Vietnam Starts Building Largest Anti-Submarine Warship at Home

Vietnam Starts Building Largest Anti-Submarine Warship at Home

(Retuers), 12 August 2026 — Vietnam has begun construction of what it describes as its largest and most advanced domestically built anti-submarine frigate, marking another step in the country’s effort to strengthen its domestic defence industry and reduce reliance on foreign military suppliers.

The vessel is being built at the Song Thu Shipyard under Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence in Da Nang, according to Vietnam’s military-run newspaper Quan Doi Nhan Dan, as reported by Reuters. Most of the ship’s weapons and military equipment are also expected to be developed or assembled domestically.

The project reflects Vietnam’s broader push to develop a more self-reliant defence manufacturing sector, particularly as Hanoi seeks to reduce its dependence on imported military hardware, much of which has historically come from Russia.

Vietnam has been modernising its navy for years, including through the acquisition of Russian-built Kilo-class submarines and Gepard-class frigates, while simultaneously expanding production of domestically built missile boats and patrol vessels.

The new warship project also comes amid Vietnam’s longstanding maritime disputes with China and other claimants in the South China Sea, giving greater importance to the development of domestic naval capabilities.

Vietnam’s government has described its defence-industry strategy as focused on building an autonomous, self-reliant, modern and dual-use defence sector. State-owned telecommunications and technology group Viettel and other defence research and manufacturing units are expected to work with the navy and Song Thu Shipyard on the vessel’s weapons and equipment.

Vietnam is also scheduled to host the Vietnam International Defence Expo in Hanoi in December, as it seeks to expand domestic defence production while diversifying its sources of imported military equipment.

The development underscores Hanoi’s growing ambition to build more of its own advanced naval capabilities while reducing dependence on traditional foreign suppliers.