Vietnam Secures Israeli Surveillance Satellites to Keep a Watchful Eye on China’s Every Move!
Israeli media reports suggest that these advanced satellites will play a pivotal role in helping Vietnam push back against China's provocations, particularly in the highly contested South China Sea, where hostilities between the two neighboring nations have simmered for decades.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) –Vietnam has reportedly struck a high-stakes deal with Israel to acquire two state-of-the-art surveillance satellites, valued at a staggering US$680 million (RM2.9 billion), which will serve as its “eyes and ears” in tracking China’s every move.
Israeli media reports suggest that these advanced satellites will play a pivotal role in helping Vietnam push back against China’s provocations, particularly in the highly contested South China Sea, where hostilities between the two neighboring nations have simmered for decades.
Despite sharing a border, Vietnam and China remain locked in a bitter feud, their long-standing territorial disputes over the South China Sea and border demarcations igniting fierce clashes that have claimed lives on both sides.
The coveted contract has reportedly been won by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a defense giant with deep-rooted ties to Vietnam.
Speculation about Hanoi’s ambitious pursuit of Israeli-made surveillance satellites has been swirling since 2018, signaling Vietnam’s strategic push to enhance its military intelligence.
Before clinching the high-stakes deal, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) had to battle it out against fierce rivals, including France’s Thales and U.S.-based Lockheed Martin, both aggressively competing for the coveted multi-million-dollar contract.
The true power behind these cutting-edge surveillance satellites lies in their end-user—Vietnam’s General Department II, a highly secretive and formidable military intelligence agency that operates as the nation’s first line of defense in intelligence warfare.
Known officially as Tổng cục II, this elite agency functions directly under Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense, spearheading critical intelligence operations that shape the nation’s security policies and military strategies.
Tasked with gathering, analyzing, and forecasting intelligence, General Department II plays a pivotal role in advising Vietnam’s top leadership, including the Party, government, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defense, ensuring the country remains one step ahead of emerging threats.
As Vietnam’s premier military intelligence entity, General Department II is not just a passive observer but an active force in the shadows, orchestrating covert operations, strategic assessments, and specialized intelligence missions.
The agency also commands highly trained units capable of executing offensive military operations and deep infiltration missions, ensuring Vietnam’s strategic interests remain protected at all costs.
Under the high-stakes agreement, the Israeli firm will deliver two state-of-the-art surveillance satellites to Vietnam—one being an optical imaging satellite designed for crystal-clear, high-resolution Earth observation, and the other, a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite, engineered to pierce through darkness and dense cloud cover, ensuring round-the-clock, all-weather surveillance capabilities.
Satellite images.
At the heart of this deal is the OptSat 3000, an advanced electro-optical satellite armed with a powerful 70 cm aperture telescope and ultra-sensitive sensors.
According to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), this cutting-edge satellite can capture breathtakingly detailed images of Earth’s surface, with a resolution sharper than 50 cm.
Each of these satellites comes with an eye-watering price tag of US$300 million (RM1.32 billion)—and that’s excluding launch expenses.
Despite the satellite’s advanced capabilities, defense analysts have raised eyebrows at the steep cost, labeling it excessive.
Over the years, Israel has solidified its position as one of Vietnam’s top defense suppliers, with Hanoi strategically diversifying its military procurement to break free from its long-standing reliance on Russia.
It is estimated that Vietnam has already funneled nearly US$2 billion into Israeli-made defense systems, acquiring a formidable arsenal that includes air defense systems, reconnaissance drones, and advanced radar networks.
Among the Israeli-made weaponry now reinforcing Vietnam’s military muscle are the Python air-to-air missiles and Derby air-to-surface missiles, designed to dominate aerial combat, alongside Skylark drones for high-stakes reconnaissance missions, the EL/M-2085 radar systems for cutting-edge target detection, and the Barak-8 air defense systems, providing a robust shield against airborne threats.
Vietnamese soldiers with Israeli-made Galil rifles, domestically produced.
Vietnam has also deepened its military partnership with Israel through joint weapons production, particularly in small arms manufacturing.
At the forefront of this collaboration is Z111 Factory, a state-owned facility in Thanh Hóa, which has joined forces with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) to produce firearms exclusively for the People’s Army of Vietnam.
Founded in 1957, Z111 Factory has since evolved into a cornerstone of Vietnam’s domestic arms industry, dedicated to supplying advanced weaponry for national defense.
This rapidly expanding defense alliance between Vietnam and Israel underscores their deepening military ties, as Vietnam races to modernize its armed forces and forge new defense partnerships beyond its historical suppliers.