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The formation of five Su-30MK2 aircraft flew over Ba Dinh square, dipping their wings in salute to the nation and releasing flares in celebration of 80 years of national independence.
The morning saw Hanoi under cloudy skies with temperatures around 29 degrees Celsius, making observation somewhat difficult. Photo: Ngoc Thanh
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The Su-30MK2 "Cobra" releases flares in mid-air.
Flares are part of a passive defense system designed to protect aircraft from infrared-guided anti-aircraft missiles. The flare dispensers are mounted on the tail of the Su-30MK2 fighter. Photo: Nguyen Dong
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The formation of five Su-30MK2 aircraft maneuvers and releases flares near the Hanoi Flag Tower. Photo: Tung Dinh
This morning, 31 fighter jets and helicopters of the Vietnam People's Air Force flew in formation around Ba Dinh square.
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The Su-30MK2 is the most modern fighter aircraft in the Vietnamese military, having entered service in 12/2006. Photo: Tung Dinh
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The Su-30MK2 has 12 weapon hardpoints, equipped with a diverse array of weaponry, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, rockets, guided bombs, and conventional bombs. Photo: Nguyen Dong
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A CASA transport aircraft flies in the cloudy weather.
The CASA C-295 is over 24 meters long, has a wingspan of nearly 26 meters, a height of over 8.6 meters, a range of 4,600 km, and can carry up to 71 people or over 9 tons of cargo. The CASA C212 is 16.2 meters long, has a wingspan of over 20 meters, a range of 1,811 km, and can carry 26 soldiers or 2.7 tons of cargo. Photo: Ngoc Thanh - Tung Dinh
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A helicopter formation carries the Party flag and the national flag over the Hanoi Flag Tower. Photo: Vo Thanh
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Helicopters fly over Le Nin Park. Below, hundreds of people watch and record the event. Photo: Tung Dinh
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A helicopter formation carrying the Party flag and the national flag flies over Phan Chu Trinh street. Photo: Quynh Tran
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The Flight Command Center is busy coordinating flight operations. Despite the challenging weather, the flight crews successfully completed their mission. Photo: Gia Chinh
Reporting team
