U.S. approves military sale to Vietnam for C-130 sustainment

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to Vietnam for sustainment of the country’s C-130 aircraft, a package valued at an estimated $100 million.

According to the notification, Vietnam requested engine propellers; aircraft components, parts and accessories; ground-handling equipment; spare parts, consumables and repair-and-return support; training aids and devices; unclassified software and publications; studies and surveys; transportation; and U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics services. The principal contractor would be RTX Corporation of Arlington, Va.

The department said the sale would advance U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by modernizing the air and transport capabilities of an Indo-Pacific partner. It added that the package is intended to ensure the operational readiness of Vietnam’s C-130 fleet and would not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The C-130 Hercules, built by Lockheed Martin, is a widely used tactical airlifter capable of transporting troops, equipment and humanitarian aid. The State Department noted that Vietnam would be able to absorb the support and equipment into its armed forces.

The proposed sale now moves to Congress for review. Notifications of potential sales do not constitute a final agreement, and values and scope can change during negotiations. The approval comes amid deepening U.S.-Vietnam defense ties in recent years, including expanded security cooperation and maritime capacity-building following the 2016 lifting of the U.S. lethal arms embargo and the 2023 elevation of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.