Nguyen Nhu Thanh, an IT engineer, researches and measures transceiver module for radar products at the military-run Viettel. (Photo tienphong.vn) The VRS-MCR radar is a multi-tasking X-band medium-range mobile unit that canperform airspace and flight targeting tasks and provide warnings. Thanh and hispartners in the military-run Viettel completed the system and plan to produce15 of them by 2025, generating revenue of nearly 2 trillion VND (85 million USD).
Thanh, who is 35 years old and was born in northern Thai Binh province, hasachieved many outstanding accomplishments in researching and applying moderntechnology to radar systems. He received a certificate of merit from theMinistry of National Defence in 2021 and the Ho Chí Minh Prize in Science andTechnology.
After graduating from Hanoi University of Science and Technology in 2012, Thànhdecided to join the military-run Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group,although he received many job offers at large companies to work in achallenging environment.
Thanh’s first assignment was to research Viettel's products, and he managed toexpand the velocity range of the radar system in 2014. This solved the problemof interference from reflected signals.
This solution was then applied to all radar products manufactured by Vietteland recognised by the International Radar Symposium, a prestigiousinternational conference on radars, in Germany in 2019.
He was later assigned to find solutions for the VRS-2DM radar system, whichinitially struggled to prevent meteorological interference in cloudy and rainyweather.
Thanh and his team were assigned to find solutions within two weeks.
“It was almost an impossible mission," he said. "Our team had hardlyslept, trying all traditional methods in the first week and found that theydidn’t work.”
In the next week, Thanh came up with the idea that offered up to 98% filteringof meteorological noise without affecting the target's visibility.
The initiative was applied to all VRS-2DM radar products in northern cities andprovinces and has been deployed throughout the country, bringing thousands ofbillions of đồng in revenue and achieving national security and defence.
In 2018, Thành was assigned to build 3D radars and master the core technologiesof this product within two years.
He completed the task just a year later and it was the first time Việt Namproduced a brand-new 3D radar with features equivalent to foreign products, openinga new era of radar research and production for the country.
Thanh is now head of the Level 2 Processing Department, Radar Centre ofViettel, and his team managed to complete the VRS-MCX radar project in a veryshort period despite the disruption of the supply chain of materials andcomponents caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Normally it takes at least 18-24 months to finish a product and one more yearto optimise the product and complete testing," he said. "However, ourproduct only took about 18 months.”
The team had to use technical solutions to make up for those shortfalls.
He led the team to work on the project in different periods of time. He focusedon team development, recruiting, and training personnel for important stagessuch as manufacturing, integrating, and testing products.
He said previous products mainly served military purposes. In the future, underViettel’s plans, the radar industry would develop products for both civilianand military purposes. Military products would be upgraded.
Thanh and his team will focus on researching and developing products for exportshortly as Vietnam’s radar technology has a lot of potential.
Thanh believes that the key to success lies in combining scientific researchwith practical needs.
“No matter how sublime scientific research is, it makes no sense if it does notbring practical value to people," Thanh said. "That’s what we alwayskeep in mind.”
“I believe that in the next few years, our radar products will definitely beexported to foreign countries.”
Most of Thanh’s team members are people under 30 years old and are always fullof energy and creativity.
“I always tell them that it is important to prioritise personal growth bychoosing the work that helps them transform themselves on a daily basis ratherthan selling themselves for higher-paid jobs,” he said./.
VNA
