Vietnam plans to buy at least 24 F-16 fighters from the US
Vietnam and the United States have reached an agreement in principle to sell at least 24 American F-16 multi-role fighters. This was reported by 19FortyFive, citing its own sources, who note that the negotiations lasted several years and culminated in the gradual rapprochement between the two countries in the defence sector.
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Hanoi will order a new F-16V modification, which is equipped with modern avionics, active phased array radars and adapted to modern weapons. At the same time, the cost of the aircraft remains a significant barrier, as there are virtually no inexpensive older versions of the F-16 left.
At the same time, the United States may offer financial assistance or support mechanisms to ease the terms of the contract.
This potential acquisition could become the largest defence contract between Vietnam and the US. In addition to the fighter jets themselves, Vietnam is considering purchasing other systems from the US, which would further expand the scope of the defence partnership.
American F-16s. Illustration: APF
One of the key reasons for the transition to Western equipment was the difficulty of maintaining the existing fleet of Russian Su-27 and Su-30. Their warranty period has expired, and Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi refuse to provide technical support without large upfront payments.
In addition, Vietnam is wary of making money transfers to Russian banks due to the risk of sanctions from the US and EU.
However, even if the contract is signed, Hanoi will face a number of obstacles. First and foremost, it will need to obtain permission from the US Congress, which must approve arms exports. The issue of supplying AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, the F-16's main weapon in air combat, may be particularly difficult.
Source: 19FortyFive
