Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Kevin B. Schneider and other Airmen delivered five T-6 Texan trainer aircraft to Vietnam last week—the first U.S. aircraft delivery to the country since the Vietnam War.
The historic milestone was years in the making, as the U.S. lifted a decadeslong embargo on arm sales to Vietnam in 2016, then agreed to sell a dozen T-6s to Vietnam’s Air Defense Air Force in 2021 and 2022.
The T-6 is the first American aircraft to enter the Vietnamese air force, which is largely comprised of Russian and Soviet-era equipment. The U.S. left behind $2 billion worth of “serviceable” military equipment after the collapse of South Vietnam in 1975, a Defense Department official said at the time.
The trainer will be based at Phan Thiet Air Base, where Schneider landed Nov. 20.
“Today’s arrival of the first T-6 aircraft to the Vietnam Air Defense Air Force represents the promise we made to assist in your air force modernization efforts,” Schneider said. “This moment reflects our shared commitment to peace and the rule of law in the region.”
Another seven T-6s are slated to be delivered in 2025.
U.S. ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper attended the delivery ceremony and touted its importance in a statement.
“This delivery represents an important step forward in our growing partnership with Vietnam,” said Knapper. “The T-6C trainer aircraft will provide valuable support to Vietnam’s pilot training program, reflecting our shared vision for a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam that contributes to regional stability and security.”
Vietnam holds key strategic territory in southeast Asia and has a historically complicated relationship with the People’s Republic of China, with multiple analysts noting territorial disputes in the South China Sea as a source of recent strains.
The U.S. has sought to gradually strengthen its defense ties with Vietnam in recent years, docking aircraft carriers there, selling excess cutters to the Vietnamese coast guard and small ScanEagle drones to its military.
However, the T-6 is the “most important U.S. military equipment sale to Vietnam,” the International Institute for Strategic Studies noted in a 2023 analysis, worth tens of millions of dollars.
In its own release, PACAF noted that “the United States remains committed to supporting Vietnam’s defense resilience in alignment with Vietnam’s conditions and needs. This collaboration strengthens a defense relationship rooted in shared security interests, regional stability, and respect for international laws.”
According to media outlet Reuters, the U.S. and Vietnam have discussed the sale of F-16 fighters and C-130 transport planes in recent years, though those negotiations have yet to yield an agreement.
