Vietnam Develops its Own Anti-Ship Missile VSM-01A

23 December, 2024 Vietnamese VSM-01A anti-ship missile. Photo: Gordon Arthur Vietnamese company Viettel has for the first time presented its own anti-ship missile, VSM-01A, as well as the VCS-01 Truong Son coastal missile system built on its basis.

Samples of the new weapons were shown at the international exhibition VIDEX 2024, which took place in Hanoi (Vietnam), according to Naval News. The new missile is a further development of the VSM-01, an export version of the Russian anti-ship missile Kh-35E, which was built under license at the local defense enterprise Z189. The degree of localization in the production of this development remains unknown.

However, it is highly likely that it involved only assembly from pre-manufactured machine kits. Instead, the VSM-01A, presented this month, is described by its developers as a "completely new missile," equipped with locally produced components and assemblies. The missile is powered by a domestic VJE-01 turbojet engine, whose speed is described as high subsonic. Guidance is provided by in-house developed on-board systems, including the VASK-03 radar head, which operates in the Ku-band frequency range produced by Viettel.

It is claimed to be capable of independently capturing radio-contrast targets at a distance of up to 20 kilometers. The declared range of the presented sample is only 80 km, which is significantly less than the older versions of the Kh-35 missile. It is expected that the company may also soon introduce other versions of the VSM-01A with a longer range.

The overall length of the VSM-01A missile is 5 meters, its diameter is 315 mm, and its weight is about 600 kg.

VCS-01 coastal missile system

The VSM-01A cruise missile became the basis on which Viettel built the VCS-01 full-fledged anti-ship coastal missile system. It consists of five types of vehicles:

1. VLV-01 self-propelled launcher on a KAMAZ-6560 8x8 chassis. The vehicle carries 4 transport and launch containers with missiles.
2. VTRV-01 transport and reloading vehicle on the KAMAZ-6560 8x8 chassis.

   Each carries 8 transport and launch containers and is equipped with a hydraulic crane for loading them.

3. VTIV-01 technical inspection vehicle on a KAMAZ-5350 6x6 chassis. It is designed to check the technical condition and readiness of missiles.
4. VTAR-1 radar system on a KAMAZ-6560 8x8 chassis. It searches for and tracks surface targets and transmits data on their range, speed and direction of movement.
5. Mobile control center VCPV-01 on a KAMAZ-5350 6x6 chassis.

   It is equipped with the necessary communication equipment and the C4ISR system to control the coastal defense battery.

The entire complex is based on Russian-made trucks. One battery can contain up to 8 self-propelled launchers, as well as several transloaders with additional missiles. The battery can be deployed in a combat-ready state within 10 minutes.

However, the observation radar requires 25 minutes to get started. The process of reloading one TEL with the help of the transloader takes about 40 minutes. The first battery of the complex officially entered service with the 679th Brigade of the 1st Regional Command in April 2024.

The unit operates near the Gulf of Tonkin in the north of the country. For Vietnam, the production and deployment of the anti-ship system is a strategic achievement, as the country has a long coastline of 3,260 km, covering the Gulf of Tonkin, the South China Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand. Currently, the basis of the Vietnamese coastal defense forces is the Russian Bastion-P and Redut-M systems.

The independent production of its own coastal systems will significantly reduce dependence on Russia in the issue of coastal defense, while China continues its aggressive policy in the South China Sea and has already militarized a number of reefs from which, if necessary, it will be possible to control maritime traffic towards Vietnam.