The U.S. delivered the first five T-6C trainer aircraft to Vietnam at a handover ceremony held in Phan Thiet City, south-central Binh Thuan Province on Wednesday, marking a significant landmark in the bilateral defense relationship, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi reported the same day.

The ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper, U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Commander General Kevin B. Schneider, and Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien, Commander of the Vietnam People’s Air Defense-Air Force (ADAF).

The U.S. Embassy emphasized that the delivery of the first five T-6C trainer aircraft, among a total 12, is a significant milestone in the bilateral defense relationship. 

“The T-6C trainer aircraft will provide valuable support to Vietnam’s pilot training program, reflecting our shared vision for a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam that contributes to regional stability and security,” the website of the U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam cited Ambassador Knapper.  

He commented that this delivery marked an important step forward in the growing partnership between the U.S. and Vietnam. 

The delivery of these aircraft “underscores the increasing cooperation between the U.S Department of Defense and Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense and reinforces the commitment to joint training and capacity building,” the embassy said.  

This collaboration demonstrates the spirit of the U.S.-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership, which promotes mutual growth and shared objectives. 

In 2021, the Vietnamese defense ministry and the U.S. Air Forces committed to the T-6C trainer aircraft to operationalize and improve the ADAF’s pilot training program, stated the embassy. 

“Today’s arrival of the first T-6C aircraft to the Vietnam [People’s] ADAF represents the promise we made to assist in your air force modernization efforts,” the PACAF quoted General Schneider as saying. 

Speaking at the event, Lieut. Gen. Hien said these aircraft will support Vietnamese military pilots in complementing and enhancing the capability of training and interoperability, thereby meeting the requirements of training military pilots, mission readiness and homeland protection.

Hien added that in the coming time, the Vietnamese side will collaborate with the U.S. side in exploiting and utilizing T-6C aircraft in the most effective manner, to serve as a basis for the training and assigning tasks in Vietnam People’s Air Defense-Air Force. 

The delivery of the five aircraft was based on the defense cooperation agreement between Vietnam and the U.S., such as the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation and the 2024 Joint Vision Statement on Defense Cooperation, spokeswoman of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at a press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday in response to the media query regarding the U.S.'s handover of these aircraft to Vietnam. 

“This cooperative activity is within the framework of the Vietnam - U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation and Sustainable Development, which is developing well, contributing to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development,” Hang said.

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