PM urges prompt modernisation of Air Defence-Air Force

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Air Defence-Air Force to modernise itself by focus on building a strong force in terms of personnel, weapon and equipment.

PM Phuc made the request at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 21 to mark the 73th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army, 28 years of the All People Defence Festival and the 45th anniversary of the “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory.

The PM said that the building of personnel is a decisive factor to ensure the success of the nationalprotection task, while political reinforcement is the key to enhancing the general quality and combat strength.

PM Phuc asked the Air Defence-Air Force to firmly maintain the absolute and comprehensive leadership of the Party in all circumstance. The force should complete its air defence plans, while thoroughly studying plots and tricks of the enemy, thus seeking timely response and taking the initiative in all circumstances, he said.

The PM also stressed the need for the Air Defence-Air Force to continue drawing lessons from resistance wars of Vietnam and the world, developing military science and technology in air defence and air force with the focus on coping with high-technology air attacks, and applying achievements of the 4.0 revolution to the building of its force.

PM Phuc requested the Air Defence-Air Force to ensure aviation safety and not to allow any incident to happen. The force needs to foster international integration and enhance the effectiveness of defence diplomacy in line with the Party’s foreign policy, he added.

The Government leader expressed his belief that with the efforts of all officers and soldiers, the force will overcome all difficulties and challenges, thus fulfilling all assigned tasks in national construction and defence.

At the ceremony, the PM recalled feats of arms of the Air Defence-Air Force over the past years. Particularly, together with the army and locals of Hanoi, the force played a core role in the 12-day-and-night “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” campaign against the American imperialists in Hanoi, Hai Phong and some other northern localities of Vietnam from December 18-29, 1972, during which 4,181 airplanes, including 34 expensive B52s, were shot down.

The victory against the largest air attack of the American imperialists in history greatly contributed to creating a new position and strength for the liberation of the south and unification of the country, he noted.-VNA