Fighter jets and UAVs from many countries attend defense exhibition

Leading defense industry companies from Russia, the US, and Israel bring to the 2024 International Defense Exhibition many aircraft products, UAVs, and models of state-of-the-art fighter jets.

The TP-150 aircraft is a joint product between Vietnam and Italy, serving military pilot training and patrolling. The aircraft has an empty weight of 430 kg, a ceiling of 6,400 m, and a maximum speed of 300 km/h.

The TP-150 is made entirely of aluminum alloy, equipped with a retractable landing gear system and can take off and land on many runway surfaces. The cockpit has two seats, allowing for 34 kg of luggage, suitable for military pilot training.

Flying Legend (the developer of TP-150) said it has started producing aircraft in Vietnam and TP-150 will be one of the first products.

The US brought to Vietnam many weapons, including the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. This weapon was designed specifically for the US Air Force in ground attack and close air support missions. The aircraft is 16.16 m long; has a wingspan of 17.42 m; and weighs 13 tons.

The Thunderbolt II is armed with a 30mm GAU-8 Avenger autocannon. The airframe is designed for durability, with titanium armor to protect the cockpit. The aircraft is capable of taking off and landing from short, unpaved runways, making it suitable for operations near the front lines.

The aircraft was developed by the Fairchild-Republic Company, now part of the Northrop Grumman Defense Corporation in the US, in the early 1970s, serving in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm).

The EADS CASA C-295 is a twin-engine tactical transport aircraft manufactured at the Airbus factory in Spain, currently serving in the armies of 30 countries. The aircraft has a maximum range of 4,600 km and can carry more than 9 tons of various types of cargo.

The C-295 is currently the most modern transport aircraft in the Vietnam Air Force. To serve the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory, the 918th Air Brigade deployed the C-295 transport aircraft to transport troops and equipment from Hanoi to Dien Bien City. At this exhibition, the C-295 transported many large-sized equipment and weapons to Gia Lam airport for display.

The AW-189 helicopter is the latest generation of medium-range aircraft, put into commercial operation since 2014, manufactured by Leonardo, Italy. The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 8,600 kg; can carry 16 passengers and two pilots; maximum speed of 287 km/h with a range of about 900 km.

The outstanding features of this helicopter are the automatic steering system, terrain warning, and anti-collision in the air. The passenger compartment is soundproofed; equipped with air conditioning; anti-vibration system and 5 main rotating blades design bring lightness and smoothness to customers.

The Airbus Group (USA) booth featured a model of the C295 transport aircraft. This aircraft is designed for the missions of transporting troops and goods, maritime patrol, airborne warning, surveillance and reconnaissance, signals intelligence, close air support, medical evacuation, VIP transport and aerial firefighting.

The C295 can carry 8 tons of payload or up to 70 troops at a maximum cruising speed of 480 km/h; it can refuel fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters in air-to-air mode. The C295 can fly at altitudes of up to 9,100 m and its fuel tank can operate continuously for 13 hours.

Airbus has signed contracts to supply 300 C295s to several countries.

The Turkish exhibition area features a model of the T129 ATAK helicopter. The T129 can be used in a variety of roles, including armed reconnaissance, ground attack, escort, fire support and short-range air defense missions.

The helicopter is equipped with a 20 mm triple-barreled rotary gun on the nose turret with 500 rounds of ammunition; 8 UMTAS 160 mm long-range anti-tank missiles; 76 70 mm missiles; 16 CIRIT 70 mm missiles and 8 Stinger short-range air-to-air missiles. The helicopter has the ability to automatically orient, detect and aim at the target, helping the pilot attack with high precision. The rotor is also equipped with an electronic warfare system in combat situations.

Model of the Anka-S unmanned aerial vehicle researched and produced by Turkish Aerospace. This device is designed primarily for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations when equipped with synthetic aperture radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors.

The Anka-S is powered by a 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled turbo diesel engine; driving a three-bladed propeller. Cruise speed 204 km/h with 30 hours of continuous operation; payload up to 350 kg and ceiling over 9,000 m. The device is 8.6 m long, has a wingspan of 17.5 m, and a maximum take-off weight of 1.7 tons. The Anka-S has been in service with the Turkish Air Force since 2018.

Vietnam also brought many products to the exhibition. Among them is the M400-CT2 UAV designed as a flying target for training. With a wingspan of 3.2 m, a length of 2.8 m, a height of 1.1 m and a maximum take-off weight of 110 kg, the M400-CT2 has a maximum effective payload of 10 kg. This UAV has a cruise speed of 200-220 km/h, a maximum speed of 260 km/h, an operating time of 120 minutes and a ceiling of 3,500 m.

With its flexibility and high performance, the M400-CT2 plays an important role in training and improving the combat capabilities of the Vietnam Air Defense - Air Force.

The DIS-18 UAV, developed by Vietnam, serves training, testing and evaluating the effectiveness of medium- and long-range air defense missile systems. The DIS-18 has a wingspan of 2.8 m, a length of 3.1 m, a height of 1.3 m, a maximum take-off weight of 102 kg and a maximum effective payload of 5 kg.

This UAV has a maximum speed of 360 km/h, an operating radius of 100 km, a flight time of 60 minutes and a ceiling of 5,000 m. The GNSS and INS navigation systems ensure precise operation, along with the ability to take off and land on runways. In addition, the DIS-18 is also equipped with optical systems, thermal imaging, reflective lenses, infrared decoys, smoke, etc.

Airborne radiation reconnaissance equipment is researched and manufactured by Factory Z113, General Department of Defense Industry. This equipment is used in missions that require measuring radiation dose rates in the air, analyzing signal spectra, identifying radioactive isotopes and sending information to the Command Center. Each reconnaissance equipment set can operate independently or combine two or three devices together according to the reconnaissance problem.

This device can fly at a speed of 50 km/h, with a ceiling of 1000 m. Communication distance is up to 5 km, with a travel time of 60 minutes, and can carry a payload of 7 kg.

The VU-C2 suicide UAV (cruise missile) developed by Viettel is equipped with an optical-electronic warhead and homing head, integrated with artificial intelligence, allowing automatic search, detection and target locking. This device can fire by attacking the target when commanded by the commander.

The UAV has a wingspan of 1.5 m, a length of 1.1 m, a maximum take-off weight of 8 kg, a continuous operating time of 40 minutes, and a maximum target attack speed of more than 130 km/h. The entire system, including the aircraft and the launch system, is lightweight and can be quickly disassembled, making it easy for soldiers to deploy, carry, and maneuver.

UAV - BXL.01 was designed and manufactured by Z131 factory, General Department of Defense Industry. This is a suicide UAV, carrying a hollow-point warhead, capable of destroying targets such as tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, radar stations and armored technical vehicles in a stationary state with armor thickness less than 250 mm. Maximum take-off weight is 10 kg, carrying a 1.2 kg warhead, flight ceiling is 1,000 m, flight speed is 100-120 km/h and continuous operation distance is 10 km.