Vietnam's South China Sea Approach

[Ayoshi]

South China Sea: Vietnam moves rocket launchers to disputed Spratly Islands: report | abc.net.au - 11 Aug 2016

The Reuters report quoting military and diplomatic sources says the launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and have not yet been armed, but could be operational within a few days.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate" without elaborating, but officials maintained they do have the right to move military equipment on their own sovereign soil.

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Vietnam's military strategists fear the building of runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts said it was the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

[Ayoshi]

Vietnam expanding South China Sea runway: U.S. think tank | reuters - Nov 17, 2016

Satellite images taken this month showed Vietnam had lengthened its runway on Spratly Island from less than 2,500 feet (760 meters) to more than 3,300 feet (1 km), Washington's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said.

AMTI, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said continued reclamation work would likely mean the runway was extended to more than 4,000 feet (1.2 km).

It said the upgraded runway would be able to accommodate maritime surveillance aircraft and transport planes, as well as combat aircraft.

The report said Vietnam had added about 57 acres (23 hectares) of land to Spratly Island in recent years, but its reclamation work remained modest by Chinese standards.

AMTI

Vietnam has lengthened the runway at Spratly Island from less than 2,500 feet (the shortest of any claimants’ in the Spratlys) to about 3,300 feet. Continued reclamation and construction will likely extend this to more than 4,000 feet. Vietnam is also constructing two large hangars. These new facilities can easily accommodate the Vietnamese air force’s PZL M28B maritime surveillance aircraft and CASA C-295 transport planes. The Vietnamese fleet also includes the Antonov An-26 transport plane and Hanoi has expressed interest in acquiring P-3 surveillance aircraft, but the runway at Spratly Island will not be long enough for either. Any of Vietnam’s combat aircraft could make use of the new runway, but the islet would have limited use for fighter jets given space constraints. By contrast, China’s three largest artificial islands now boast enough hangar space for 24 fighter jets each.

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[Ayoshi]

Vietnam slams China over military drills in disputed sea | Rappler - September 06, 2017

China and Vietnam have long traded barbs over the strategic and resource-rich South China Sea, which Beijing claims most of.

Tensions have flared in recent months, with Vietnam suspending an oil exploration project operated by Spain's Repsol in an area off its coast claimed by Beijing.

In June, a meeting between top Vietnamese and Chinese generals over border issues was abruptly cancelled, with both sides citing a sudden scheduling conflict.

Hanoi condemned Beijing's latest military drills in the Paracel Islands, a contentious archipelago claimed by both sides.