Vietnam Starts Construction of Largest Domestic Anti-Submarine Frigate

Vietnam has begun construction on what it describes as the country's largest and most advanced domestically made anti-submarine frigate, a military-owned newspaper reported.

The vessel, being built at the defense ministry's Song Thu Shipyard in Danang City, will also have most of its weapons and military equipment developed or assembled in the country, the Quan Doi Nhan Dan newspaper said late on Monday.

Vietnam, which has long been involved in maritime disputes with China and other claimants to the South China Sea, has been seeking to expand its domestic defense manufacturing capabilities while reducing reliance on imported military hardware sourced largely from Russia.

The project underscores Vietnam's policy of developing a defense industry that is "autonomous, self-reliant, self-strengthening, dual-use and modern", according to a government statement.

Military-run telecoms and technology group Viettel, along with other defense research and manufacturing units, would work closely with the navy and Song Thu during the construction of the vessel, including the development and installation of weapons and equipment, the report said.

Vietnam's navy has undergone a major modernization drive over the past decades, with the purchase of Russian-built Kilo-class submarines and Gepard-class frigates, alongside a growing fleet of domestically built missile boats and patrol vessels.

Vietnam is due to host the Vietnam International Defence Expo in Hanoi in December, the third edition of the biennial event, as it seeks to boost domestic defense production and diversify sources of military equipment.

(Reuters - Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by David Stanway)