Inheriting and upholding the 80-year tradition of building, combat, and development of the heroic Artillery Soldiers, the Artillery and Missile Party Committee and Command have been drastically and synchronously implementing policies and solutions to build the revolutionary, regular, highly skilled and modernised Command on a par with tasks in the new era.
To meet the requirements of revolutionary task, on 29 June 1946, at the Headquarter of Vietnam National Guard (40A, Hang Bai, Hanoi), comrade Hoang Van Thai, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, on behalf of the Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced the decision to establish the Capital Artillery Unit consisted of 3 platoons: Lang Fortress, Xuan Tao Fortress and Xuan Canh Fortress, marking the birth of the Artillery Force of the Vietnam People's Army.
Throughout the 80-year journey under the leadership of the Party, directly the Central Military Commission (CMC), the MND, the support and assistance of the people, Artillery troops have been constantly grown, fought and won, and achieved many glorious feats, contributing greatly to the cause of liberating the country, safeguarding the Fatherland. For their achievements, the Corps and artillery units in the entire army have been awarded by the State and the MND with many noble awards; 78 units and 15 cadres and soldiers have been commended as the “Heros of the People’s armed forces” (including 6 units being commended for the 2nd time). Especially, Artillery Soldiers were honoured to receive Uncle Ho’s praise i.e. “Copper legs, iron shoulders, excellent fighting, accurate shooting”
In response to the requirement to strengthen the defence capability and safeguard the Fatherland in the new situation, following the direction from the Politburo and the CMC on adjusting the organisation and staff of the Army, on 16 August 2025, the Minister of National Defence signed Decision No. 3988/QĐ-BQP on establishing the Artillery and Missile Command based on the Artillery Corps. This is an important milestone that affirms the new development of organisation and staff, weapons, equipment, functions and missions of the Artillery Soldiers in the Vietnam People’s Army.
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| Practice of force deployment at Brigade 490 |
Presently, the world and regional situation continues to develop in a rapid, complex, and unpredictable manner; the strategic competitiveness among great powers is more serious; wars, military conflicts, etc. are happening in many areas. Especially, the 4th Industrial Revolution has been deeply changing the methods and forms of warfare, raising new and high requirements for the whole army in general and Artillery and Missile Soldiers in particular. To successfully accomplish the assigned tasks, the Artillery and Missile Party Committee and Command focus their leadership and direction on building revolutionary, regular, highly-skilled and modernised units, improving the overall quality, combat power and strategic deterrence capability, deserving to be the main firepower of the army forces and the primary ground firepower of the Army.
Firstly, well performing the advisory function, directing the construction of the Artillery and Missile force with compact organisation and strong politics as a foundation for its restructuring and development. The Party Committee and Command continue to review and effectively implement the Project on developing the Artillery and Missile Command which is properly organised and equipped with modern weapons, having high combat power and strategic deterrence capability. Immediately, it is necessary to make research, advise and propose to the CMC, MND to issue strategies, projects and plans on organising forces, purchasing and using the artillery and missile weapons and equipment in the whole army, and other defence programmes and projects on defence facilities; the organisation scales and types, and numbers of reserve units for the artillery and missile strategic reserve, artillery and missile forces in military regions, corps, services and the local artillery and missile according to the modern criteria.
Additionally, they continue to lead and direct all department, units and schools to strictly grasp and implement the resolutions of all-level party congress, directives, regulations and instructions by the seniors on the party building, directions by the General Secretary To Lam on “2 steadfast commitments, 2 accelerations, and 2 preventions” and the motto of “5 steadfasts”. On this basis, they should concretise into their action plans and programmes; amend, complement and complete the leadership and working regulations for all-level party members and leaders practically to the tasks of each unit; enhance the renovation, improve the quality and effectiveness of the political education and legal dissemination for all soldiers; emphasise the education of lifestyle, responsibility, and working style for cadres and party members; put words into action, build exemplary, pure, and strong Party organisations in association with building comprehensively strong “exemplary, typical” units; enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and performance of all organisations, agencies and units.
Secondly, promoting the modernisation of weaponry and technical equipment, researching and developing the artillery and missile operational art in modern conditions. Closely following the approved Project on Artillery and Missile Command, the Command closely coordinates with functional agencies to review and ensure the quantity, quality, types, and operational readiness of all artillery and missile systems in the entire Army, on this basis, advise and propose to the CMC, MND plans on purchasing, manufacturing and modifying the artillery and missile technical equipment. To achieve high effectiveness, together with investment in purchases and technology transfer of modern weaponry and equipment, the Command takes part in modifying, evaluating designs, and installing the existing artillery – missile equipment, increasing the synchronicity of artilleries, rounds, command and fire-control systems, etc., improving the mobility, optimising the damage effectiveness, and protecting the forces.
Together with hardware modernisation, the Command pays attention to coordinating with functional agencies, academies and schools to make research and develop the art of artillery and missile tactical deployment, command and control in all tactical, campaign and strategic operations. The research and development of artillery and missile operation art should be made synchronous and appropriate to the weapons and equipment at each level and the development of combined arms warfare. They should also inherit and bring into play the tradition of “copper legs, iron shoulders, excellent fighting, accurate shooting”, making it modern and suitable to each adversary, detailed plans and specific tasks. In particular, it should emphasise the creation of secrets, and unexpected battle formations, with widely dispersed weapons but concentrating firepower; targeting the enemies' vulnerable and unexpected places; turning opportunities into strength; maximising firepower; terrifying the enemies and ensuring their swift defeat.
Thirdly, breaking through the synchronous and professional training, and high combat readiness. Grasping and implementing the Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022 by the CMC on improving the training quality in the 2023-2030 period and the following years, the Command continues to comprehensively innovate the leadership, direction, and management of training at all levels. At first, the Command coordinates with the functional offices of the MND, all units and military schools to build the appropriate artillery and missile education and training programmes and content to each learner group, focusing on increasing the practical training time so that soldiers could master the weapons and equipment, improve the speed and effectiveness of deployment; training the long-distance movement across complex terrains; transforming and moving the combat formations at night, or in variable conditions of weather and climate.
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| Conducting live-firing exercise |
During the implementation process, the Command requires all agencies, units and schools to make the comprehensive but focused training, taking technical training as the foundation, tactical training as the centre, and officer training as the core; enhance the application of digital technology, simulation techniques, and artificial intelligence in managing, operating and organising the education and training. At the same time, the Command pays attention to combining the imparting of combat experience with the application of scientific and technological development, the new artillery and missile tactics in particular, bringing into play the tradition of “excellent fighting, accurate shooting” in the new conditions.
Together, the Command continues to direct departments, subordinate units and the artillery and missile forces in the whole army to seriously grasp and implement all orders and directives by the seniors on the combat operations and combat readiness; review, complement and complete the systems of combat documents in missions of A, A2, A3, etc., staying proactive and ready for all circumstances. The Command promotes the content and structures of organisation, methods of military exercises; enhances the exercises of defensive combat, the combined arms operations according to specialised plans and missions in order to improve the proficiency, combat readiness capability and mobility of Artillery and Missile Soldiers.
Fourthly, well conducting the support work, building the Artillery and Missile Command regular and exemplary. Based on the thorough grasp of resolutions and directives on the logistic and technical work to 2030 and the following years, the Command pays attention to providing sufficient and timely support of weapons and logistical and technical equipment in the right quantities and types for the forces; speeds up the progress of key programmes and objectives, as well as approved plans for maintenance, repair, synchronisation, resynchronisation, rotational use, and long-term storage of technical equipment; directs the logistic and technical sector to coordinate with the functional agencies to build and complete the technical support methods adapted to the organisation of artillery and missile forces in new conditions, especially the units of new surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-ship missiles and self-propelled artillery; builds the system of technical support facilities (including the technical areas, storage houses, repair stations, etc.) for the strategic artillery – missile units assigned to meet the storage and technical maintenance requirements when deployed; proactively coordinates with all factories, enterprises, and research facilities in the entire army to research, trial, and manufacture spare parts and technical materials to repair and maintain new weapons and equipment.
The Command also directs departments, units and schools to plan, source, train, foster, and utilise a contingent of qualified cadres and sufficient technical specialists, particularly the artillery and missile technicians, etc. To achieve high effectiveness, together with asking the seniors to increase the overseas training, research, and fostering quotas for artillery and missile officers in the fields of automation, operation, and maintenance of missiles, self-propelled artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicles, the Command intensely coordinates with the Military Technical Academy, Air Defence and Air Force Service, the Navy, Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, and other related units to hold intensive training courses to improve the proficiency and capability of operating and mastering new artillery, missiles, weapons, equipment, and hardware for the team of technical officers and personnel.
Together with the above solutions, the Command continues to coordinate with other agencies, units and localities to study and firmly grasp the situation, and advise on adjusting the strategic deployment of artillery - missile units in the entire army; invests to expand the firing range, research and trial new weapons, equipment, live-fire exercises, and the construction of defence systems for artillery and missiles; promotes the application of science and technology, digital transformation, and military administrative reform; builds regular, bright, green, clean, and beautiful barracks, etc., practically contributing to enhancing the quality of work and improving the material and spiritual life for soldiers.
Being honoured and proud of the 80-year tradition of building, fighting, and growing, the Artillery and Missile Command continues to build a revolutionary, regular, highly skilled, and modernised command, effectively fulfilling the assigned functions and tasks, and meeting the requirements of building the Army and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new era.
Major General NGUYEN HONG PHONG, Commander of the Artillery and Missile Command