Vietnam has recently made a big move, and they plan to get 108 K-9 self-propelled guns from South Korea.
That's not a small thing, after all, it's a big thing, and there are quite a few of them. Come to think of it, that's a lot of money, and the meaning behind it is so deep.
Let's understand why Vietnam buys so many K-9s.
Vietnam's military equipment has always been quite mixed, from the old Soviet artillery to the American 105 mm caliber, which can be said to be varied.
But those old artillery, to be honest, are indeed a bit under-sighted compared to modern warfare. Therefore, they fell in love with South Korea's K-9, which has a long range, high accuracy, and fast rate of fire, which is simply a sharp weapon on the modern battlefield.
However, the question arises, although the K-9 is good, hasn't Vietnam always used Russian equipment before? Why did it suddenly turn to South Korea?
The water is so deep.
Let's not talk about anything else, at this price, the unit price of the K-9 is said to be only 3.5 million US dollars, which is much more affordable than those German goods that cost tens of millions at every turn.
Moreover, Vietnam's defense budget is the same, the defense budget for 2023 is only 7.8 billion US dollars, and these more than 100 K-9 artillery pieces are still affordable for them.
However, let's be honest, although the K-9 is cost-effective, it is not without its drawbacks.
For example, during the artillery battle on Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, the K-9 had the problem of jamming shells. Moreover, the maintenance cost is not low, which can be a big burden for Vietnam.
Looking at Vietnam's neighboring countries, Thailand is already armed with Israeli 155mm self-propelled howitzers, and Cambodia also has a lot of Chinese SH-1 guns.
Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that Vietnam wants to improve its military strength. However, Vietnam's choice this time is indeed a bit unexpected.
After all, Vietnam's weapons system has always been dominated by Russian manufacturing, and the reasons behind this sudden shift to South Korea are worth pondering.
Let's look at other countries.
In order to improve its military strength, India introduced K-9 artillery from South Korea. Poland also purchased K-9 guns, and also introduced production technologies.
This shows that the K-9 gun does have its own uniqueness. However, the situation in Vietnam is not the same as in India and Poland. Vietnam's defense budget is limited, and Vietnam's military system has always been dominated by Russian.
The sudden turn to South Korea this time is indeed a bit incomprehensible.
Speaking of which, we have to mention Vietnam's national defense policy.
Viet Nam has always emphasized peace and self-defense, and its national defense policy includes the well-known "four noes" principle, namely, not to participate in military alliances, not to unite one country against another, not to allow foreign countries to establish military bases in Vietnam or use Vietnamese territory against other countries, and not to use force or threaten to use force in international relations.
It sounds peaceful, but in practice, it's not that simple.
Moreover, Vietnam's purchase of K-9 artillery this time may also be sending a political signal.
Not long ago, Vietnam repeatedly pulled relations with China, saying that it would expand friendly ties between the two militaries and build a high-speed railway connecting China at home.
However, before these policies could be implemented, Vietnam took the lead in purchasing Western-made South Korean artillery, which has to make people doubt Vietnam's motives.
Whether this step is good or not, and whether it can achieve the desired results, depends on Vietnam's own wisdom and luck.