Research and development of high-tech products is a strategic task in building a self-reliant, self-sufficient, dual-use, and modern defence industry. Fully understanding this, Z131 Factory has focused its leadership and guidance on implementing this important task by means of synchronised and effective solutions.

Factory Z131, under the General Department of Defence Industry, is tasked with producing various types of weapons and technical equipment for defence and security purposes; participating in the research and development of some new and modern weapons with high scientific and technological content; while boosting production and business to contribute to socio-economic development.

Over 60 years of development and growth, generations of cadres, engineers, and workers of the factory have always been united, proactive in overcoming difficulties, constantly innovating, and excellently fulfilling their combat, combat support, and production and business tasks. For all of its achievements, the factory was honoured by the State with the title of Hero of Labour in 2012 and Hero of the People's Armed Forces twice in 2014 and 2025, among other prestigious awards.

Leader of the Factory checks mechanical products

The recent tasks of modernising the Army and the defence industry have placed increasingly high goals and demands on defence industry facilities in general, and the factory in particular. In order to successfully fulfil its mission, along with maintaining stable production and improving the quality of traditional products, the factory has decided on the research and development of high-tech products as a breakthrough and a strategic task that is both urgent and enduring. Accordingly, its Party Committee and the Board of Directors have thoroughly grasped the resolutions and directives of higher echelons, closely following the orientations of the Ministry of National Defence for Military modernisation, and the economic product needs of the domestic and international markets. They have focused on leading and directing the promotion of collective intelligence; fostered the research, supplementation and perfection of the product development strategy and plan for the 2026-2030 period, including the goal of gradually mastering fundamental and core technologies, enhancing self-reliance in research, design, and manufacturing of high-tech, high-quality products with a high localisation rate.

To successfully achieve those goals, the Factory has focused on comprehensively reviewing and evaluating the capabilities of its agencies and units, from human resources, equipment, and technological lines to management and operational mechanisms. Based on this evaluation, it makes plan for research, development, and manufacturing of high-tech products in a synchronous manner, suitable with actual conditions. At the same time, emphasis is placed on improving management and operational mechanisms to ensure unified, effective, and efficient operation. In particular, it promotes innovation in leadership and management methods towards a scientific, flexible approach that closely follows practical requirements; and enhances the role of advisory bodies in researching, proposing, and implementing scientific and technological tasks. During implementation, it strengthens decentralisation and empowerment, and the accountability of the presiding cadres; management is based on how specific goals are achieved, deadlines are met, and products are made, while upholding discipline and order in the implementation process. Inspection work is strengthened to promptly identify and resolve difficulties and obstacles. The “seven dares” spirit of cadres and Party members, especially the leading ones, and innovative thinking, creative doing are encouraged to leverage the collective intelligence and sense of responsibility of the staff, engineers, and workers.

Research and development of high-tech products is a challenging task, requiring a pool of talented human resource and a synchronised, modern technological production line and facility. Fully realising this, the Factory has identified building its scientific and technological potential as the foundation; in which, developing high-quality human resources is key; and investing in modernising the technological production line and facility is a direct condition for promoting research and development of high-tech products. To realise this policy, its Party Committee issued Resolution No. 1375-NQ/ĐU, dated 21 January 2020, on “Leading the development of the contingent of cadres, especially the presiding cadres of agencies and units and the leading cadres in technical and technological fields of the Factory to meet the task requirements in the new situation”. In the implementation process, it focuses on diversifying recruitment sources, actively attracting graduates and postgraduates from domestic and overseas educational institutions with priorities being given to cutting-edge, specialised, and unique fields. Simultaneously, it appoints the right person to the right job, creates good working environment for its staff to develop their abilities and strengths. Furthermore, it proactively collaborates with the Military Technical Academy, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, etc., to provide in-depth training in mechanical engineering, materials science, programming, automation, and so on.

In particular, to create a breakthrough, the Factory selected the talented and experienced officers, engineers, and staff to establish a “deep researching groups”, and offered the best conditions for them to focus on researching and mastering modern technologies for each specific product. As a result, the level of its technical staff has significantly improved: 100% of its staff graduates from university, including over 50% holding postgraduate degrees, and over 85% are rated highly skilled technicians, better meeting the demands of tasks.

Workers operating the explosive production line

Besides human resource development, the Factory has also intensified investment in the modernisation of equipment, production lines, and facilities. It proactively surveys and researches new technological development trends domestically and internationally to advise superiors on selecting suitable partners for supplying equipment and transferring technology to serve defence and economic production; actively generates resources and implements investment projects to upgrade infrastructure in a synchronised and modern manner. To date, it has completed many important projects, meeting quality and progress requirements, especially in the production technology of new weapons, industrial explosives, and mechanical products for defence and civilian purposes. At the same time, it continues to invest in and improve its laboratory and testing systems to enhance its capacity in research, prototyping, production, quality control, and environmental protection.

To enhance self-reliance and increase the localisation rate of products, the Factory issued Resolution No. 397-NQ/DU, dated 15 October 2021, on accelerating the research, design, and manufacturing of new weapons and technical equipment, and Resolution No. 943-NQ/DU, dated 04 July 2023, on leading science and technology work until 2030 and beyond, with the following principles: focusing on research and improvement to enhance the functions of traditional weapons; designing and manufacturing new generation weapons that are intelligent, guided, and AI-integrated; developing intelligent and dual-use economic products, etc. Accordingly, along with the centralised and unified management of the Board of Directors and the empowerment for staff, it renews process and methods of selecting research projects to improve their efficiency and applicability, and takes the end product as the goal and criterion for evaluating research quality.

On a yearly basis, the Factory's Science and Technology Council evaluate and select feasible and highly applicable research topics and initiatives to implement. In particular, it has established and effectively utilised the “Science and Technology Development Fund”, creating a legal framework and stable financial resources to promote research and innovation activities, while offering specific policy to promptly commend and reward collectives and individuals achieving high results in this field. As a result, it has seen a gradual rise in the number and quality of research topics and tasks. Many of which have been effectively applied to the design, and manufacturing of new and modern products. Since 2020 to date, it has researched and mastered technology and put into production 8 defence products and 11 economic products.

High-tech products, especially defence-related ones, often require the integration of different fields, such as precision mechanics, new materials, automation, digitalisation, etc. Therefore, the Factory actively expands cooperation in scientific research and technology transfer, aiming to maximise both internal and external resources. In recent years, it has proactively collaborated with research institutes, the Military Technical Academy, and factories and scientific and technological facilities that have strengths in key areas directly serving the research, design, and manufacturing of new products. Through this cooperation, it proactively receives, inherits, and develops research results and technological documents; shortens the time for research, design, and manufacturing of new products; and minimises risks, especially for highly complex tasks. Simultaneously, it effectively utilises cooperation programmes to train and develop its human resources in fields such as: digital technology, automation, new materials, artificial intelligence, automatic control, etc.

In addition, the Factory promotes digital transformation associated with the application of modern management methods. It regularly improves working processes, enhances the effectiveness of the quality management system according to TCVN ISO 9001:2015 standards; applies the enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and the manufacturing execution system (MES) software; and gradually moves towards building a smart factory model.

By means of comprehensive solutions and strong determination, the Factory has successfully researched, developed, and produced many strategic weapons and technological equipment, which have been highly appreciated by the superiors. Several of its economic products have been exported to world demanding markets.

Building on the tradition of a three-time Heroic Unit, Factory Z131 continues to uphold the spirit of solidarity, constantly innovate and develop high-tech products, contributing to building a self-reliant, self-sufficient, dual-use, and modern defence industry, meeting the requirements of building the Army and protecting the Fatherland in the new conditions.

Senior Colonel, Dr. NGUYEN DUC THI, Director of the Factory