No details have been confirmed on the specific weapons Vietnam will acquire from the U.S., but state-owned media here has suggested the P-3 Orion surveillance planes, among other equipment and devices.
The Chinese navy owns about 10 times as many vessels as its Vietnamese counterpart. For example, China owns almost 70 submarines, while Vietnam counts just two.
In addition, over 95% of Vietnam's weapons are Russian-made and generally inferior to those manufactured in the U.S. and other Western countries. Many outdated models are still in commission as well, and modernizing equipment had become a pressing issue for its military.
Vietnam is also concerned that Russia, its biggest arms provider, is pivoting toward China as relations with the West break down over the Ukraine crisis.
But many note that Vietnam does not yet have the capability to use advanced weapons. It likely plans to first import weaponry related to maritime security and train personnel on highly advanced Western equipment, then branch out to other armaments such as fighter jets and helicopters.
The U.S. has not exported arms to Vietnam in about 40 years. The partial lifting of the embargo could signal further developments in their relations, which have improved steadily since they normalized ties in 1995. The Southeast Asian country is also a potential ally in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a planned economic framework headed by the U.S.
Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang had told former U.S. President Bill Clinton in July that easing the embargo would be an important demonstration of mutual trust and the full normalization of bilateral ties.
Hanoi has also invited U.S. President Barack Obama to visit next year for the 20th anniversary of the bilateral accord, and could be preparing policy measures to attract U.S. investment in the country.
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