Vietnam’s F-16s plan: a break from Russia or power play in US tariff talks?

Vietnam’s reported move to buy US F-16 jets could end 70-year defence ties with Russia and risk China’s wrath, analysts say

Reading Time:3 minutes

A US F-16 fighter jet lands at an air base in Gwangju, South Korea. The F-16 is a manoeuvrable fighter jet designed for air-to-air and air-to-surface combat. Photo: Yonhap/EPA-EFE

Published: 8:00am, 23 Apr 2025Updated: 3:35pm, 23 Apr 2025

Vietnam’s reported decision to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States could mark a dramatic shift in Hanoi’s strategic alignment – and possibly the end of a decades-old defence partnership with Russia – but some observers say the move may be more about appeasing Washington than bolstering air power.

Hanoi is said to have reached an agreement with Washington to acquire at least 24 F-16s from Lockheed Martin, according to US-based defence outlet 19FortyFive, which cited industry sources and a former US government official. If confirmed, the deal would represent the largest military transaction between the two countries to date.

“After lengthy negotiations, Vietnam is now set to become the newest customer of the F-16 fighter jet,” the defence news outlet reported. “No official numbers have been disclosed, but the acquisition is expected to involve no fewer than 24 aircraft.”

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the Singapore-based ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute whose research focuses on Southeast Asian security issues, said if the sale went ahead, it could set the stage for America to become Vietnam’s “most substantive defence partner”.

It would also effectively mean the end of Russia’s 70-year-old defence relationship with Vietnam, Storey said, noting that over the past decade, Moscow would have moved “from playing the leading role in Vietnam’s defence policy to being a bit player”.

Russia was the largest provider of weapons to Vietnam up until 2022, accounting for about 80 per cent of the Southeast Asian nation’s military purchases over the previous two decades, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.