Celebrating 80 Years of Independence, Freedom, and Happiness: Showcasing Vietnam’s Achievements

This morning of August 28th, 2025, a grand opening ceremony was held at the Vietnam Exhibition Center (VEC) in Dong Anh, Hanoi, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (1945-2025) and National Day on September 2nd.

The exhibition, themed “80 Years of Independence, Freedom, and Happiness,” will be open to the public from August 28th to September 5th, 2025, with free admission. It boasts a total indoor and outdoor exhibition area of approximately 250,900.6 square meters at the National Exhibition Center.

A notable highlight of the exhibition is the outdoor display by the Ministry of Defense, themed “The Sword and the Shield,” spanning an area of 23,569 square meters. It showcases a diverse range of defense products, modern weapons, and equipment researched, manufactured, and modernized by military units and defense enterprises.

Among the exhibits, a mysterious piece of military equipment from Viettel High Technology Corporation has sparked intrigue and attracted widespread attention as it made its public debut. Dubbed the “star” of the “Sword and Shield” exhibit, it is a 152 mm self-propelled howitzer, proudly researched and modernized by Vietnam itself.

What Makes the 152 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Stand Out?

According to information revealed at the exhibition, the 152 mm self-propelled howitzer on wheels consists of seven main components, notably: a 152 mm caliber gun integrated into the vehicle’s body, a ballistic computer system, a fire control system, and an electronic warfare system installed at the rear of the vehicle.

A closer look at the components of the 152 mm self-propelled howitzer on wheels. Photo: Ho Minh Duc

One notable feature is the presence of a 12.7 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun mounted on the roof of the vehicle, along with a laser warning system and smoke grenades. When operated automatically, it achieves an impressive accuracy with both elevation and azimuth angles of less than or equal to 1 mil.

The maximum firing rate of this howitzer is over 4 rounds per minute, with a crew of 5 to 6 personnel. Weighing approximately 34 tons, it can reach a maximum road speed of 70 km/h. Additionally, the howitzer boasts STANAG 4569-compliant armor, capable of withstanding 7.62 mm armor-piercing rounds at a distance of 30 meters, as well as small arms, mines, and artillery shell fragments.

According to the exhibition解説者, the 152 mm self-propelled howitzer belongs to the heavy field artillery category. It is designed for indirect fire missions and offers a potent combination of high firepower, rapid mobility, and long-range fire support for infantry and armored units.