The power of the ballistic missile complex of the Vietnam People's Army

(Dan Tri) - Vietnam is the first and still the only country in Southeast Asia to possess ballistic missiles, with the ability to attack targets from a distance of up to 300km.

Ballistic missile complex of the Vietnam People's Army parades through Giang Vo street ( Video : Bao Khanh).

Scud is a class of tactical ballistic missiles deployed by the Soviet Union from the late 1950s and widely exported to many countries around the world .

Vehicle carrying the Scud-B missile launch system (Photo: Nguyen Hai).

The Scud-B ballistic missile system was first introduced to the public by Vietnam at the 30th anniversary of National Defense Day and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army in December 2019.

In Southeast Asia, in addition to Vietnam, Indonesia is said to be testing the KHAN ballistic missile developed by Türkiye, with a maximum range of 280 km, but has not officially confirmed its deployment.

The Scud-B missile is 11.25m long, has a body diameter of 0.88m, weighs 5.9 tons, and is placed on a mobile launcher capable of moving at a maximum speed of 45km/h.

Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia to possess ballistic missiles (Photo: Thanh Dong).

Initially, the Scud-B missile launcher was mounted on a 2P19 tracked vehicle like the Scud-A, but was later moved to a MAZ-543 8x8 (8-wheel drive) heavy truck, which increased speed and mobility.

The MAZ-543 is equipped with a 525-horsepower diesel engine, along with a separate generator to support the missile launch process. The MAZ-543's operating range can be up to 650km, helping to maneuver and deploy the Scud-B missile complex at many strategic locations.

The Scud-B missile will be mounted vertically before launch, with a maximum range of up to 300km (Photo: Nguyen Hai).

The missile will be erected vertically before launch and will take about an hour from initial deployment to launch. The Scud-B missile can reach speeds of Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound, equivalent to 1.7 km/s), with a range of 50 to 300 km.

The missile is equipped with a guidance system with a fairly high level of accuracy, capable of missing the target by 450m. However, the powerful explosion of the missile's head is still enough to cause severe damage in case of missing the target.

Scud-B is used to attack fixed enemy targets (Photo: Manh Quan).

According to international media estimates, with a conventional explosive warhead, a Scud-B missile would have an impact speed of 1.4km/second, creating a crater 1.5 to 4m deep, with a damage area of ​​up to 6ha.

Scud-B is a tactical ballistic missile complex, attacking fixed enemy targets such as command posts, military bases, airports, etc.

The Scud-B missile system in the Vietnam People's Army plays an important role in the military and national defense strategy, helping to protect the sovereignty and security of the Fatherland.

With a range of 300km, the Scud-B is a strategic and deterrent weapon, helping to protect the security of the Fatherland.

Ballistic missiles are guided missiles that travel part of their journey along a parabolic trajectory, consisting of three stages:

- Launch phase: the rocket uses a jet engine (usually liquid or solid fuel) to leave the launch pad and fly into space or the upper atmosphere.

- Mid-stage (free flight): after running out of fuel, the rocket flies by inertia, often reaching altitudes outside the atmosphere (especially with long-range rockets).

- Final phase: the missile falls back into the atmosphere and heads towards the target by gravity, which can be adjusted by the guidance system. The warhead will aim at the designated target at very high speed.

Ballistic missiles differ from cruise missiles, which fly in the atmosphere at low altitudes and maintain thrust throughout their journey until they reach their target.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/uy-luc-to-hop-ten-lua-dan-dao-cua-quan-doi-nhan-dan-viet-nam-20250901052218775.htm