The KD1/11 platform (Photo: VNA) Hanoi, (VNA) – The commemoration of the Gac Ma Battle in March is anoccasion to honour officers and soldiers who live and work on the DK platformsamid the vast sea, many of whom sacrificed their lives to safeguard thenational sovereignty at sea.
90-year-old Colonel Nguyen Quy, who used to be director ofthe Technical Department of the High Command of the Sapper Arm (Ministry ofNational Defence), is one of the first people to participate in the constructionof works on Truong Sa Island and the DK platforms, from the 1/1 to the 1/16platforms during the period from 1988 to 1996.
Quy said the Defence Ministry was determined to build the cluster of DK platforms to protect the national sovereignty in the 80,000 sq.km waters, whichhas a special importance in terms of security-defence. The waters, which is on theinternational maritime routes across the East Sea, is also rich in marine resourcesand minerals.
The veteran colonel recalled that at the proposal of theNaval Command and the Defence Ministry on October 17, 1988, then Party General SecretaryNguyen Van Linh signed a decision on the construction of economic, scientific –technological services platforms on six submerged reefs in the country’scontinental shelf in southern East Sea. Later, the Chairman of the Council ofMinisters issued an instruction on the establishment of a so-called DK1 steering committeeheaded by Vice President Tran Duc Luong.
The first three DK platforms were installed in June and July1989, which were DK1/1 on Tu Chinh (Vanguard)Bank on July 4, 1989, and DK1/3 on Phuc Tan Bank and DK1/4 on Ba Ke Bank on June 14.
According to Quy, the design and structure of DK platforms have been improvedmany times, with the current structures being the third generation. Some ofthem even have a helicopter pad on top.
The DK platforms not only serve the collection of scientific information on theocean and sea economy but also are sovereignty marks in Vietnam’s continentalshelf, said the old colonel./.
VNA
