Since its founding, the Việt Nam People’s Navy has remained absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people, overcoming countless hardships and challenges to secure glorious victories in the struggle for national liberation, the defence of the nation’s sacred seas and islands, and the fulfilment of noble international duties.

Over more than seven decades of development, the force has steadily grown into a regular, elite and increasingly modern navy, mastering advanced weapons and equipment while enhancing combat readiness and operational capacity. The navy continues to play a core role in firmly protecting Việt Nam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its seas, islands and continental shelf, while contributing to a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

Today’s generations of naval officers and soldiers continue to uphold the proud tradition of “heroic combat, creative tactics, mastery of the seas, determination to fight and determination to win”, standing firm at the nation’s maritime frontier and remaining ready to successfully fulfil every assigned mission.

President Hồ Chí Minh, leaders of the Navy Service and Soviet cosmonaut German Titov aboard the Hải Lâm ship during a visit to Hạ Long Bay on January 22, 1962. VNA/VNS Photos

President Hồ Chí Minh visits a naval unit in 1965.

President Hồ Chí Minh visits and shares a meal aboard a vessel with naval officers and soldiers protecting the Quảng Ninh coastline in 1965.

Naval commandos train at the Vĩnh Linh base in Quảng Trị Province.

Naval commandos of Brigade 126 liberate Trường Sa Island on April 29, 1975.

Naval commandos of Brigade 126 patrol the sovereignty marker area on liberated Trường Sa Island on April 29, 1975.

Naval infantry forces coordinate amphibious landings with multiple units during the Tà Lơn landing campaign to liberate Kampong Som and Ream ports, opening operations to help the Cambodian people overthrow the genocidal Pol Pot regime in January 1979.

Naval infantry secretly coordinate the seizure of a landing area at the foot of Tà Lơn Mountain, opening the campaign to liberate Cambodia from the genocidal Pol Pot regime.

Naval soldiers on Thuyền Chài B Island in the Trường Sa Special Zone practise combat readiness drills.

Naval infantry forces are equipped with GTAR-21 assault rifles with long barrels and modern T40 under-barrel grenade launchers, regarded among the best assault rifles currently used by the Vietnamese military.

Naval Missile Brigade 681 is equipped with the K-300P Bastion-P coastal missile defence system, one of the world’s most modern mobile coastal defence missile systems, creating a “steel shield along the East Sea” in protecting national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Naval soldiers on Phan Vinh A Island patrol and stand guard to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime security during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Protecting the DK1 offshore platforms, special national sovereignty markers at sea, is a sacred mission for naval soldiers and a symbol of responsibility towards the nation’s seas and islands.

A naval fleet of Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 conducts training exercises at sea.

Officers and soldiers of Brigade 167 under Naval Region 2 conduct night combat training exercises.

Soldiers of Naval Region 2 remain combat-ready in all situations.

Live-fire training exercises at sea conducted by the Naval Region 2 Command.

Missile frigate HQ-012 Lý Thái Tổ, one of the largest and most modern surface combat ships of the Việt Nam People’s Navy, is equipped with advanced weapons systems and stealth capabilities.

A DHC-6 seaplane of Naval Air Brigade 954 practises sea landing exercises.

Submarine Brigade 189 regularly conducts training and maintains combat readiness.

Missile frigate HQ-012 Lý Thái Tổ joins a naval fleet review during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2019 (LIMA 2019) in Malaysia on March 27, 2019.

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng inspects the Hải Phòng submarine of Brigade 189 during a visit to Naval Region 4 on May 5, 2016.

New naval soldiers kiss the military flag during their oath-taking ceremony before departing for assignments at units under Naval Region 2.

Naval officers and soldiers board ships for duty missions to the Trường Sa Special Zone in Khánh Hòa Province.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, visits and works with Naval Region 5 Command in Phú Quốc Special Zone, An Giang Province, on November 20, 2025.