With simple materials, Vietnamese have successfully manufactured aircrafts and ships, not only for civil but also for military services.

The information that two farmers could manufacture aircraft from very simple materials once stirred up the public.

However, the “flying machine in the shape of a helicopter” created by Le Van Danh and Tran Quoc Hai, the two farmers in Tay Ninh province, could not satisfy the technique and safety requirements and they could not be lifted off the ground.

Most of the accessories Hai and Danh used to make the aircraft were sourced from the flea market or made themselves at their mechanical workshops.

The two made-in-Vietnam helicopters were sold to the US New York Museum and to the South Korean Busan Contemporary Arts Museum.

Nguyen Bui Hien, a wounded soldier – engineer, 58, in Binh Duong province, manufactured a helicopter and invited the representatives from the military air force and aviation experts to come to examine his product.

Pham Xuan Quoc in HCM City spent 10 years to create a mini helicopter. “I never think I would give up the dream one day. The helicopter has got ready for me to conduct a test fly,” Quoc said.

The self-modified mini submarine

Nguyen Quoc Hoa, Director of the Quoc Hoa Mechanical Engineering Company has announced he has successfully created a submarine which can be used to protect the territorial waters sovereignty, catch fisheries and serve tourism.

Experts say the submarine made manually by Hoa can be compared with an expensive toy. Hoa reportedly spent VND1 billion to assemble it.

The unmanned aircraft

Researchers plan to launch the unmanned aircraft by the end of the year, the first one for military purposes in Vietnam.

According to Colonel Do Van Lap, the VT Patrol aircraft has the wingspan of 3.3 meters, takeoff weight of 26 kilos, automatic flying mechanism, real-time information and image transmission. The aircraft’s color is suitable to the military operations’ needs. It is made of the high quality aviation composite which ensures durability and lightweight.

The initial success will allow Vietnam to make midrange unmanned aircraft with the flying duration of 15-24 hours, and other state of the art devices, including missiles.

The target drone

After four years of research, in September 2005, two unmanned aircraft successfully implemented two test flights at the Kep airport in Bac Giang province at the height of 2,000 meters and the operation diameter of 15 kilometers.

Vietnam has also successfully manufactured the launching pads, which can be used in the cases where there is no airstrip. The launching pads are made of the materials existing in the country.

Vietnamese state of the art battleship

The navy ship TT400TP No. 1 built by the Hong Hoa Shipbuilding Company has been handed over to the navy armed service in Hai Phong City. This is the first modern battleship made in Vietnam.

This is a modern warship which has outstanding features useful for the military operations on the sea. The ship is equipped with modern weapons such as AK-630 artillery; combined low-range air defense missile, radar systems, identification systems, rockets which are integrated through an automation system.