Given the development of weaponry and technical equipment and the ever-increasingly complex situation on the sea, the military technical service, especially those directly involve in protecting marine and island sovereignty must accelerate reform, improve the capability and the quality of technical support in which, some of the following requirements should be focused for proper implementation:

 Firstly, to proactively build the technical support plans and projects consistent with the maritime and island combat situations; to focus on building strong  technical officers and staff. The operation motto is: thoughtful, expeditious and comprehensive for all forces, facilities, technical materials, suitable plans and projects for practical operations. The content of plans and projects of the organization of technical support must stem from the combat intention of commanders of arms and services, from the technical support orders and instructions of the higher level and from the technical support mission of the unit in protecting marine and island sovereignty; to ensure the confidential requirements, not to be surprised by the timing and combat situations. The organization of the technical force components must be comprehensive and synchronized, inclusive of building the organization of system command, leadership and technical management of the organizational structure, functions and duties; mechanisms of action. The technical support method must be in accordance with the mission of protecting marine and island sovereignty.

Secondly, to organize technical force reasonably and appropriately on each direction (region), waters, islands; ready to respond any situation; to build the technical support posture that is uninterrupted, solid, stable, maneuverable, confidential and safe. On each area, it is required to fully take advantage of the on-the-spot technical support posture, of the higher level’s reinforcement, support from the friendly units and technical forces of the defense sector in the combat area, shaping a complete, and regional technical support posture. At the same time, it is necessary to have suitable reserve forces in accordance with the own-level plan and resolution of sea and island protection. The synergetic strength of the technical support must be combined and made full use of; to build a strong technical support force and to create a technical support posture uninterrupted, solid, capable of independent support in different situations, and scenarios. During organization of technical support, agencies must attach great importance to ensuring the confidentiality, security of forces and technical means; to effectively prevent and respond to minimize the damage caused by enemy’s attacks, including their high-tech weapon attacks.

Thirdly, to promote the synergetic power of all forces and resources; to flexibly apply technical support methods. In the course of mission execution, it is necessary to flexibly apply technical support methods, combining on-the-spot support with mobile support from other places, creating synergetic power in undertaking the technical support mission. Under the condition of developed information technology, along with the mission execution by other methods, new methods of technical support with the remote support need to be taken into consideration. That is to build the command and control center, ensuring interconnectivity among important units, organizing teams of technical experts, including skilled workers, engineers, core technical staff, via the information network to conduct remote consultations to overcome technical problems, especially technical support for high-tech equipment. Along with promoting the highest self-sufficient capability, units must promote the synergetic power of the relevant forces; to fully utilize the on-the-spot potentials, support of the higher level and friendly units so that the technical support for the mission of protecting marine and island sovereignty is always steadfast on each area and in any situation.

Fourthly, it is to ensure full, timely and synchronous technical support; to prioritize the technical support for the main direction, critical missions and for the decisive opportunity; to organize the technical support command, coordination in a close, resolute and flexible way. As means of the units that undertake the mission of ensuring the sovereignty of islands and waters are highly specified and synchronous, then technical support must be sufficient, timely, precise and synchronous. This is both requirement and just a matter of principles in the technical support organization for combat missions in general and for the mission of protecting marine and island sovereignty in particular. In order to properly implement this content, forces, in which the core is the technical service, should bring the highest efforts into full play. Under the condition of limited technical support unequal to the need, priorities of technical support should be focused directly for warships on duty, in which additional support must be attentively ensured for the warships before they weigh their anchors for the mission./.

Major General Pham  Dung Tien, PhD

Deputy General Director and Chief of Staff - General Department of Technology