Vietnam People's Air Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Vietnam People's Air Force (Vietnamese

Vietnamese language

Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...

: Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) is the air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

of Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

. It is the successor of the former North Vietnam

North Vietnam

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...

ese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force

Vietnam Air Force

The Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...

following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.

Beginning-1964 (North Vietnam)

The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland Tiger Moth

De Havilland Tiger Moth

The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...

and a Morane-Saulnier

Morane-Saulnier

Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier is a French aircraft manufacturing company formed in October 1911 by Raymond Saulnier and the Morane brothers, Leon and Robert...

, which were initially the private property of the emperor Bao Dai

Bao Dai

Bảo Đại , born Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy , was the 13th and last ruler of the Nguyễn dynasty. From 1926 to 1945, he was king of Annam under French ‘protection’. During this period, Annam was a protectorate within French Indochina, covering the central two-thirds of the present-day Vietnam...

. In 1945, Bao Dai gave the aircraft to the Vietnamese government. On March 9, 1949, Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh

Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...

ordered the organization of the Air Force Research Committee (Ban Nghiên cứu Không quân). The first Vietnamese service aircraft flight was made by the Tiger Moth on August 15, 1949. A small-scale training was carried out in following years.

Further development of aviation in North Vietnam

North Vietnam

began in 1956, when a number of trainees were sent to the USSR and China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

for pilot training. They were organized into two groups, for pilots and mechanics, respectively; and among others, utilized the Czechoslovak Zlin Z-226

Zlin Trener

|- Specifications :-See also:-References:*Mourik, Dick van. "A to Zlin: An Illustrated History of a Light Aircraft Dynasty". Air Enthusiast, No. 93, May/June 2001. Stamford, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 5450. pp. 59–65....

and Aero Ae-45. The first unit of the VPAF was the No. 919 Transport Regiment (Trung đoàn Không quân Vận tải 919), organized on May 1, 1959, with An-2

Antonov An-2

The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...

, Li-2

Lisunov Li-2

The Lisunov Li-2, originally designated PS-84 , was a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by the GAZ-84 works at Moscow-Khimki, and subsequently at GAZ-33 at Tashkent-Vostochn. The project was directed by aeronautical engineer Boris Pavlovich Lisunov.-Design and...

, Il-14

Ilyushin Il-14

The Ilyushin Il-14 was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950, and entered service in 1954. Il-14 was also manufactured in East Germany by VVB Flugzeugbau, in Czechoslovakia as the Avia 14, and in China under the Chinese...

aircraft, followed by the No. 910 Training Regiment (Trung đoàn Không quân 910) with Yak-18 trainers. In 1963 the Air Force and Air Defense Force were merged into the Air and Air Defence Force (Quân chủng Phòng không - Không quân).

1964-1974 (North Vietnam)

The first North Vietnamese combat plane was a T-28 Trojan

T-28 Trojan

The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston-engined military trainer aircraft used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s...

trainer, whose pilot defected from the Royal Lao Air Force

Royal Lao Air Force

The Royal Lao Air Force was the air force branch of the Military of the Royal Lao Government in the Kingdom of Laos. The RLAF, along with the Royal Lao Navy, and the Royal Lao Army, were placed under the control of the Ministry of Defense in Vientiane....

; it was utilized from early 1964 by the North Vietnamese as a night fighter

Night fighter

A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...

. The T-28 was the first North Vietnamese aircraft to shoot down a U.S. aircraft, a C-123, on February 15, 1964.

The North Vietnamese Air Force (NVAF) received its first jet fighter aircraft

Fighter aircraft

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

, the MiG-17 in February 1964, but they were initially stationed at air bases in Communist China, while their pilots were being trained. On February 3, 1964, the first fighter regiment No. 921 (Trung đoàn Không quân Tiêm kích 921), aka "Red Star squadron", was formed, and on August 6 it arrived from China in North Vietnam with its MiG-17s. On September 7, the No. 923 fighter regiment, aka "Yen The squadron", led by Lt. Col. Nguyen Phuc Trach, was formed. In May 1965, No. 16 bomber company (Đại đội Không quân Ném bom 16) was formed with Il-28

Ilyushin Il-28

The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...

twin engine bombers. Only one Il-28 sortie was flown in 1972 against Laotian forces.

The North Vietnamese Air Force's first jet air-to-air engagement with U.S. aircraft was on April 3, 1965. The NVAF claimed the shooting down of two US Navy F-8 Crusader

F-8 Crusader

The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...

, which was not confirmed by US sources, although they acknowledged having encountered MiGs. Consequently, April 3 became "North Vietnamese Air Force Day". On April 4 the VPAF (NVAF) scored the first confirmed victories to be acknowledged by both sides. The US fighter community was shocked when relatively slow, post-Korean era MiG-17 fighters shot down advanced F-105 Thunderchief

F-105 Thunderchief

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...

fighters-bombers attacking
the Thanh Hoa Bridge. The two downed F-105s were carrying their normal heavy bomb load, and were not able to react to their attackers.

In 1965, the NVAF were supplied with supersonic MiG-21s by the USSR which were used for high speed GCI

Ground-controlled interception

Ground-controlled interception an air defense tactic whereby one or more radar stations are linked to a command communications centre which guides interceptor aircraft to an airborne target. This tactic was pioneered during World War II by the Royal Air Force with the Luftwaffe to follow closely...

controlled hit and run intercepts against American air strike groups. The MiG-21 tactics became so effective, that by late 1966, an operation was mounted to especially deal with the MiG-21 threat. Led by Colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

Robin Olds

Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a "triple ace", with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general....

on 2 January 1967, Operation Bolo

Operation Bolo

Operation Bolo was a deception programme during the Vietnam War, to lure Không Quân Nhân Dân Việt Nam - Vietnam People's Air Force fighters into battle where the odds were stacked against the defenders; devised to reverse alarming loss rates among United States Air Force fighter bombers flying...

lured MiG-21s into the air, thinking they were intercepting a F-105 strike group, but instead found a sky full of missile armed F-4 Phantom II

F-4 Phantom II

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

s set for aerial combat. The result was a loss of almost half the inventory of MiG-21 interceptors, at a cost of no U.S. losses. The VPAF (NVAF) stood down for additional training after this setback.

Meanwhile, the disappointing performances of US Air Force and US Navy (USN) airmen, even though flying the contemporary advanced aircraft of those times, combined with a legacy of successes from World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

and the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

, resulted in a total revamping of aerial combat training for the USN in 1968 (Top Gun school; established 1969). The designs for an entire generation of aircraft, with engineering for optimized daylight air to air combat (dog fighting) against both older, as well as for emerging MiG

Mig

-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...

fighters, were being put to the drawing board. US forces could not consistently track low flying MiGs on radar, and were hampered by restrictive rules of engagement

Rules of engagement

Rules of Engagement refers to those responses that are permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations or in the course of their duties. These rules of engagement are determined by the legal framework within which these duties are being carried out...

(ROE) which required pilots to visually acquire their targets, nullifying much of the advantage of radar guided missiles, which often proved unreliable when used in combat.

Although there were many so-called "political restrictions" placed on US airmen, such as when and where NVAF jet fighters could be attacked, the successful exchange ratio which US pilots had had over enemy fliers during the Korean War (1950–1953) was not to be repeated over North Vietnam; with the notable exceptions of the successes by USN airmen who had completed training from the TOPGUN training center at Miramar, California (USA).

The VPAF (NVAF) was a defensive air arm, with the primary mission of defending North Vietnam, and until the last stages of the war, did not conduct air operations into South Vietnam; nor did the NVAF conduct general offensive actions against enemy naval forces off the coast. However it did conduct limited attacks on the opposing naval vessels, notably damaging the United States destroyer in 1972. In a separate incident, MiG-17s that ventured over water were shot down by surface-to-air missile

Surface-to-air missile

A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...

s (SAMs) fired by U.S. warships.
The VPAF (NVAF) did not engage all US sorties. Most US aircraft were destroyed by SA-2 surface-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), and in some cases, even small arms. Typically, VPAF MiGs would not engage unless it was to their advantage. Some of the aerial tactics used were similar to Operation Bolo

Operation Bolo

, which lured the NVAF to the fight.

On March 24, 1967, regiments Nos. 921, 923 and 919 were incorporated into the 371st Air Division "Thang Long" (Sư đoàn Không quân 371). In 1969, No. 925 fighter regiment was formed, flying the Shenyang J-6

Shenyang J-6

The Shenyang J-6 was the Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19 'Farmer' fighter aircraft.-Design and development:...

(the Chinese-built MiG-19). In 1972 the fourth fighter regiment, No. 927 "Lam Son", was formed.

U.S. Navy ace Randy Cunningham believed that he shot down a Mig-17 piloted by the legendary "Nguyen Toon

Nguyen Toon

Nguyen Toon or "Colonel Toon" or "Tomb" was a mythical North Vietnamese fighter pilot and flying ace who allegedly shot down 13 American aircraft during the Vietnam War. According to legend, he was killed in action on May 10, 1972, by the U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom crew of pilot Lt...

" or "Colonel Tomb" while flying his F4 Phantom. However, no research has been able to identify any "Col. Tomb" as actually existing. Most likely he downed a flight leader of the 923rd Regiment. Many North Vietnamese pilots were not only skilled but unorthodox, as Cunningham found out after making elementary tactical errors. The resulting dogfight became extended. Cunningham climbed steeply, and the MiG pilot surprised Cunningham by climbing as well. Using his Top Gun training, Cunningham finally forced the MiG out ahead of him and destroyed it.

There were several times during the war that the U.S. bombing restrictions of North Vietnamese Airfields were lifted. Many VPAF (NVAF) aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and those that were not, were withdrawn to a sanctuary in China. In December 1972, the North Vietnamese air defences nearly exhausted their supply of surface-to-air missiles trying to down the high-flying B-52 raids over the North. The North Vietnamese Air Defense Network was degraded by electronic countermeasures

Electronic countermeasures

An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...

(ECM) and other suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) measures. However, with the counter-measures and a effective air-defense network, for 12 days of Operation Linebacker II

Operation Linebacker II

Operation Linebacker II was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War...

, over 81 US aircraft were claimed as shot down, including 34 of the B-52 heavy bombers, two attributed to the VPAF, during the last weeks of 1972 (Operation Linebacker II

Operation Linebacker II

).
After the negotiated end of American involvement in early 1973, the No. 919 transport air group (Lữ đoàn Không quân vận tải 919), was formed; and equipped with fix-winged aircraft, as well as helicopters (rotor-wing) in November.

During the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

, NVAF used the MiG-17F, PF (J-5); MiG-19 (J-6), MiG-21F-13, PF, PFM and MF fighters. They claimed to have shot down 266 US aircraft, and US claimed to have shot down or destroyed 204 MiGs aircraft and at least six An-2s, of which 196 were confirmed with solid evidence (100 MiG-17s, 10 MiG-19s and 86 MiG-21s). However, VPAF admits only 154 MiGs were lost through all causes, including 131 in air combat ). Like that, total kill ratio would be 1:1.3 to 1:2. With the number of losses to MiGs confirmed by US (121 aircraft shotdown and 7 damaged), the kill ratio turn 1.7:1 against the MiGs, or 1.1:1 even accepting the VPAF's figure of only 131 in air combat.

1975-present (reunified Vietnam)

The VPAF did not play a major role during the Ho Chi Minh Campaign

Ho Chi Minh Campaign

The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...

in 1975. The only sorties flown were conducted by five captured VNAF A-37

A-37 Dragonfly

The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...

s. SA-2s were transported into South Vietnam to counter possible US military air strikes. The US could not bring back their air power during the 1975 offensive, which had proven decisive in 1972, and the VNAF did not have the capability to strike targets in the north nor to defend against the onslaught in the south.

After the end of the Vietnam War (called the American War in Vietnam) in May 1975, more regiments were formed. No. 935 fighter regiment "Dong Nai" and no. 937 fighter-bomber regiment "Hau Giang", followed by no. 918 transport regiment "Hong Ha" and no. 917 mixed transport regiment "Dong Thap" were created in July 1975. In September 1975, the four newly created regiments were formed into the 370nd Air Division "Le Loi" and the 372nd Air Division "Hai Van" was formed, including among others the 925th fighter regiment.

On May 31, 1977, the Vietnam People's Air Force (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) was separated from the Air Defense Force (Quân chủng Phòng không).

When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, former VNAF A-37s flew most of the ground support missions. These aircraft were more suited to the role than the MiGs. Former VNAF F-5Es, C-123s, C-130s, and UH-1s were used by the VPAF for many years after the end of the War.

In the years between 1953 and 1991, approximately 700 warplanes, 120 helicopters, and 158 missile complexes have been supplied to North Vietnam by the USSR and PR China (primarily the MiG-19 (J6 series). Even today, three-quarters of Vietnamese weaponry has been made in post-Cold-War Russia. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/EI05Ag02.html
Today the VPAF is in the midst of modernization. It still operates late model MiG-21s, Su-22s, aircraft of the cold war era http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/su-17-specs.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/mig-21-specs.htm. However, it has recently been modernizing its air force with models of the Su-27-SK air superiority fighter following closer military ties, and an array of arms deals with Russia. To date, Vietnam has ordered and received 12 of these aircraft. In 2004, it also acquired 4 modified variants of the Su-30 MK2V, newer models of the Su-27. In May 2009, they have inked a deal to procure additional 12 aircraft from the Russian to bolster their aging fleet. The Vietnamese air force has also acquired new advanced air defense systems, including two S-300 PMU1 (NATO designation: SA-20) short-to-high altitude SAM batteries in a deal worth $300 million with Russia http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/EI05Ag02.html.

Vietnam War (US)

Air Division and Regimental Names of the VPAF

Command	Division	Regiment	Name	Aircraft flown
High Command of Air Defense and Air Forces	371st Air Division Thang Long Thang Long Thang Long can be:Former name of HanoiThang Long Imperial City... Air Wing	921st Fighter Regiment	Red Star Squadron	MiG-21bis/UM
		923rd Fighter-bomber Regiment	Yen The Yen The Yên Thế is a rural district of Bac Giang province in the northeast region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 91,934. The district covers an area of 301 km2. The district capital lies at Bo Ha. This is the homeland of Struggle of Yên Thế's farmers... Squadron	Su-22M-4/UM-3K, Su-30MK2
		927th Fighter Regiment	Lam Son Lam Sơn is a commune and village in Na Rì District, Bắc Kạn Province, in Vietnam.... Squadron	MiG-21bis/UM
		931st Fighter Regiment	Yen Bai Yen Bai Yên Bái is a city and urban district in Vietnam. It is the capital of the Yen Bai province, in northeastern Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 78,016. The district covers an area of 58 km².... Squadron	MiG-21bis/UM
		916th Helicopter Regiment	Ba Vi Ba Vi Ba Vì is a rural district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam.... Squadron	Mi-6 Mil Mi-6 \|-Facts:Test pilot N.B. Leshin has set the world record of speed. This event was awarded by the American Helicopter Society.Small numbers are still in service, most in Siberia plus a small number with the People's Republic of China... , Mi-8 MI-8 MI-8 may refer to:* MI8, the WWII British signals intelligence agency* Mil Mi-8, the Soviet-designed helicopter* Mitten im 8en, an Austrian TV soap/comedy series* Black Chamber, the United States' first peacetime cryptanalytic organization... , Mi-24D Mil Mi-24 The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export... , Mi-171 Mil Mi-17 The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
		918th Air Transport Regiment	Hong Ha Squadron	An-2, An-26, An-30, M-28
	372nd Air Division Hai Van Hai Van Pass The Hải Vân Pass , is an approximately 2 mile long mountain pass on National Road 1A in Vietnam. It traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range that juts into the South China Sea, on the border of Đà Nẵng and Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, near Bach Ma National Park. Its name refers to the mists that... Air Wing	929th Fighter-Bomber Regiment	Son Tra Son Tra Sơn Trà is an urban district of Da Nang in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 112,196. The district covers an area of 60 km². The district capital lies at Da Nang .... Squadron	Su-22M-4/UM-3K
		954th Helicopter Regiment	Da Nang Da Nang Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of... Squadron	Ka-25, Ka-28, Ka-32, Mi-171 Mil Mi-17 The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
		940th Air Training Regiment	Phu Cat Phu Cat Phu Cat , is a district of Binh Dinh Province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam.The district capital is Ngo May.-References:... Squadron	Su-27SK/UBK/PU, Su-30MK2
	370th Air Division Le Loi Air Wing	937th Fighter-Bomber Regiment	Hau Giang Squadron	Su-22M-4/UM-3K, Su-27SK/PU
		935th Fighter Regiment	Dong Nai Squadron	Su-30MK2
		917th Mixed Air Transport Regiment	Dong Thap Squadron	UH-1H UH-1 Iroquois The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew... , Mi-8 MI-8 MI-8 may refer to:* MI8, the WWII British signals intelligence agency* Mil Mi-8, the Soviet-designed helicopter* Mitten im 8en, an Austrian TV soap/comedy series* Black Chamber, the United States' first peacetime cryptanalytic organization... , Mi-171 Mil Mi-17 The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
	Air Force Officer School	910th Air Training Regiment	Julius Fučík Squadron	L-39C, Yak-18, MiG-21bis/UM
	Air Force Officer School	920nd Air Training Regiment	Cam Ranh Cam Ranh Cam Ranh is a city in southern Khanh Hoa province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is the second-largest city in the province, after Nha Trang. It is located on Cam Ranh Bay. As of 2009 the city had a population of 125.311. and covers an area of 316 km².Cam Ranh becomes the second... Squadron	L-39C, Yak-52, MiG-21bis/UM

MiG-17 and MiG-21 Aces of the VPAF^[1]

Name	Victories	VPAF Aircraft	Regiment	Service
Nguyễn Văn Cốc Nguyen Van Coc Nguyễn Văn Cốc was a North Vietnamese MiG-21 PFL fighter ace of the Vietnamese People's Air Force's 921st Fighter Regiment.- Biography :...	Nine kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1967-69
Mai Văn Cường Mai Văn Cường Mai Văn Cường was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for second place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with eight kills.-References:...	Eight kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1966-68
Nguyễn Hồng Nhị Nguyen Hong Nhi Nguyễn Hồng Nhị was a MiG-21 fighter ace of the Vietnam People's Air Force's 921st Fighter Regiment. Eight kills have been attributed to him with three confirmed by the United States Air Force...	Eight kills	MiG-21	921st/927th Fighter Regiment	1966-72
Phạm Thanh Ngân Phạm Thanh Ngân Phạm Thanh Ngân , is a former Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force. He flew with the 921st Fighter Regiment and tied for second-most kills amongst Vietnam War fighter aces at eight.The following kills are known to be credited to him by the VPAF:* 20 July 1967, an...	Eight kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1967-69
Đặng Ngọc Ngự Đặng Ngọc Ngự Đặng Ngọc Ngự was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force who flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for third place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with seven kills....	Seven kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1966-72
Nguyễn Văn Bảy Nguyen Van Bay Nguyen Van Bay was a jet fighter ace for the Vietnam People's Air Force during the Vietnam War. Piloting a MiG-17F while assigned to the 923rd Fighter Regiment, Bay claimed 7 aerial combat victories while engaged against aircraft of the USAF and USN: 2 F-8s, 1 F-4B, 1 A-4C and 1 F-105D...	Seven kills	MiG-17	923rd Fighter Regiment	1966-72
Lê Hải	Six kills	MiG-17	923rd Fighter Regiment	1967-72
Lê Thanh Đạo Lê Thanh Đạo Lê Thanh Đạo was a MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 927st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills.The following kills are known to be credited to him by the VPAF:...	Six kills	MiG-21	927th Fighter Regiment	1971-72
Lưu Huy Chao	Six kills	MiG-17	923rd Fighter Regiment	1966-68
Nguyễn Đăng Kỉnh Nguyễn Đăng Kỉnh Nguyễn Đăng Kỉnh was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills....	Six kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1967-68
Nguyễn Đức Soát Nguyễn Đức Soát Nguyễn Đức Soát was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills....	Six kills	MiG-21	921st/927th Fighter Regiment	1969-72
Nguyễn Ngọc Độ Nguyễn Ngọc Độ Nguyễn Ngọc Độ was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills....	Six kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1967-68
Nguyễn Nhật Chiêu Nguyễn Nhật Chiêu Nguyễn Nhật Chiêu was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills....	Six Kills	MiG-17/MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1965-67
Nguyễn Tiến Sâm Nguyễn Tiến Sâm Nguyễn Tiến Sâm was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills.Five of his six kills are known for certain::...	Six kills	MiG-21	921st/927th Fighter Regiment	1968-72
Vũ Ngọc Đỉnh Vũ Ngọc Đỉnh Vũ Ngọc Đỉnh was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills ....	Six kills	MiG-21	921st Fighter Regiment	1966-70
Nguyễn Văn Nghĩa Nguyễn Văn Nghĩa Colonel Nguyễn Văn Nghĩa was a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 927th fighter regiment and tied for fifth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with five kills....	Five kills	MiG-21	927th Fighter Regiment	1972

About the other pilots, see this

Bases

Some airbases in the south were built by the French, Japanese* (World War II

World War II

), United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

or United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

for South Vietnam

South Vietnam

South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

. The northern bases were likely built with assistance and/or use by the French; Communist Chinese, or Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

during the Vietnam War.

Operation Cleansweep
Kep Airbase (VVKP/KEP)
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about 20 miles from Saigon near the city of Bien Hoa within Dong Nai Province....

(VVBH/VBH)
Dong Hoi Airport
Dong Hoi Airport
Dong Hoi Airport is an airport located in Loc Ninh commune, 6 km north of Dong Hoi city, capital of Quang Binh province, in North Central Coast of Vietnam, 500 km South-east of Hanoi by road. The facilities cover 173 ha, on a sandy area, by the coast of South China Sea...

(VVDH/VDH)
Hoa Lac Airbase (VVHL/VHL)
Gia Lam Airbase (VVGL/VGL)
Lam Son Airbase (VVLS)
Anh Son Airfield
Thanh Son Airbase
Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang-Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province....

(VVPR/VPR)
Thanh Hoa Airbase - reside training school for Vietnam fighter pilot.
Truong Sa Airfield (VVSA)
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
Yen Bai Airbase - (VVYB) training school for Vietnam fighter pilot.
Cam Ranh Airport
Cam Ranh Air Base
Cam Ranh Air Base is located on Cam Ranh Bay in the province of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. It was one of several South Vietnamese Air Force air bases built and used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...

(VVCR/CXR) - open for commercial flights in 2005
Vung Tau Airfield (VVVT) operates for offshore helicopter services
Can Tho Airfield - (VVCT/VCA) open and upgrade for logistic support air group.

Note: Japanese Nell bombers took off from airfields in the former South Vietnam on 10 December 1941, attacking and sinking the British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse
HMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...

.

The following bases have been retired from the VPAF:

Ben Tre – Ben Tre Airfield
Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...

– Xuan Loc Airfield
Binh Thuan– Phan Thiet Airfield
Dak Lak – An Khe Airport
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...

– Bach Mai Airfield
Bach Mai Airfield
Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French...
Long An – Tan An Airfield
Quang Tri
Quang Tri
Quảng Trị is a town district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Significantly, it was the only South Vietnamese provincial capital to be captured by the North Vietnamese forces for a limited period in the 1972 offensive....

– Dong Ha Airfield
Tay Ninh
Tay Ninh
Tây Ninh is a town in southwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Tay Ninh province, which encompasses the town and much of the surrounding farmland....

– Tay Ninh AIrfield
Tra Vinh
Tra Vinh
Trà Vinh is a town in Vietnam. It is the capital of the Tra Vinh province. It located in the Mekong Delta region, which is in the Southern part of Vietnam. The city has many famous Khmer pagodas, due to the large number of Khmer Krom, Cambodian people there. Under the Republic of Vietnam, it was...

– Tra Vinh Airport
Vinh Long
Vinh Long
Vĩnh Long is the capital of the Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The name was spelled 永隆 in the former Hán Tự writing system....

– Vinh Long Airfield
Nha Trang Airport
Nha Trang Air Base
Nha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....

- closed in 2005 and replace by Cam Ranh Airport. (Commercial flights were moved to Cam Ranh, military and cargo still work from this airbase for take off and landing practice using YAK-52)

Note: While Nha Trang Airport is shown as "retired" by the VPAF, that means primarily that it's no longer an airbase where regular air force units are stationed. A VPAF flight training school is active on the boundary of the field, however.

Aircraft inventory

Most of the VPAF's aircraft were supplied from the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

& PRC, but hundreds were left over by the Americans

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

via the Republic of Vietnam; most of which are no longer in service.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Fighter Aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

|-----
| Sukhoi Su-30MK2V "Flanker"

Sukhoi Su-30

The Sukhoi Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat military aircraft developed by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions.The Su-30 started out as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family...

Sukhoi Su-27

The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...

|
| Air Defence fighter
| MiG-23
| 36
| 30 MiG-23ML & 6 MiG-23UB
|-----
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21Bis Fishbed L/N/UM

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...

|
| Fighter
| MiG-21
| 144
|
|-----
| Sukhoi Su-22M3/4 Fitter-J/K
|
| Ground attack
| Su-22
| 38
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Trainer Aircraft
|-----
| Aero L-39C Albatros
|
| Trainer
| L-39C
| 24
| 12 on order from Czech Republic
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-130

Yakovlev Yak-130

The Yakovlev Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer/light attack aircraft or lead-in fighter trainer developed by the Yakovlev design bureau. Development of the plane began in 1991, and the maiden flight was conducted on 26 April 1996...

|
| Advanced trainer / Light attack
| Yak-130
| 8
| on order
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-52
|
| Trainer
| Yak-52
| 36
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6"| Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....

|-----
| An-30 Clank

Antonov An-30

The Antonov An-30 , is a development of the An-24 designed for aerial cartography.-Development:The first aerial survey version of the Antonov An-24 was designed by the Beriev OKB and designated An-24FK. The FK stood for fotokartograficheskiy . The prototype was converted from a production An-24A at...

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

| Reconnaissance
| An-30
| 6
|
|-----
| CASA C.212 Aviocar

CASA C.212 Aviocar

The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium transport aircraft designed and built in Spain for civil and military use. C-212s are also produced under licence in Indonesia by Indonesian Aerospace, formerly called IPTN but now known as IAe...

|
| Reconnaissance
| CASA C.212-400
| 3
| Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) MS6000 maritime surveillance system with Side-Looking Airborne Radar. Under Vietnam Marine Police control.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Attack Helicopter
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...

|-----
| Mil Mi-24 Hind

Mil Mi-24

The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...

|
| Attack helicopter
| Mil Mi-24A/D
| 36
|
|-----
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Transport Aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...

|-----
| An-26 Curl

Antonov An-26

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

| Transport
| An-26
| 48
|
|-----
| An-24 Coke

Antonov An-24

The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

| Transport
| An-24
| 12
|
|-----
| An-28 Cash

Antonov An-28

|-See also:-External links:**...

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

| Light Transport
| An-28
| 6
|
|-----
| An-2 Colt

Antonov An-2

The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

| Light Transport
| An-2
| 15
|
|-----
| PZL M28 Skytruck
|
| Light Transport
| M-28
| 11
| some fitted with MS-600 radars
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Transport Helicopter
|-----
| Mi-8 Hip

Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....

Mil Mi-17

The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...

Mil Mi-6

|-Facts:*Test pilot N.B. Leshin has set the world record of speed. This event was awarded by the American Helicopter Society.*Small numbers are still in service, most in Siberia plus a small number with the People's Republic of China...

|
| Heavy lift helicopter
| Mi-6
| 10-15
|
|-----
| PZL W-3 Sokol
|
| VIP helicopter/ SAR helicopter
| Total
PZL W-3S
PZL W-3RM
| 8
4
4
|
|-----
| Kamov Ka-32S Helix-C
|
| SAR Helicopter
| Ka-32
| 10
|
|-----
| Kamov Ka-25 Hormone

Kamov Ka-25

|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. “The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995”. London, Osprey. 1995. ISBN 1 85532 405 9-External links:* http://www.aviation.ru/Ka/#25* http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/ka-25.php...

|
| ASW helicopter
| Ka-25
| 12
|
|-----
| Ka-27 Helix

Kamov Ka-27

|-See also:-External links:*...

|
| ASW helicopter
| Ka-27
| 18
|
|-----
| Eurocopter Dauphin

Eurocopter Dauphin

The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...

|
| SAR helicopter
| SA-365 N2
| 4
| From the Ministry of Defence
|-----
| Eurocopter Ecureuil
|
| Light utility helicopter
| AS-350 B3
| 2
| From the Ministry of Defence
|-----
| Aérospatiale Puma

Aérospatiale Puma

The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...

|
| Civilian transport
| SA-330J
| 9
| From the Ministry of Defence
|-----
| Aérospatiale Super Puma
|
| Civilian transport
| AS-332L2
| 7
| From the Ministry of Defence. 1 Super Puma operated by Southern Service Flight Company (SFC) was lost in sea transportation mission for offshore platform in 2007.
|-----
| UH-1H Huey
|
| Utility
| UH-1H
| 15+
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | Miscellaneous Aircraft
|-----
| M-400 UAV

M-400 UAV

M-400 UAV was an experimental reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle was designed and built by the Institute of Technology Air Defense by the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense. Two M-400 UAVs were successfully launched in September 2005 after four years of construction with many test flights.The UAV...

|
| UAV
| M-400
| 12?
|-----
| VNS-41
|
| Amphibious
| VNS-41
| 12-15?
| Domestic produced light plane type ULM with floatation devices.
|-----
|-----
Retired: Zlin Z-226 Trener

Zlin Trener

- basic trainer (8) Aero Ae-45 - trainer (3) Aero L-29 Delfin - jet trainer (12) Lisunov Li-2 Cab

Lisunov Li-2

- transport (24) Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle

Ilyushin Il-28

- medium bomber (16) Ilyushin Il-14 Crate

Ilyushin Il-14

- transport (45) Ilyushin Il-18 Coot

Ilyushin Il-18

The Ilyushin Il-18 is a large turboprop airliner that became one of the best known Soviet aircraft of its era as well as one of the most popular and durable, having first flown in 1957 and still in use over 50 years later. The Il-18 was one of the world's principal airliners for several decades...

- transport (7) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...

- jet fighter (50) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 Fresco

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Most MiG-17 variants cannot carry air-to-air missiles, but shot down many aircraft with its cannons...

- jet fighter (77) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 Farmer

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...

- jet fighter (45) Sukhoi Su-7 Fitter

Sukhoi Su-7

The Sukhoi Su-7 was a swept wing, supersonic fighter aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in 1955. Originally, it was designed as tactical, low-level dogfighter, but was not successful in this role. On the other hand, soon-introduced Su-7B series became the main Soviet fighter-bomber and...

- fighter-bomber (30) Mil Mi-2 Hoplite

Mil Mi-2

The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.-Design and development:...

Hoplite - light helicopter (24) Yak-40 Codling

Yakovlev Yak-40

The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engined airliner that is often called the first regional jet transport aircraft...

- transport (15) Douglas A-1 Skyraider - prop attack aircraft (21) Sikorsky CH-34 Choctaw - helicopter (34) Cessna A-37 Dragonfly - jet attack aircraft (95) Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter - supersonic light fighter (8 that haven't been auctioned off) Northrop F-5E Tiger II - supersonic light fighter (1) - Lt. Nguyễn Thành Trung was pilot when he bombed the Republic South Vietnam Presidential Palace on morning of April 5, 1975 then fled to Phước Long airfield where he was received by North Vietnam Forces. Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter - supersonic trainer (3) Douglas C-47 Skytrain - transport & gunship (16) Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar - medium transport (5) - 1 gunship lost with crews, in battle on April 29, 1975, Captain Trang văn Thắng was pilot Lockheed C-130 Hercules - medium transport (4) Boeing CH-47 Chinook - heavy-lift helicopter (23) Cessna O-1 Bird Dog - army co-operation/light recon (19) North American T-28 Trojan - basic trainer/light attack (14) Cessna T-37 Tweet

Cessna T-37

The Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...

- jet trainer (9) UH-1 Iroquois

UH-1 Iroquois

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...

- helicopter (42) - except 15 UH-1H still in flight

Some jet fighters (F-5s and A-37s) were auctioned in 1998, and are currently owned by private companies, and individuals in America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.

The current procurement plan of the VPAF is to equip up to 3 regiments with 3 x 24 Sukhoi Su-30 "Flanker" until 2015.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.