Vietnam has launched its first domestically produced amphibious warfare vessel, marking a new step in the country’s drive to localize naval shipbuilding and modernize its armed forces.
The vessel, designated VDC-01, was launched in early August at the Ba Son shipyard.
According to Vietnamese defense sources, the design is based on the Soviet-era Project 770 medium landing ship, known by NATO as the Polnocny-class. The project represents Vietnam’s move from repairing and upgrading older vessels to independently constructing combat-ready ships.
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Hanoi has been steadily replacing its Soviet-built fleet with more modern platforms. Earlier stages of modernization relied on purchases from the Netherlands,