MOSCOW—U.S. President Barack Obama’s announced lifting of a decades-old arms embargo against Vietnam is raising eyebrows not only in China, where a dispute with Hanoi in the South China Sea inflames military tensions, but also in Russia.
Russia has long been Hanoi’s top weapons supplier. But, that dominance will slowly be eroded as the market is opened and U.S. arms dealers begin to seize the opportunity.
‘It will ultimately undermine Russian dominance in the Vietnamese market, but is unlikely to have a quick effect,” said Alexander Gabuev, chairman of the Russia-Asia Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, in e-mailed comments to VOA.
“The market environment will be more competitive, but Russia has a strong position in terms of value-for-money of its systems, the Vietnamese military's long-standing ties to Russian producers and the need to train personnel. A lot will depend on whether the U.S. government will support possible sales of American systems, and what the position of the next government will be."
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The U.S. ban on lethal weapons supplies to Vietnam was lifted after non-lethal arms sales were eased in 2014. However, all sales still have to meet U.S. government approval.
“I wouldn't expect a sudden surge in US arms exports to Vietnam as the inertia in the sphere of arms procurement is very strong,” said Anton Tsvetov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), in e-mailed replies to VOA.
“Russia," he added, "is likely to retain its dominance on the Vietnamese arms market in most of the high-value sectors, such as fighter jets, combat ships and missile defense systems, at least for the decade to come. The U.S., however, may occupy certain niches, including maritime surveillance and reconnaissance."
. . . Still , Obama, ? nnaaaahhhh !
![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
