MK Group President Nguyen Trong Khang said in 2021, the company implemented large projects, including identity cards, automatic doors at NoiBai International Airport and AI cameras. It is cooperating with the Ministry of Public Security to deploy a chest camera and gun speed projects. About 60 percent of camera output will be exported which can bring revenue of $100 million.

Khang has stated that MK Group will join the defence industry.

“The National Assembly is expected to ratify the law on encouraging capable enterprises to join the defence industry. We will invest in it because we can see opportunities,” Khang said.

“However, to enter the field of defence production, MK Group wants to cooperate with Viettel,” he added.

Khang told VietNamNet that the products of the defence industry are dual-use products, or items that can be used both for civilian and military applications.

If a country only uses products and equipment from other countries, or simply assembles equipment, it will never have high technology. More importantly, heavy reliance on foreign technologies will put the nation at a disadvantage.

The national defence industry complex plays an extremely important role, leading innovation systems of the major powers. Countries want to develop modern defence industries to be sure that armed forces have modern technical equipment with high combat power, to effectively respond to high-technology war.

The viewpoint of the Vietnam’s Communist Party and the State about developing the defence industry is to stay autonomous, self-reliant, modern, and dual-use, and to truly become an important and spearhead part of the national industry.

To date, two companies have joined the defence industry. In 2010, when Viettel targeted military purposes when researching and producing airspace surveillance systems, most military units were only capable of researching and improving some old-generation radars.

In 2014, the first completed radar product developed by Viettel got an official acceptance by the Ministry of National Defence and put into mass production.

To date, Viettel has researched and produced more than 50 types of products in 10 hi-tech equipped weapon sectors to be provided to the army. Viettel also provides cyber warfare systems and simulation model systems for training and education. This group masters many important core technologies with 51 patents, including nine patents granted by the US. Viettel's products all have features equivalent to high-tech industrial products in the world, meeting international standards.

Thai Khang