Also attending were Politburo member, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department Nguyen Trong Nghia; Central Committee members, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Lieutenant General Tran Quang Phuong; Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Minister of National Defense , General Nguyen Tan Cuong; leaders and former leaders of the Ministry of National Defense; and representatives from central ministries, departments, and agencies.
General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent congratulatory flower baskets.
An unparalleled feat by the Air Defense and Air Force troops.
In the early 1960s, alongside the intensification of the "special war" strategy in the South, the US imperialists began a secret campaign of harassment, sabotage, and intensive preparation for air and naval warfare against North Vietnam. Responding to the demands of the national liberation struggle, on October 22, 1963, President Ho Chi Minh signed a Decree, and the Ministry of National Defense issued Decision No. 50/QD establishing the Air Defense - Air Force Command, based on the merger of the Air Defense Command and the Air Force Department.
Less than a year after its establishment, the Vietnamese Air Force fulfilled President Ho Chi Minh's teaching to "open a victorious air front," launching its first victorious battle, shooting down four American aircraft on April 3-4, 1965. Just over six months after its formation, on July 24, 1965, the 236th Regiment of the Missile Forces launched its first victorious battle, completely destroying a group of American aircraft.
Besides fighting to protect the vast rear area of North Vietnam and safeguarding strategic transportation routes, the Air Defense and Air Force troops also participated in many major campaigns and achieved outstanding successes, such as: the Khe Sanh Campaign, the Route 9 - Southern Laos Campaign, the Quang Tri Campaign, and along the entire historic Truong Son Trail...
In 1972, the US imperialists launched a frenzied second bombing campaign against North Vietnam, on an extremely fierce scale and nature, especially the strategic air raid, mainly using B-52 strategic bombers, on Hanoi, Hai Phong, and some neighboring provinces in late December 1972. With a revolutionary spirit of offensive action, initiative, and creativity, combining the combined strength of the entire nation, the Air Defense and Air Force troops, together with the army and people of North Vietnam, overcame all hardships and sacrifices, fought bravely and tenaciously, shooting down 81 aircraft, contributing to the victory of "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air".
This is an unparalleled feat, a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism, representing the spirit, intellectual prowess, and courage of Vietnam in the Ho Chi Minh era, and will forever be a source of pride for our people, our army, and the heroic Air Defense and Air Force. This was also the first time in history that the "super bomber B-52" suffered a defeat, and the US Air Force inflicted the heaviest losses, fundamentally changing the course of the resistance war against the US to save the nation.
During the 1975 Spring Strategic Offensive, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, anti-aircraft artillery, missile, and radar units marched at lightning speed, present in campaign formations, fighting both the enemy in the air and on the ground, shooting down many planes and destroying many enemy forces.
Concluding the victorious resistance war against the American imperialists to save the nation, the Air Defense and Air Force forces shot down 2,635 aircraft out of a total of 4,181 American aircraft shot down by our army and people, including all the most modern types of the US Air Force, among them 64 B-52s and 13 F-111s, killing and capturing hundreds of enemy pilots.
Following the victory in the Spring of 1975, the Air Defense and Air Force troops, along with other participating forces, once again successfully completed their mission, providing effective support to the infantry in hunting down the remnants of the Fulro forces and the reactionary Khmer Rouge, contributing together with the armed forces of both countries to saving the Cambodian people from genocide.
With its outstanding achievements and victories, the Air Defense - Air Force Command has been awarded many prestigious honors by the Party and the State: 147 collectives and 150 individuals have been awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces and Hero of Labor; thousands of collectives and individuals have been awarded various medals and decorations. The Command has the honor of being visited and encouraged by President Ho Chi Minh 17 times.
In recent years, building on the glorious traditions of the Air Force, its officers and soldiers have achieved many outstanding accomplishments, demonstrating a revolutionary spirit of offensive action and decisive performance, successfully completing all assigned tasks. The Air Force consistently maintains a high state of combat readiness, organizes close coordination training between forces, manages airspace, and oversees national air traffic control; it promptly and effectively handles airborne situations, preventing any passive or unexpected events.
With the spirit of "All for the cause of protecting the Fatherland's skies," each battlefield and each pilot is a fortress guarding the Fatherland's skies. The Air Defense - Air Force Command proactively and promptly detects and handles all situations early and from afar, creating a continuous and solid air defense and air force posture, contributing to maintaining peace in the skies, protecting the peace of the Fatherland, and affirming the strategic stature of the Army in peacetime.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, presented the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces – a prestigious award from the Party and State – to the Air Defense and Air Force Command. Speaking at the ceremony, the Prime Minister, on behalf of General Secretary To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and the Party and State leaders, extended his respectful greetings, sincere regards, and best wishes to all attendees.
Expressing profound gratitude and appreciation to President Ho Chi Minh, the heroic martyrs, and generations of officers and soldiers of the People's Army, including the Air Defense - Air Force, for the independence and freedom of the nation, and for the peaceful, prosperous, and happy lives of the people, the Prime Minister affirmed that throughout the 81 years since President Ho Chi Minh founded the Vietnam Liberation Propaganda Team - the predecessor organization of the Vietnam People's Army - our army has developed and matured remarkably, becoming an army that "wins every time it goes into battle," writing glorious and heroic chapters in the history of nation-building and national defense.
"The heroic traditions and great achievements of the Air Defense - Air Force, one of the three main branches of the heroic Vietnam People's Army, are of great significance to the revolutionary cause, the building and protection of the Fatherland, and the contributions of the Air Defense - Air Force are substantial," the Prime Minister emphasized.
Must develop forces according to the motto "3 no"
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the Party and President Ho Chi Minh paid special attention to building air defense and air force forces, demonstrating a proactive and early preparation mindset to avoid being caught off guard by strategic air attacks from the enemy.
Over 62 years of building, fighting, and maturing, the Air Defense - Air Force Command has written golden pages of Vietnamese courage, intelligence, and resilience, with historically and strategically significant victories that contributed to changing the revolutionary landscape of our country. Reviewing the Command's development, combat, and growth, with historical milestones, especially the "Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the Air" victory, which changed the course of the war, forcing the US imperialists to return to the negotiating table, sign the Paris Agreement, and withdraw from Vietnam, the Prime Minister stated that this context presented increasingly difficult, challenging, and arduous tasks for the cause of national construction and defense, with the firm protection of our airspace and maritime territory being of paramount importance.
“The Air Defense and Air Force must always be loyal to the Party, devoted to the people, and effectively serve the cause of building and protecting the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland; firmly grasp the situation, avoiding passivity and surprise; be exemplary and pioneering in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and modernization of the force; develop the force according to the ‘three no’s’ motto: No negligence, complacency, or loss of vigilance; No arrogance or self-satisfaction with past achievements; No fear of any enemy, always aiming for victory,” the Prime Minister particularly emphasized.
The Prime Minister requested that the Air Defense - Air Force Command focus on building revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern units capable of fulfilling missions in all situations. In particular, the Command must continuously innovate its strategic thinking, enhance its combat readiness, and firmly defend the Fatherland "early and from afar" in accordance with Resolution No. 44 dated November 24, 2023, of the 13th Central Committee on "The Strategy for National Defense in the New Situation" and other Resolutions on National Defense Strategy and Military Strategy.
The Army must build a clean, strong, and exemplary Party organization; enhance the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party organization and Party members; maintain solidarity and unity within the Party organization and the Army; focus on building a truly strong human force; promote traditional values of building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern Army.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to continue doing a good job of gathering intelligence and providing strategic advice on military and national defense matters, as well as the combat mission of defending the Fatherland. The Prime Minister pointed out that the Air Force must continue to advise the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense on strategies for building people's air defense forces and the entire military air force, creating a strong and widespread defense posture. The unit must play its role as the core force on the air defense front, always ready to fight and win against any enemy invasion.
The military service needs to continue to study and summarize lessons learned from practical wars to protect the Fatherland and experiences in recent wars around the world; research and summarize military theory, military art, practical combat experience, develop fighting and combat methods, especially in protecting sovereignty over seas and islands; and respond to high-tech warfare.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested that the Air Defense - Air Force Command make breakthroughs in development, applying science and technology, digital transformation, and enhancing combat and management capabilities; consolidating and making breakthroughs in the defense industry. Specifically, the unit should accelerate modernization, strengthen technological self-reliance; research, produce, manufacture, equip, and master high-tech and modern weapons; promote the application of science and technology, artificial intelligence, and digitalization in management and combat; and integrate weapon and equipment systems throughout the entire army.
Regarding the management, control, and robust protection of national airspace, the Prime Minister requested the Air Force to closely monitor and control all flight activities of civilian and military aircraft, both domestic and foreign; and to ensure the safety of political, economic, and defense centers. The unit should focus on researching and developing a "Sustainable Air Defense Dome" project; helping to maintain security and order in the air, ensuring safe flight operations, and creating conditions for safe and smooth international economic, tourism, and trade activities.
The Prime Minister instructed the Air Defense - Air Force Command to continue focusing on and effectively fulfilling its functions as a working force and a productive labor force. The Command must actively participate in and contribute to building a self-reliant and modern national aviation industry; develop civil aviation infrastructure and services, participate in the aviation technical supply chain; promote research, application, and technology transfer; and train high-quality human resources in the aviation sector. The unit should improve the operational efficiency of defense enterprises; continue to do well in disaster relief, search and rescue, and poverty reduction, which are among the Command's important, regular, and humanitarian tasks; and continue to innovate and promote foreign relations and international exchanges, contributing to enhancing the position and prestige of the Command and the Vietnam People's Army.
The Prime Minister stated that the glorious 62-year history is a tremendous spiritual value and an unparalleled source of strength for the Air Defense and Air Force Command to continue being the "Steel Shield" protecting the skies of the Fatherland in the national strategic defense posture; demonstrating the will, courage, and wisdom of Vietnam in the new era. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expects and believes that the officers, generals, and soldiers of the Air Defense and Air Force Command will continue to write the glorious history of the heroic Vietnamese People's Army: "Loyal to the Party, devoted to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism; completing every task, overcoming every difficulty, and defeating every enemy."
Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-phong-khong-khong-quan-viet-nam-khong-so-bat-cu-ke-thu-nao-da-ra-quan-la-chien-thang-10391202.html
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