Vietnam Buys 40 Russian Su-35 Fighters in Covert $8 Billion Weapons Pact—With Oil Payments to Dodge Sanctions
Vietnam Buys 40 Russian Su-35 Fighters in Covert $8 Billion Weapons Pact—With Oil Payments to Dodge Sanctions
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Vietnam Buys 40 Russian Su-35 Fighters in Covert $8 Billion Weapons Pact—With Oil Payments to Dodge Sanctions
In mid-2025, military sources in Vietnam began circulating unconfirmed rumors that new multi-billion-dollar contracts with Russia were imminent.
Documents from Rostec identify Vietnam under the discreet label “Customer 704.” According to the sources and those documents, one deal could be worth ~$8 billion and include up to 40 new fighter jets.
I wonder how Vietnamese feel about their government basically giving 8 billion USD (2% of GDP) to Russia for something they will might not even get and if they do it'll be inferrior tech to anything else. Su-35 has been a real failure in Ukraine war and widely considered to be objecftively worse than F-16V and Rafale fighters and China's J-16s which Vietnamese SU-35s would be likely engaging and training for.
I did a bit of research of what are Vietnams fighter options for new class fighters:
So this seems like a blatant, inexcusable payment to the ruzzies which is such a shame to see. I hope they never see the planes and if they do they fall apart immediately together with the current ruzzi empire.
They likely don't mind. Historically Soviet Union and successor Russia for arms industry has been Vietnams primary arms supplier. It's not like France ever tried to make serious amends with any of their former colonies and the hundreds of thousands to millions killed in the process. It's just business with France as if nothing ever happened. Same with the US. The same thing is happening currently across Africa. Russia is a less opinionated arms supplier and don't have the baggage that France and the US have in the regions
War with China is unlikely anytime soon. Vietnams focus is primarily on its economy and building it's own defense industry for both domestic and export. So all they need is modern enough with preference for cost. Russian fighter jets are cheap. Sure they'd be better off with a J-10c or J-35 but Sukhoi jets are diplomacy too and affordable and capable enough for peacetime. Turkey and India buy S400's and India buys Sukhoi. With historic weapons purchased from Russia, integration and local parts and mechanics are probably more abundant.
They're also fairly non-aligned so they import from Russia, China, and the US and in regards to the US, after the Vietnam war they were under sanctions for decades with US arms being made available I think in the last decade. Vietnam
Vietnams primary trade partner is China and once you hit the 90s as Vietnam would be under major sanctions for much of that decade, China was Vietnams market to export to. And it took until the past decade for exports to the US to really pickup. Then Trump 2 happens and they were initially slapped with one of the highest tariff from the US in the world.
Vietnam buying arms from Russia is reflected in historical relations that have been dependable and what has seemed to me rapid improvements in relations with China, the US and Europe themselves dropped the ball with Vietnam. First France and the US by not recognizing Vietnamese independence leading Ho Chi Minh to ally with the communist. Then the decades of sanctions. Then the tariffs
So Vietnams relationship with China have improved a ton since Trump 1. Stuff that didn't happen before like Chinese military marching at independence parades in Vietnam with notable performance like learning the Vietnamese victory or maybe anthem (I don't know which) and singing it well. Increasingly war with China is becoming unlikely as Vietnam focuses on its economy and increases trade with China and military sales from China increases.
Rafales are very expensive and US weapons imports come with very stringent rules for usage and limits on what a country can purchase. Turkey and India buy S400, no F-35. Maybe you get limited on ammunition too after sanctions from the US. Also US jets are expensive too along with lifetime upkeep costs.
Plus the case of war with China, of China stopped building fighter jets for the next 10 years and France sent all the Rafales they could build in ten years to Vietnam, in war with China, those Rafales would be demolished. Same with F-16's, Eurofighters, Gripens, Su-35, probably Su-57, probably the future Su-75. Why spend so much money on aircraft in defense against China when China's surface to air missiles would demolish them before even needing to send out J-10c, J-16, J-20, J-35 fighters. F-16, Gripens, Rafale, Eurofighter - those are obsolete in a war with China especially when sharing a border. Really the jets are for posturing among other southeast asian countries
Re-emphasize that France and the US have not been friendly with Vietnam for all that long and far from enough to be well built trusting relationships
So ya, Russia are bastards for invading Ukraine. Doesn't make Su-35's a bad purchase for Vietnam. Russia has been delivering aircraft to Algeria and Iran and Vietnam is likely not under urgent need for fighters like Iran. Vietnam right now doesn't seem like war is anytime near. Better off with cheap Russian equipment and continue improving relations with China and someday maybe purchase J-35's. Maybe some frigates
what a big wall of absolute nonsense.