, clearly defines the viewpoints, directions, goals, tasks and major solutions during the implementation. This is a document of special significance, demonstrating the Party's strategic thoughts and vision on developing the defence industry in the new period.

According to the Party's viewpoint, the defence industry is a part of the national industry, closely linked to the national industrial development strategy. However, its development must be directed towards successfully carrying out military and defence tasks, firmly safeguarding the Fatherland in all situations. That requires the development of the defence industry to be comprehensive; must be the responsibility of all levels, sectors, and the entire population in which, the Army plays the core role to promote the country's overall strength in carrying out this important task. Strengthening the defence strength, safeguarding the Fatherland in general, building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and gradually modernised Army in particular is a long-term process, with a suitable roadmap and steps, composed of several different factors in which, the defence industry plays the pivotal role. Therefore, the implementation of this process must thoroughly stick on the Party's viewpoint: the development of the defence industry must be proactive, self-reliant, dual-use, modern, taking internal strength as the decisive factor; closely linking and becoming the spearhead of the national industry; at the same time, it must be consistent with the defence and military strategy; closely combining defence with the economy and vice versa.

Currently, the rapid development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has a strong impact on all areas of social life, including the defence industry. Therefore, the development of this special industry must firmly grasp the viewpoint of the Party, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence, which is to master advanced and modern technology; promote the application of scientific and technological achievements of the world. Proactively and actively integrate internationally. Focus on developing high-quality human resources, scientific and technological resources to serve the defence industry. At the same time, focus on arranging the defence industry system in a streamlined, efficient, synchronous, unified direction in accordance with the characteristics of the military and defence sectors. In particular, attach importance to ensuring information security in all aspects of defence industry activities according to regulations. This viewpoint is consistent with the requirement of building an elite, strong, modernised Army, constantly improving overall quality and combat strength in accordance with the determination to safeguard the Fatherland and the strategic arrangement in all three regions: North - Central - South, especially in strategic and key directions.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Conference on implementing Resolution No.08-NQ/TW of the Politburo (Photo: VNA)

Along with the guiding viewpoints, the Party clearly defines the goal of developing the defence industry in the new period as: having the capability to research, design, manufacture, and produce weapons and technical equipment with tactical and technical features to meet the requirements of equipping the armed forces to build a modern army; repairing, improving, and modernising most types of existing weapons and technical equipment. Focusing on successfully producing modern and strategic weapons, equipment, and armaments in 05 main product groups: weapons and equipment for the army; military ships and underwater weapons; missiles and military aerospace; military equipment; and technical supplies. At the same time, mastering the design, basic technology, core technology, and increasing the localisation rate of defence industry products; developing key sectors (mechanical engineering, special metallurgy, new materials, telecommunications electronics, etc.) on the basis of new and modern technology, creating international competitiveness, participating deeply in the global value chain; gradually transferring appropriate technologies to civilian industry, etc.

By 2030, the defence industry will be able to research, design, manufacture, produce, repair, improve, and modernise new and modern weapons and equipment for the armed forces. From 2030, it will research, design, and manufacture automatic weapons and smart weapons for the army; master the technology to design, manufacture, and build new modern warships; modernise underwater weapons and weapon complexes on military ships. Besides, it will be able to research and manufacture cyber warfare systems; some types of weapons, equipment, and satellites for the space force, strategic missile force; radars, modern communication devices, etc.

The above viewpoints and orientations demonstrate the Party's strategic thoughts and vision, contributing to paving the way for the defence industry to develop steadily in the past and to set long-term strategic directions in the coming time. The foremost crucial issue is to firmly grasp the Party's policies, viewpoints, and guiding principles as expressed in resolutions and directives, focusing on Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW, dated 26 January 2022 of the Politburo (13th tenure). On that basis, correctly assess the situation in all aspects and the current state of the defence industry, as a basis for proposing appropriate policies and solutions to successfully complete the implementation in the coming time.

CAO THANH - PHAM CUONG - MINH DUC

(Next issue: II. Steady development of defence industry and issues raised)