The Air Defence-Air Force takes on a heavy responsibility defending national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, seas and islands and the socialist country in the wake of a changing world.

State President Truong Tan Sang was speaking at a ceremony hosted by the Air Defence-Air Force to celebrate its 50 th founding anniversary and receive the State’s Golden Star Order in Hanoi on October 18.

The Force, therefore, needs to constantly reinforce its combat readiness, master modern weaponry and technology, devise proper combat operations and boost training, President Sang said.

Over the past 50 years, generations of the Air Defence-Air Force have surmounted numerous challenges and difficulties and made brilliant exploits, notably the “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air” victory.

In recent years, apart from performing the tasks of managing the country’s air space, and protecting sea and island sovereignty, the Air Defence-Air Force has actively participated in search and rescue operations as well as socio-economic development.-VNA