Two Vietnamese ships practiced firing bullets, preparing for the "Sea Cup" tournament, a crucial part of the Army Games 2021 last week.

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The AK-176MA cannon on the Vietnamese corvette opened fire during a practice session on August 13. Photo: haiquanvietnam

The corvettes 015 Tran Hung Dao and 016 Quang Trung practice firing exercises with AK-176 guns and a model of floating torpedoes with 14.5 millimeters machine guns at the sea firing range of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet on August 13. This is part of the training plan to prepare for the "Sea Cup" competition in the International Military Games (Army Games) 2021 organized by Russia.

The weather in the shooting range has strong winds and waves of level 4-5. The combat positions and the firing crew worked closely together, bringing the mobile ship at the right speed to the firing line, properly implementing the shooting plan and ensuring the time required for the test.

14.5 millimeters machine gunners practice shooting floating mine targets on August 13. Photo: haiquanvietnam

In the content of AK-176 artillery fire, the target moved in the opposite direction at a distance of more than 8 kilometers, ships 015 and 016 fired 3 times, bullets clustered around and hit the target. In the content of shooting drifting torpedoes with 14.5 millimeters guns, both gunners continuously hit the target, keeping the same achievements as when training in the country.

This round of bullets helps commanders and crews perfect their gunnery skills, get used to the environmental conditions of the competition area, and also give them an opportunity to assess the synchronicity of technical equipment before the Army Games 2021.

Vietnamese warships will compete in "Sea Cup" with 4 contents including maritime skills (maneuvering and fixing the ship by anchor, forcing the ship to be fixed to a fixed buoy), fighting against sinking at the training base on shore, using rescue vehicles (practice at sea) and shooting contests (shooting targets at sea, in the air and targeting floating mines).

Photo: qdnd.vn

This is the first time Vietnamese warship competes in an international competition, as well as carrying weapons to compete with the country that produces these weapons. Major Ma Nguyen Thanh, captain of ship 015, said that Army Games is an opportunity to verify training results, capabilities, combat readiness, soldiers' professional qualifications, and ability to master weapons, as well as the strength and position of the Vietnam People's Navy in the international arena.

015 Tran Hung Dao and 016 Quang Trung are two missile corvettes of Project 11661E "Gepard" that have been in service with Brigade 162 since February 2018. The ship is equipped with many modern weapons, manufactured by Russia under the contract signed with the Vietnam People's Navy, to build a regular navy force and improve the ability to protect the homeland's sea and islands.

Vietnam's Gepard corvettes are applied many technologies, combining angular hulls and radar-absorbing paint, to minimize the area of radar reflection before enemy reconnaissance systems. The ship is also equipped with modern jamming and electronic warfare systems.

The main armament of the Gepard 3.9 missile corvette is eight 3M24E anti-ship missiles with a range of 130 kilometers, a naval gun AK-176MA with a caliber of 76.2 millimeters, a complex of Palma anti-aircraft artillery and missiles, two AK-630M close-in defense gun and 14.5 millimeter machine gun. Ships 015 Tran Hung Dao and 016 Quang Trung are also equipped with four 533 millimeters torpedo tubes. Each ship can carry a Ka-28 helicopter to increase the ability to detect and destroy enemy submarines.

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Rosie Nguyen