Republic of Vietnam Military Forces

Emblem of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces

Flag of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces

**Founded**
1802

**Service branches**
 **Army of the Republic of Vietnam** (ARVN)
 **Republic of Vietnam Navy** (RVNN)
 **Republic of Vietnam Air Force**  (RVNAF)
 **Republic of Vietnam Marines**  (RVNM)

**Headquarters**
National Defence Building

**Leadership**

**Commander-in-Chief**
Nguyễn Thái Bình

**Minister of Defence**
Huỳnh Diệu Sơn

**Chief of the Joint General Staff**
General Doãn Trọng Nghĩa (RVNM)

**Vice Chief of the Joint General Staff**
General Triệu Minh Khánh (RVNAF)

**Personnel**

**Military age**
17-26 (Initial enlistment)

**Conscription**
Minimum two-year conscription is required for all able-bodied males from the age of 17-26. Policy inactive since 1970, focusing on full voluntary force.

**Available for military service**
13 million

**Reaching military age annually**
854,000

**Active personnel**
1,025,150 (ranked 5th)

**Reserve personnel**
Undisclosed

**Deployed personnel**
316,100

**Expenditures**

**Budget**
₫231 billion (ranked 2nd)

**Percent of GDP**
5.6

**Industry**

**Domestic suppliers (Top 5)**
• VDA
• Minh Defence Systems
• NT Defence Dynamics
• RAE
• eSystems

**Foreign suppliers**
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Boeing Company
• Lockheed Martin
• Raytheon
• BAE Systems

The **Republic of Vietnam Military Forces** is Vietnam's national defence force consisting of four service branches:

* **Army of the Republic of Vietnam** (ARVN)
* **Republic of Vietnam Navy** (RVNN)
* **Republic of Vietnam Air Force** (RVNAF)
* **Republic of Vietnam Marines** (RVNM)

The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces was founded in its current state in 1802 under the reign of Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyễn dynasty. Since the mid-20th century, the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces has had undergone a massive modernisation and expansion. Today, it is considered one of the most powerful and technologically advanced militaries in the world.

The current Commander-in-Chief is President Nguyễn Thái Bình. The current Chief of the Joint General Staff is General Doãn Trọng Nghĩa (RVNM).

## Operations

The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces is tasked in regional and allied peacekeeping, power projection, counter defence, and search and rescue. The Republic of Vietnam is one of 11 nuclear states, and the fourth in the Asia. While not a signatory to the NPT, Vietnam does allow regular and unrestricted inspections of its nuclear sites.

Currently, the nuclear-powered VNS *Huế* supercarrier is stationed in the South China Sea along with two *City*-class destroyers and the 43rd, 76th, and 113th aerial attack squadrons. The ARVN has the 107th and the 109th divisions stationed in Africa assisting with UN peacekeeping missions. Members of the 52nd, 67th, 112th divisions of the Marines are stationed in the Middle East assisting with NATO operations in the region.

## Service Branches

### Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam can trace its origins back to 1777 as a guerilla force after Nguyen Anh fled to Siam following the capture of Saigon by the Tay Son army. After the overthrow of the Tay Son dynasty in 1802, the guerilla force was rebuilt and have served the Nguyen dynasty since 1802 then known as the Vietnamese Imperial Army. Following the transition to a republic, the army was renamed for the second time.

### Republic of Vietnam Navy (RVNN)

The Republic of Vietnam Navy was officially founded in 1802 by new Emperor Gia Long when the emperor bought 10 Chinese junks from the Chinese Emperor. There is one remaining original Chinese junk ship still seaworthy, while not commissioned for service it does sail with the modern Republic of Vietnam Navy vessels on special occasions.

#### Vietnamese Coast Guard (VNCG)

The Vietnamese Coast Guard is responsible for search and rescue, pollution response, vessel traffic management, maritime safety, accident and disaster response, and maritime security, and coastal enforcement of customs/border control, fisheries control, and law enforcement, along Vietnam's eastern coast and its major river routes. While under the auspices of the Republic of Vietnam Navy, it operates independently with its own command structure and fleet.

In a national emergency or in the event of a war under the War Powers Act, The President may draft the Coast Guard into military service, equipping ships and aircraft with munitions, and drafting units to secure the Republic's maritime borders.

### Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF)

The Republic of Vietnam Air Force founded in 1960 with the introduction of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II into service. Since then, the RVNAF have developed their own air superiority fighter, the RAE VF-23 Dragon and its variants. The RVNAF currently has a capacity of 3,940 aircraft, not including trainer aircraft. The exact number of VF-23A Dragons in production and in-service is classified.

### Republic of Vietnam Marines (RVNM)

The Republic of Vietnam Marines, now a separate service branch was originally under the direction of the Republic of Vietnam Navy. The Republic of Vietnam Marines began as a recon unit of the RVNN in 1904 and played a big role in defeating the Nationalists in the Vietnamese Civil War. Following the Vietnamese Civil War, the President Ngô Đình Diệm made the RVNM a separate service branch in 1958 by presidential decree.

The current chief of the JGS is from the Marines, General Doãn Trọng Nghĩa having taken over for Admiral Nguyễn Trị Bịnh on 26 June 2022.

### Vietnam Special Forces Command

The Vietnam Special Forces Command (VNSPECCOM) is an executive-level military authority that has specific oversight of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces. The President as Commander-in-Chief has the final authorisation of action(s) of the Special Forces. Within the Vietnam Special Forces Command, the president is counseled by the head and deputy head of VNSPECCOM and the Chief of the Joint General Staff. While the president has full use of all special forces units, the severity of action will typically dictate which unit is tasked.

## Vietnamese Combatant Commands

A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of Vietnamese Ministry of Defence that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, and conducts broad and continuing missions. There are currently eight unified combatant commands and each are established as the highest echelons of military commands, in order to provide effective command and control of all Vietnamese military forces, regardless of branch of service, during peace or during war time. Unified combatant commands are organized either on a geographical basis (known as an "area of responsibility" or AOR) or on a functional basis, e.g. special operations, force projection, transport, and cybersecurity. Currently, five combatant commands are designated as geographical, and three are designated as functional. Unified combatant commands are "joint" commands and have specific badges denoting their affiliation.

The Unified Command Strategy (UCS) establishes the missions, command responsibilities, and geographic areas of responsibility of the combatant commands. Each time the Unified Command Strategy is updated, the organisation of the combatant commands is reviewed for military efficiency and efficacy, as well as alignment with national policy. Each strategy is reviewed and approved by the Joint General Staff.

Each unified combatant command is led by a combatant commander (CCDR), who is a four-star general or admiral. The combatant commanders are entrusted with a specific type of nontransferable operational command authority over assigned forces, regardless of branch of service. The chain of command for operational purposes (per the War Edicts Act) goes from the President of Vietnam through the Minister of Defence to the combatant commanders.

## Budget

Vietnam has the second largest military budget in the world, behind the United States. Since FY2022, the Ministry of Defence's budget allocates another ₫125 billion in maintenance, salary, benefits, procurement, and other costs. Overall, the defence budget tops out at ₫356 billion.

## Personnel

The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces has an active force of 1,025,150 with a reported but unconfirmed reserve force of 400,000. While the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces is now an all-volunteer military, conscription through the Active Service Requirement was used from 1958-70, with all able-bodied males ages 17 through 26 who are living in Vietnam are required to serve a minimum of two years.

In addition to the active military force, the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces has a civilian force comparable to the U.S. Department of Defense coming in at 400,000.

### Women in the military

In 1977, President Trần Lệ Xuân allowed women to serve in the military in limited active duty roles for the first time with PD 4475, prior to the Gulf War, President Nguyễn Cao Kỳ allowed women to participate in full active combat with PD 5112 in 1989. As of 2020, women made up 110,040 of all active personnel in the all four branches. Despite 33 women eventually promoted to General or Admiral, no woman has been a Vietnamese Ranger or a Navy SEAL.

## Ranks

Rank in the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces is split into three distinct categories: officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel. Officers are the leadership of the military, holding commissions from the president of Vietnam and confirmed to their rank by the Senate. Warrant officers hold a warrant from the secretaries of the military departments, serving as specialist in certain military technologies and capabilities. Upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer (WO-1), they gain a commission from the president of Vietnam. Enlisted personnel constitute the majority of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical-level leaders until they become senior non-commissioned officers or senior petty officers. Military ranks across the services can be compared by NATO rank code. Of the four service branches, the Republic of Vietnam Marines are the only branch without a NATO equivalent OF-10 ranking. It was discontinued in 1980, after the National Assembly passed the Military Reorganisation Acts. At current, the highest flag officer in the Marines is an OF-9.

### Officers

Officers represent the top 15% of the armed forces, serving in leadership and command roles. Officers are divided into three categories:

* OF-1 to OF-3: Company grade officers in the Army, junior officers in the Navy, Air Force or Marines.
* OF-4 to OF-6: Field grade officers in the Army, mid-grade officers in the Navy, Air Force or Marines.
* OF-7 to OF-10: General officers in the Army, flag officers in the Navy, Air Force or Marines.

Officers are typically commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns with a bachelor's degree after several years of training and education or directly commissioning from civilian life into a specific specialty, such as a medical professional, lawyer, chaplain, or cyber specialist.

Officers are commissioned through Vietnamese service academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps programs, and the Officer Candidate and Officer Training Schools. During a time of war, officers may be promoted to five-star ranks, with general of the Army, fleet admiral, and general of the Air Force the only five-star ranks currently authorized.

### Warrant Officers

Warrant officers are specialists, accounting for only 7% of the officer corps. Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The lowest-ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but they receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2. They derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists. There are no warrant officers in the Air Force.

Warrant officers are typically non-commissioned officers before being selected, with the exception of the Army Air Corps where any enlisted grade can apply for a warrant. Army Warrant officers attend the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School in Dalat.

### Enlisted

Enlisted personnel consist of 85% of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical leaders. Enlisted personnel are divided into three categories:

* OR-1 to OR-3/4: Junior enlisted personnel, usually in initial training or at their first assignment. OR-1 to OR-3 in the Marines, Navy, and OR-1 to OR-4 in the Army, and Air Force. In the Army, corporals (OR-3) are considered to be junior enlisted, while corporal first class (OR-4) are non-commissioned officers.
* OR-4/5 to OR-6: Non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marines, Air Force, and petty officers in the Navy. In the Air Force, OR-5 is the first non-commissioned officer rank. Non-commissioned officers and petty officers are responsible for tactical leadership.
* OR-7/8 to OR-9: Senior non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marines, Air Force, and chief petty officers in the Navy. Serve as senior enlisted advisors to officers.

The rank of sergeant major is the highest rank in each service—warrant officer in the Navy—serving as the primary advisors to their service secretary and service chief on enlisted matters. Prior to entering their service, enlisted personnel must complete their service's basic training. In the Army, after completing Basic Combat Training recruits then go to advanced individual training for their military occupational specialty. In the Marines, after completing Recruit Training, marines attend the School of Infantry, going to the Infantry Training Battalion for infantry marines, with non-infantry marines completing Marine Combat Training before advancing to technical training for their military occupational specialty. In the Navy, after completing Recruit Training, sailors advance to their "A" schools to complete training for their rating. In the Air Force, recruits complete combined Basic Military Training before going to technical training for their Air Force Specialty Codes.

## Armaments and Vehicles

### Firearms

The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces uses a mixture of domestic and imported firearms, all capable of using NATO rounds. While the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces and other defence and security branches have contracts with several firearms manufacturers, the largest single contract belongs to NTDD, which supplies all Republic of Vietnam Military Forces branches and the Presidential Guards with the NTDD 9mm QA Mk-II handgun as standard, making it the de facto standard firearm of the military.