At a ceremony in Hanoi on 15/9 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the General Department of Defense Industry and to receive the title of "Hero of the People's Armed Forces", Party General Secretary and Central Military Commission Secretary To Lam emphasized the importance of developing the defense industry to build a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern army.

The Party chief asked the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and the General Department of Defense Industry to proactively forecast and assess global military science trends to develop strategic weapons and equipment for the army.

He called for focusing on developing a team of scientific staff and leading experts capable of mastering science, technology, and high-tech to research, design, and manufacture modern weapons "of strategic significance and great deterrence" against invaders.

Party General Secretary To Lam attends the 80th anniversary of the General Department of Defense Industry. Photo: Kim Anh

He stressed the need for increased investment in the defense industry, primarily through domestic resources and other legal capital. Ministries and central agencies must support the military in developing a self-reliant, dual-use, and modern defense industry to become a spearhead of the national industry.

He tasked the military with implementing breakthrough projects to master new technologies in manufacturing weapons and equipment for all military branches, modernizing the force. This includes prioritizing core technologies such as semiconductors and advanced materials.

The Party chief also asked the defense industry to encourage other economic sectors to participate in developing supporting industries, promote international cooperation, and enhance competitiveness. "Vietnam's defense industry must gradually participate deeper in the global supply chain," he said.

Fighting requires weapons

According to the Party chief, the nation's history of national defense shows that the ability to research and manufacture weapons is key to a strong military.

From the nation's founding, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that "fighting requires weapons first." Only 13 days after the Declaration of Independence, he directed the establishment of the Ordnance Department – the predecessor of the defense industry – to collect, purchase, and manufacture weapons. He invited engineer Pham Quang Le (later Lieutenant General, Professor, and Labor Hero Tran Dai Nghia) from France to serve as the director of the Ordnance Department.

Party General Secretary To Lam examines products from the General Department of Defense Industry. Photo: Kim Anh

During the resistance against colonialism and imperialism, ordnance staff and workers overcame hardships, working tirelessly in factories to produce, repair, and improve hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons for the battlefield. Powerful weapons like bazookas, SKZ, DKZ, directional mines, and magnetic mines surprised and terrified the enemy.

In the era of renovation, the defense industry has promoted internal strength and enhanced research and manufacturing capabilities, successfully producing many types of modern weapons and technical equipment. The General Department has mastered core technologies to manufacture missiles, build new military ships and vehicles, and produce and repair most types of weapons, equipment, and ammunition. They've also developed radar and automated command systems, producing materials domestically and reducing reliance on imports.

In addition to national defense, the industry also produces civilian products with international brands such as ships, electronics, telecommunications equipment, machinery, chemicals, and industrial explosives, contributing significantly to the national budget and industrialization.

"The General Department of Defense Industry is the embodiment of the leading force in combat, work, and production," Party chief To Lam emphasized, expressing his hope that the agency will continue to grow and successfully complete all assigned tasks.

Son Ha