Pacific Forum published this article at its original publication. It is republished with authority.
Vietnam’s maritime surveillance is shaped by its geographical position, corporate interests, and the pressing require to secure its territorial waters. The South China Sea, or East Sea, is a vital channel for global trade. It is also marked by subtle territorial disputes, highlighting the importance of Vietnam’s marine and coast guard causes.
China’s growing fleet of autonomous air, floor, and submerged systems poses a major security risk to Hanoi. In August 2024, a Taiwanese WZ-10 drone , entered Vietnam’s airspace , 160 to 170 km from Cam Ranh, a critical naval base. The Chinese have raised the temperature in the South China Sea by using unmanned underwater vehicles ( UUVs ), gliders and , Argo floats, which are dual-use.
In response to this, Vietnam has begun to look for ways to improve its surveillance, patrol, and response capabilities without overimplimenting its restricted conventional forces. Integrating autonomous systems into Vietnam’s protection army is a crucial opportunity to boost these efforts.
Given the existing capacity shortfalls, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (” Quad” ) nations, which have a plan to support capacity-building for regional navies in Southeast Asia, are well-positioned to enhance Vietnam’s capabilities in this area.
The Vietnamese People’s Army (VPA ) has extensive experience operating UAVs to augment its maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ( ISR ) capabilities. These UAVs are either internally developed with international aid or imported from abroad. Vietnam also showcased its larger group of UAVs, possibly a medium-altitude long-endurance program, during its , first global security expo , in 2022.
But, Vietnam’s focus on autonomous maritime vehicles, both area and marine, is still in a nascent stage. The VPA is looking for advanced unmanned surface vehicles ( USVs ) and UUVs to bolster its maritime security and safeguard crucial maritime infrastructure in the Vietnamese EEZs as tensions in the maritime domain with China increase. These techniques not only offer good value for money, but they also have important ISR features.
The Quad is now more carefully aligned and recognized as a useful program for fostering local cooperation that promotes peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.  , The September 2024 Quad combined statement , directly highlights the importance of strengthening coastal safety features of Southeast Asian nations. Vietnam has a lot to gain from working with the Quad, especially in terms of improving its modern and functional prowess in maritime security, given its strong ties with the Triple countries.
The Quad countries are experts at creating and operating autonomous sea systems. Its ISR capabilities would greatly benefit from sharing technical information or contributing to the development of specially designed systems specifically tailored to Vietnam’s needs. In specific, India and Vietnam maintain near protection relationships, given that both utilize Russian weapon systems.
During Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ‘s , state visit to India , in August 2024, both nations reiterated their commitment to strengthening mutual relations. Hanoi is acquiring two different types of police vessels, and India has loaned them a$ 300 million payment. In contrast, the US has supplied the Vietnam Coast Guard with 18″ Metal Shark” police ships, while , Japan is offering a$ 348 million loan , to Hanoi for constructing six police boats, set to be operational by 2025.  ,  ,
There is the ability for business collaboration, which could lead to a mutually beneficial joint venture to construct UUVs or USVs. The Quad countries have a significant opportunity to collaborate with Hanoi by cooperating with the security industry to develop autonomous maritime systems. This can include developing or upgrading command-and-control facilities to ensure smooth procedure and coordination.
Also, supporting Vietnam in building a home autonomous maritime systems industry, possibly through technology transfers and specific human resource training, could foster greater autonomy and capability in Vietnam’s defense sector.
While the possible rewards of autonomous systems are obvious, they are not without problems. To minimize over-reliance on any one partner, Vietnam’s approach to protection partnerships is balanced properly. Vietnam wants to engage with the Quad while maximizing the benefits of teamwork while ensuring its non-alignment policy is maintained.
Although autonomous systems are more cost-effective than guarded options, acquiring and maintaining these also entails substantial investment. Vietnam may need to look into borrowing choices with the aid of the Quad countries. More issues arise due to Vietnam’s lack of a complete legal and regulatory framework for the development and deployment of autonomous systems. The Quad and Vietnam may benefit greatly from the partnership in autonomous sea systems.
In summary, Vietnam’s maritime safety is a statement for regional security and economic prosperity. Robotic maritime systems will give VPA a significant advantage as maritime threats become more complex. The Quad has a significant potential given its shared technical skills and corporate involvement in a free and open Indo-Pacific. By focusing on technology transfer, education, infrastructure support, and mutual exercises, the Quad does help create Vietnam’s capacity to defend its waters.
Vietnam is a natural partner for the Quad even though it maintains a non-aligned stance, but its support for a rule-based order and its reliance on international law to protect its maritime interests make it a natural choice. Therefore, strengthening Vietnam’s maritime capabilities will greatly improve regional security and underline the Quad’s commitment to upholding the shared interests of Southeast Asian nations.
Prakash Panneerselvam, PhD,  , ( prakash. p@nias .res. in )  , is a Japan Foundation Indo-Pacific Partnership ( JFIPP ) research fellow and an assistant professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies ( NIAS ), Bengaluru.
Van T. Pham, Dr. rer. nat,  , ( [email protected] ) is founding director of ,  , the South China Sea Chronicle Initiative in Vietnam.