On the morning of November 15, the Ministry of National Defense announced activities commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army and the 35th National Defense Day.  

Among these events, the Second Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024 stands out. Scheduled from December 19–22 at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi, it will feature displays of advanced military technologies and weaponry.  

Major General Le Ngoc Than, Chief of Political Affairs for the General Department of Defense Industry, stated that as of November, 140 organizations from 27 countries have registered to participate, utilizing a total exhibition area of over 5,000 square meters. Participants include defense industry leaders such as the U.S., China, Russia, India, Israel, France, the U.K., and Spain.  

The exhibition’s opening ceremony, set for the morning of December 19, will welcome senior Party and State leaders alongside international guests. Over the four days, a significant portion of time is reserved for public visits. Free admission is available from 1:30 PM on December 21 to the end of December 22, with no age restrictions. Unlike the inaugural 2022 event, which prohibited entry for young children, this year’s exhibition will be open to all.  

Reflecting on the 2022 debut, Major General Le Ngoc Than noted the initial event's limited scope and organizational inexperience, describing it as a “learning process.” Under the direction of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, the second exhibition has been significantly expanded. It features more activities, a higher number of international delegations, and a larger variety of weapons and equipment. Many of the displayed items are new products manufactured since 2022.  

The event will showcase combat vehicles, technological solutions, weapons, and equipment for the navy, army, air defense-air force, cyber operations, and logistics. The opening ceremony will include aerial displays by the air force, martial arts performances, and special forces demonstrations.  

Key exhibits include:  

- Air Defense and Air Force: fighter jets, helicopters, trainers, drones, air-to-air missiles, portable air-defense systems, artillery-missile systems.  

- Navy: submarines, warships, unmanned vessels, underwater reconnaissance devices, sonar systems, torpedoes, naval mines, anti-ship and surface-to-surface missiles.  

- Army: infantry and firepower weapons, anti-tank artillery, surveillance equipment for day and night, ground artillery, self-propelled guns, surface-to-surface missiles, tanks, armored vehicles, and military transport vehicles.  

Tran Thuong