On April 24, Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Nam, Vice Minister of National Defense, visited and inspected the progress of research, design, and manufacturing of the T-1 light tank.
This is the first model of an armored tank designed and manufactured by Vietnam; it is a strategically important weapon entrusted by the Ministry of National Defense and the General Directorate of the Defense Industry to Z125 factory to lead and coordinate with army units in the research and production of the product.
During the past period, Z125 factory reorganized and rearranged its technological layout to serve the production of T-1 tanks, ensuring separate workshops for manufacturing and assembly, as well as workshops for producing individual components according to their respective specialties.
As of now, the prototype of the T-1 light tank is largely completed, and efforts will now focus on refining the product and researching and designing the fire control system and other onboard equipment.
After conducting a direct inspection and reviewing reports from relevant agencies, Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Nam instructed the General Department of the Defense Industry and Z125 factory to organize tests and evaluations as the basis for the next stages, which are expected to be completed by May 2026.
Additionally, there is an urgent need to implement the next stages of the task, striving to finalize the product that meets the requirements according to all approved performance indicators by the Chief of the General Staff, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, by August 31, 2026, so that the product can be tested and accepted in time for presentation at the 2026 International Defense Exhibition.
Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Nam also instructed the General Department of the Defense Industry to coordinate with relevant units to reduce the execution deadlines of tasks and make the products operational as quickly as possible.
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