In a move underscoring burgeoning U.S.-Vietnam defence ties, the first three of 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II turboprop trainers have arrived at Phan Thiet, south of Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first time Vietnam has acquired new military aircraft from the United States since the end of the war in the 1970s.
Gen Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, personally flew one of the aircraft from an undisclosed location on Nov. 20. He was met by Lt Gen Nguyen Van Hien, commander of the Vietnam Air Defence Air Force, and U.S. ambassador Marc Knapper.
The aircraft are part of a $100 million U.S. government ‘foreign military sale’ to Vietnam. The next batch of delivery is due in 2025.
The T-6Cs will replace elderly Aero L-39 Albatros jets in the training role. Phan Thiet is the Vietnam Air Defence Air Force’s main training base.
The ferry of the Texan IIs was a complex operation, lasting two weeks and involving five stopovers. Although the USAF has not disclosed the route, flight tracking data reveal that the aircraft, registration N2811B, left Wichita, Kansas, on Nov. 1 and flew via Goose Bay, Labrador, Kangerlussuaq in Greenland, Reykjavik in Iceland and Glasgow in Scotland. From there, N2811B and the others went to Lyon in France, Rome and Souda Bay in Crete.
The Texans crossed the Mediterranean to Saudi Arabia, then flew to the United Arab Emirates and onwards to Muscat in Oman. They then flew to Ahmedabad in India, Kolkata and Bangkok, before arriving at Ho Chi Minh City, ahead of the final leg to Phan Thiet.
The T-6C is built by Textron Aviation Defence. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop, the T-6C has an all-glass digital cockpit and can be fitted with underwing weapons for light attack duties.
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