VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan has for the first time made comments about the technical features of submarines made by nonprofessional engineers. The comments caught the attention of the public because the watchdog agency had been criticised for its indifference to amateur research works and achievements.

Several submarine and helicopter models made by amateur engineers were introduced in 2014, of which Truong Sa, Yet Kieu and Hoa Binh subs were the best known.

Quan praised the Hoa Binh submarine after he and two scientists, who had created Hoa Binh, were in the sub’s cabin as it was tested on the sea.

The underwater vehicle, 6.63 m long and 2.74 m high, has a speed of 4.5 nautical miles per hour. It can carry four people and dive to a depth of 50 meters within 24 hours. It is capable of contacting other ships at a distance of around one kilometer through radio communication systems.

The vehicle was designed and made by Vietnamese engineers under a State-level project beginning in 2010, with total investment of around VND25.5 billion ($1.5 million).

As for the Truong Sa submarine created by Nguyen Quoc Hoa, Quan said this was a small-size sub, but it uses a diesel engine, which makes it difficult to build an exhaust treatment system that needs more space.

He also noted that the inventor has not reported the standards for emergency lifesaving and emergency resurfacing. The Ministry of National Defence has not allowed the sub to be tested on the sea.

As for Yet Kieu sub, Quan showed his surprise about the export price at $7,500 to Malaysia, saying that no sub could be built at such a price and dive under water.

He said that with such a cost, a sub could be created for display only.

“It is different for Hoa Binh submarine. I myself dove tens of meters under the water with Hoa Binh,” he said, adding that the production of the sub in Vietnam is “very promising”.

“A similar foreign-made sub is priced at $5-7 million,” he said.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has approved to contribute up to VND5 billion out of the VND28 billion spent by the producers to build the sub.

In related news, Le Nga, a resident in Hue City, has announced that he has made a submarine, named Hoang Sa, and the sub has had a successful run on the Huong River.

DV