Top 9 Most Powerful Warships of the Vietnam Navy

The Osa II Missile Boat is a light and fast warship developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. With a "hit and run" tactic, the Osa II is equipped with long-range missiles and is designed for quick strikes followed by evasive maneuvers to avoid retaliation. It can launch four P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles to destroy a large destroyer from a distance of 40 km. In the event of an air attack, the Osa II can defend itself using 04 AK-230 30mm anti-aircraft guns.

The Osa II boasts a short operational range, good speed, and enough firepower to take down larger enemy vessels. However, its guidance system is not very advanced, and its defensive capabilities are limited. Still, with four P-15U missiles and impressive speed, the Osa II remains a significant threat to larger warships. The Vietnam Navy currently operates 8 well-maintained Osa II boats, stationed at the Tien Sa port in Da Nang.

The Molniya Fast Attack Missile Boat is the successor to the Osa II missile boat, mass-produced by the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Vietnam imported two of these vessels directly from the USSR and later acquired the production technology to build six more domestically at the Ba Son Shipyard in Saigon. Today, Vietnam operates eight Molniya missile boats, with plans to build more. With a speed of 60 km/h and a powerful weapon system, the Molniya is trusted and used by several navies worldwide.

Despite its small size, with a length of just 56.9 meters and a maximum displacement of 563 tons, the Molniya is heavily armed. Its arsenal includes four P-15 Termit or P-270 Moskit anti-ship missiles, or 16 Kh-35 Uran anti-ship missiles, a SA-N-5SAM (1x4) MANPAD anti-air system, a 76mm AK-176 gun, two AK-630 guns, or a CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS for air defense. Even with a displacement just one-third that of the 1161-class vessels, the Molniya remains a formidable opponent.

With its diverse armament, advanced radar systems for target acquisition, and precision in detecting and eliminating threats, the Molniya excels in naval combat against both surface and aerial targets.

The TT-400TP Patrol Vessel is a gunboat designed by the Naval Technical Institute and produced domestically by Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company in Vietnam (TT stands for "patrol", TP stands for "gunboat"). Upon its debut, the TT-400TP immediately garnered attention from military experts, with notable coverage from the IndoDefence exhibition. Key features of the TT-400TP include exceptional technical and tactical capabilities, such as high speed, an operational range of 2,500 nautical miles, and the ability to operate continuously at sea for up to 30 days. It is also cost-effective and can be quickly constructed.

The TT-400TP is designed for several missions: to eliminate enemy landing ships and escort vessels; to protect base areas and escort fleets within the operational zone; to safeguard civilian vessels at sea; and to conduct tactical reconnaissance. With a speed of 59 km/h, it is equipped with a 76.2mm AK-176 naval gun, a 30mm AK-630 anti-aircraft gun, 16 SA-16 surface-to-air missiles, two 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine guns, along with a fire control radar system and automatic guidance. The vessel's crew consists of 43 personnel. The Vietnam Navy currently operates six of these "Made-in-Vietnam" vessels.

The Svetljak Coastal Patrol Vessel is a Russian-made vessel designed for a variety of missions, ranging from patrolling coastal border areas to protecting larger ships and supply vessels from enemy attacks, both on water and in the air. The hull design is optimized, paired with an automatic diesel engine to ensure smooth operations and fuel efficiency, all while maintaining high cruising speeds. With a maximum speed of 30 knots (55.56 km/h), the vessel has an operational range of up to 2,200 nautical miles.

The Svetljak is armed with two 406mm rocket launchers, a 76mm naval gun, and a 30mm anti-aircraft gun, all controlled by a crew of 28 personnel. It can reach a speed of 55 km/h. The Vietnam Navy currently operates six Svetljak vessels, primarily to prevent maritime border invasions, monitor foreign vessels within economic zones, protect national maritime resources, and safeguard civilian ships from sabotage and terrorism. The vessel also defends key shipping routes and infrastructure, and is capable of repelling attacks from air, sea, and underwater threats, including submarines and divers.

The BPS-500 Fast Attack Missile Boat is a missile vessel built at the Ba Son shipyard based on Russian designs. While it is smaller than the Molniya, measuring only 26 meters in length, 11 meters in width, and a displacement of 520 tons, the BPS-500 features advanced design principles, such as angular contours that reduce radar cross-section, effectively making it lightly stealthy.

Equipped with the Pozitiv ME multi-functional radar, the boat can detect targets both in the air and under the sea at a range of over 100 km. The radar can track 15 targets simultaneously, locking onto 3-5 at a time. The BPS-500 also boasts fire control radars for its artillery and missile systems, as well as communication systems. Its armament includes 8 Uran-E anti-ship cruise missiles, 2 high-speed AK-630 anti-aircraft guns, a naval AK-176 cannon, Igla air defense missiles, and 2 heavy machine guns (12.7mm). With such firepower, the BPS-500 is renowned as a formidable fast attack missile boat.

The Turya Torpedo Boat is a high-speed, hydrofoil torpedo boat developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Weighing 220 tons, with a top speed of 74 km/h, the Turya is armed with a dual-barrel 57mm anti-aircraft gun mounted at the stern, a dual-barrel 25mm gun at the bow, and 4 torpedo launch tubes for 533mm torpedoes (53-VA model). These torpedoes are 7.9 meters long, weigh 2 tons, and are equipped with a 210 kg warhead, capable of reaching depths of 6-8 meters for combat, and 12-16 meters for searching. The torpedo's speed is 29 km/h, with a range of 11 km. With its advanced radar and sonar systems, the Turya is capable of targeting both surface ships and submarines.

The Vietnamese Navy currently operates 5 upgraded Turya PTF boats with improved torpedo launchers and a maximum speed of 78 km/h. The Turya is designed for fast strikes, using its speed to approach enemy ships, launch torpedoes, and retreat quickly. However, modern missile-equipped ships now outrange the Turya's torpedoes, limiting its offensive capabilities. Despite this, the Turya remains a potent weapon in coastal areas, using surprise attacks and terrain advantages to disrupt enemy formations and amphibious operations.

The Kilo Submarine is a large, diesel-electric military submarine built in Russia, designed to target submarines, surface vessels, and other enemy watercraft. It is considered one of the quietest submarines in the world.

The Kilo is coated with a special material that absorbs sonar waves, and its propeller is made from lignum vitae wood, which helps minimize noise and makes it nearly undetectable. The U.S. military has dubbed it the "black hole of the ocean" due to its stealth capabilities.

With a length of nearly 74 meters, a width of 10 meters, and a displacement of 3,100 tons, the Kilo can reach speeds of 20 knots (37 km/h) and dive to depths of up to 300 meters. It can operate independently for 45 days with a crew of 52 personnel. The submarine is equipped with 6 torpedo tubes for 533mm torpedoes and can carry various types of torpedoes depending on the mission, as well as 3M-54 Klub anti-ship missiles (range of 660 km) and 3M-14E cruise missiles (range of 2,200 km), along with 8 anti-aircraft missiles for defense against anti-submarine helicopters.

In 2009, Vietnam ordered 6 Kilo-class submarines from Russia for a total cost of $2 billion, receiving the full delivery between 2012 and 2016. The first torpedo test took place in December 2017, and these submarines are now ready for active duty, protecting Vietnam's maritime peace.

The Gepard Missile Corvette is a lightweight warship produced by Russia, equipped with advanced electronics and weaponry, designed to meet the demands of modern electronic warfare.

Weighing 1,930 tons, the Gepard can reach a top speed of 27 knots with an operational range of 7,000 km. It is designed to withstand storms up to force 10-12 and can operate continuously for 15 days. With a crew of 98, the ship is fitted with a Bell Squat jamming system, which, along with its hull design, provides stealth against enemy radar. It also includes Cross Dome radar, two Bell Shroud passive jammers, submarine detection sonar, and four smoke-generating systems for camouflage. Additionally, the ship is equipped with a helicopter pad and hangar for the Kamov Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopter.

Weaponry on board includes a 76.2 mm AK-176M cannon with 500 rounds, two AK-630 CIWS 30 mm anti-aircraft guns with 2,000 rounds each, all controlled by the Bass Tilt fire control system. The Gepard also carries 8 Kh-35E Uran anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of 130 km and a speed of 0.8 Mach, one Kashtan CIWS anti-aircraft system featuring dual AO-18K 30 mm cannons and 9M311 sea-to-air missiles, and a 12-tube RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher. The corvette is also armed with 4 torpedo tubes for 533 mm torpedoes, capable of carrying 12-20 torpedoes.

Vietnam has ordered 6 Gepard-class corvettes at a cost of $350 million each. Four of these ships have been delivered and commissioned, marking a new era for the Vietnamese Navy's capabilities.

Petya is a lightweight anti-submarine ship developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s, powered by gas turbines, and designed for shallow-water anti-submarine operations. The Soviet Union provided these ships to the Vietnamese Navy for base protection and the escort of missile-equipped warships.

Weighing over 1,150 tons, the Petya has a top speed of 30 knots and can operate continuously for 102 days with a crew of 92 personnel. The ship is armed with two twin 76mm gun turrets, four RBU 6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, five 406mm torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare, and a full VDS sonar system for submarine detection. The Vietnamese Navy currently operates six Petya-class vessels, and they are considered among the most powerful and modern warships in Vietnam, equipped with both torpedoes and rocket bombs for anti-submarine warfare.