The resolution clearly states that, to achieve this goal in the context of a volatile and complex global situation, in which the Fourth Industrial Revolution is increasingly exerting profound impacts on all aspects of life, “promoting breakthroughs in the development of defence and security industries that are autonomous, self-reliant, dual-use and modern” is a key solution.
In implementing this policy, in recent years many military units have made efforts to promote research and innovation to master military science and technology, shifting strongly from usage and repair to the production of modern military equipment and weapons in order to proactively respond to new forms of warfare.
The Military Ship Design Institute under the General Department of Defence Industry has the core task of designing, building and upgrading military vessels, as well as ships and watercraft serving civilian needs and export.
Fully aware of the requirement for strategic autonomy, self-reliance, and self-strengthening in the defence industry, the unit has strived to overcome difficulties and gradually master modern military ship design technologies.
The Party Committee and the institute’s leadership have focused on effectively implementing the breakthrough of “enhancing research and design capacity for military vessels, with a focus on combat ship classes”; paying particular attention to research on weapon installation design, equipment integration, and system integration, thereby creating a solid foundation when tasked with designing combat ships.
The institute has organised the implementation of a centralised ship design model; proactively developed design briefs and independently carried out the technical design of an anti-submarine vessel with a displacement of about 1,200 tonnes; launched 34 grassroots-level research projects to address technical bottlenecks in combat ship design; and actively cooperated in scientific and technical research with capable domestic partners.
Notably, the institute has successfully researched and designed an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) with many intelligent features such as target recognition, speed control, stealth capabilities to avoid enemy detection, and the ability to return after completing missions.
At present, the institute continues to research unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). This is an important direction contributing to “enhancing the combat strength of the people’s armed forces in firmly safeguarding the Fatherland under all circumstances, especially high-tech warfare”, as oriented in the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.
From the unit’s practical experience, Colonel Pham Thanh Trung, Deputy Head of the Military Ship Design Institute, believes that to master the process of researching, designing and manufacturing modern military equipment and weapons, breakthroughs in science and technology are the key factor.
Pham Thanh Trung expressed confidence that, together with the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, the strong implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation, along with the close direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and the General Department of Defence Industry, will certainly create positive changes.
New mechanisms and policies not only expand investment resources and strengthen linkages among research institutes, enterprises, and training institutions, but also allow pilot implementation and application of new technological models, thereby encouraging innovation.
These are essential conditions for units such as the Military Ship Design Institute to proactively access, master, and gradually develop modern weapons systems and technical equipment in line with current high-tech warfare trends.
According to Colonel Pham Thanh Trung, the biggest challenge at present is the shortage of highly qualified personnel and engineers, while the workload is increasing with many particularly difficult and unexpected tasks.
Rising global conflicts are affecting access to and transfer of technology. Therefore, reviewing and refining regulations and policies to remove obstacles and create a favourable legal corridor for research and application of science and technology is an urgent requirement in the current context.
There is a need for a well-structured investment strategy with clear priorities that avoids scattered investment when human resources and infrastructure are still limited. Attention should also be paid to improving living conditions and policies for research personnel, especially those with outstanding capabilities, in order to retain and develop talent.
