Brigade 171 of the Naval Zone II has received an advanced warship, HQ 273, one of the most modern warships to be made in Vietnam to date.

The reception was made at a ceremony held by the Brigade in Vung Tau City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on Friday, October 5.

The HQ-273, the second artillery ship of the TT400TP class built by Ministry of Defense’s Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company, is equipped with modern weaponries including AK 630 machine gun, surface-to-air missile system, and radar and enemy recognition systems, said Colonel Mai Tien Tuyen, the political commissar of the High Command of Naval Zone II. The ship, which is 54.16 meters long and 9.16 meters wide, has a maximum speed of 32 nautical miles per hour. It is able to continuously operate offshore for 30 days and nights at sustained winds of force 9 (76-87 kph). The ship has an operating range of 2,500 miles. The vessel has maximum and average displacements of 446 and 413 tons respectively. It can operate in rough seas with winds of up to 75 kph, according to the ship builder.

HQ-273 had experienced eight quality tests at sea since June 2012 before it was handed over to the Vietnam People’s Navy on August 31.

The first artillery ship TT400TP, HQ-272, was unveiled on September 27 last year and delivered to the navy on January 16, 2012

The TT400TP was produced to undertake four missions: wipe out all enemy battleships, protect army bases of landing crafts, protect civilian vessels, and for patrolling purposes. Speaking at the ceremony, Colonel Tuyen requested that naval soldiers use the warship effectively to fulfill their duties to defend Vietnam’s waters, islands and continental shelf.

As previously reported, Hong Ha handed over the HQ 272, Vietnam's first locally produced modern battleship, to the naval force on January 16, 2012. The company started building the ship in April 2009, using the state-of-the-art technology.