The Vietnam People’s Navy on Thursday conducted a flag raising ceremony for two fast-attack missile ships of Molniya class, the first of its kind to have been built locally in Vietnam.

>> Vietnam puts most advanced fisheries surveillance ship into operation amid sea tension >> Vietnam to make 30,000 steel-clad boats for fishermen by 2020>> Vietnam to give fishermen soft loans to build ships given marine tension The ceremony to debut the new vessels, HQ377 and HQ378, was held at the military port of Naval Zone 2 in southern  Dong Nai Province. The ships were earlier handed over by the Ministry of Defense to Brigade 167 of Naval Zone 2. The vessels, designed based on a Russian version, were built at the Ba Son shipyard under the General Department of Military Industry. These vessels are equipped with advanced weapons with state-of-the-art functions. Compared to an older Russian version of its kind, the new vessels have a more modern engine system. Colonel Luong Viet Hung, Command of the Naval Zone 2, said, “This kind of warship has a complex and modern design, which has made the best use of the latest scientific and technical advancements.” Each of the warships is equipped with 16 missiles arranged into four modules for launch on its sides, two AK-630 shipborne artillery systems with 4,000 shells each, which can fire 4,000-5,000 shots per minute.  They can operate in seas with winds as strong as 74 kph and are able to attack targets both in the air and on the sea, the colonel said. He added that these vessels can give effective support to other military ships in battles at sea, contributing to enhance the overall strength of Naval Zone 2 in particular and the Vietnam People’s Navy in general.    At the ceremony, Colonel Hung handed the national flag and Vietnamese naval flag to the captains and political commissars of the two new vessels, wishing them to fulfill their duties in leading the new warships.  “The East Vietnam Sea situation has become increasingly tense and complicated, especially after China illegal placed its Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig in the Vietnamese waters. In such context, the High Command of the Naval Zone 2 in general and Bridge 167 and the two new warships must show their solidarity and determination to overcome all difficulties to fulfill all duties assigned to them in the new situation,” Colonel Hung said. 

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