Major defence industry corporations compete for market share in Vietnam

Major western aerospace companies are competing to capture market share in Vietnam, seeing this as a potential market for military aircraft and helicopters, reported Canada’s aviation news website flightglobal.com.

French plane-maker Airbus said it wants to become an important partner in Vietnam's defence sector and aims to boost sales of its C295 tactical transport aircraft.

“Airbus has also played a crucial role in developing domestic expertise in C295 operations and maintenance, helping to boost readiness and reduce reliance on external support,” said the company.

It went on to say that this partnership ensures that the C295 fleet is locally sustained, providing rapid response capabilities and strengthening Vietnam's long-term defence objectives.

Airbus Helicopters is promoting its H225M and H145 helicopters, as well as the Flexrotor unmanned air vehicle at the ongoing Vietnam International Defence Expo.

US plane-maker Boeing is also promoting helicopters and unmanned systems, namely the CH-47 Chinook and MH-139 Grey Wolf, which is based on the Leonardo Helicopters AW139. Its Insitu unit is promoting the ScanEagle UAV.

Boeing Vietnam managing director Michael Nguyen said that Boeing’s presence at the Vietnam International Defence Expo is an exciting step forward in their growing partnership with the government.

For the first time in Vietnam, Boeing will be displaying a wide range of leading defence and security capabilities that can also provide humanitarian assistance during times of trouble, he added.

For its part, Lockheed Martin, a US security and aerospace company that produces the C-130J aircraft, is also attending the expo to enhance its ongoing support for security and peace in the Indo-Pacific, while further expanding global partnerships, including efforts to improve defence industrial base resilience. The US Air Force will display a C-130 aircraft and a pair of Fairchild Republic A-10 attack aircraft.

Among the nearly 250 exhibitors, there are leading defence companies from the US, Europe, Turkey and countries in conflict such as Israel, Iran, Russia and Ukraine. Leading European defence companies, include British BAE Systems, Germany’s Rheinmetall, Italy’s Leonardo and France’s Thales Group, are also joining the expo.