During the Vietnam War, the Camran base was located in the south of the country and served as a large rear for the US naval forces. American engineers erected a convenient airfield and the latest port for the deployment of warships. The airfield was the home base of the 12th tactical fighter wing and 483rd tactical transport wing of the US Air Force. Contrary to the opinion of some military experts, B-52 bombers were never located here.
In 1972, the United States transferred the Camran base to the Vietnamese army. On April 3, 1975, the city was occupied by northern Vietnamese troops. This happened during the Spring Offensive.
The history of the creation of the Russian military base in "Kamrani"
Since the mid 60-ies of the last century, the Soviet fleet began to develop the oceans and carry out military service there. Ships and submarines, aircraft of the USSR Air Force stayed in the vast expanses of the ocean in order to maintain security in the region.
The increase in the number of ships sailing in the ocean and the widespread use of military aviation needed logistics and technical support. Lacking bases abroad, the General Staff of the Navy launched work, during which new points were designated for basing Soviet ships and aircraft in the territory of countries friendly to the Soviet Union.
What sparked interest in Kamrani?
The Camran base, which was previously used by American troops, has become attractive to the armed forces of the Soviet Union for its advantageous strategic position and convenience for the location of ships and aircraft.
The successful geographical location of the region made it possible to control the Malay and Singapore straits, conduct work in the field of radio reconnaissance, direction finding of the Persian Gulf and the northern Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea and the East China Sea.
The countries of the ASEAN bloc, which were characterized by an accelerated pace of technological development, were also located here. They possessed large oil reserves on the shelf and large volumes of procurement of innovative equipment and raw materials for weapons.
How does the Camran military photo display? The base with Binba Bay, in which it, in fact, is located, is located inside the peninsula. The depth and size of the bay make it possible to base different classes of ships and vessels.
In addition, the Kamran peninsula has a huge natural advantage, which played an important role in the deployment of the base. There is a huge amount of fresh water that is suitable for use.
In addition, the remaining moorings, roads and buildings erected by the Americans are extremely convenient to use.
Signing a lease
At the end of 1978, a delegation of representatives from the USSR visited Vietnam. It was the highest command staff of the Navy and the Pacific Fleet. On December 30, the main points of the agreement were agreed, and then a protocol was signed, which became the basis for negotiations on the creation of a vocational and technical cooperation and its joint use with Vietnam.
On May 2, 1979, a bilateral agreement was signed, signed by the leaders of the USSR and Vietnam. The contract provided for a free lease of the base lasting 25 years.
How many naval vessels could be at the base?
In accordance with the signed agreement, at the Vietnamese military base "Kamran" had the right to be: ten Soviet surface ships, eight submarines with a naval base and six naval vessels for other purposes.
Sixteen missile-carrying aircraft, nine reconnaissance aircraft and three transport aircraft were permitted to be deployed at the airport.
Depending on the military-political situation and on the basis of an agreement between the USSR Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of the SRV, an increase in the number of ships and aircraft was permitted.
The beginning of the development of the territory
The Kamran Navy base, the photo of which is presented below, began to be mastered in May 1979. The Soviet warships were the first to enter it. In the same year, in the summer, a nuclear submarine K-45 docked at the Vietnamese port. Soon, airplanes of the Pacific Fleet were located at the air base of the Camran base.
In the winter of 1979, Admiral S. Gorshkov, Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, arrived at such an important object as the Kamran base. The whole day was devoted to acquaintance with the military facility.
The first Pacific Fleet military personnel arrived at the base in April 1980. It consisted of 54 people. Then he was replenished with a group of signalmen of 24 people. The personnel were housed in old Vietnamese houses and tents.
From 1983 to 1991, the 17th operational squadron was located in Kamrani, and from August 1991 to December 1991 - 8 OPESK.
What tasks did the naval forces of the Soviet Union pursue?
A strategic object such as the Russian base in Kamrani, the command of the Navy and the government of the USSR assigned a number of tasks.
The following objectives were outlined:
- to provide electric power to all vessels moored in the port of Kamran, as well as to supply aircraft with food and water;
- maintain MTS reserves at the same level, issue and deliver technical and skipper support to passing ships;
- provide transit communication of ships and vessels of the Pacific zone and the Indian Ocean;
- use the air base of the Kamran base for the distribution of anti-submarine aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft;
- maintain their own infrastructure;
- to develop and support Russian-Vietnamese friendship and cooperation.
What goals were made easier by using the base?
The use of such a strategic facility as the Kamran base for the USSR Navy greatly facilitated the resolution of issues relating to the provision of the necessary supplies of ships and aircraft, whose tasks included solving problems of varying degrees of complexity.
Kamran was the only military base of Soviet Russia, which was located at a distance of 2500 miles from the nearest Soviet port.
"Camran" as a guarantee of peace
The Kamran base was the largest military base of the USSR abroad. At the same time, she acted as a counterweight to America’s Navy Subic Bay in the Philippines. This made it possible to maintain peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
Basing Soviet aircraft
According to data from 1986, the Kamran base airdrome housed a separate mixed OSAP regiment, including more than four Tu-95 aircraft, four Tu-142 aircraft, approximately twenty Tu-16 aircraft, and about fifteen Mig units -25, two An-24 transport aircraft and three Mi-8 helicopters. In addition, a base with anti-submarine and missile weapons was assigned to the flight regiment.
Garrison and residential construction in Vietnam
What agreement was signed about such a strategically important facility as the Kamran base (Vietnam)? 1984 marked a new arrangement. The agreement between the USSR and Vietnam, signed on April 20, provided for the construction of a garrison and other infrastructure facilities at the expense of material assistance to the SRV from the USSR.
In the period from 1985 to 1987, the construction and installation organization of the Soviet Union "Zagrantekhstroy", which was led by E. S. Bobrenev, erected 28 objects for various purposes. She also built residential buildings.
The size of the garrison at that time was approximately 6, 000 people, counting people employed at construction sites. The agreement of April 20, 1984 provided for the transfer of facilities to the Vietnamese side for free use.
The first batch of objects was built in December 1987, after which they were put into operation by Soviet specialists on the basis of gratuitous leases.
Reducing the presence of Soviet troops at the Kamran base
The number of Soviet troops at the base began to decline by the end of 1980. As the Pravda newspaper article of January 19, 1990 wrote, the reduction in the presence of Soviet troops in Kamrani took place as part of measures to reduce the number of Soviet armed forces in East Asia and to occupy a purely defensive position in the Pacific.
At the end of 1989, Mig-23 and Tu-16 aircraft were relocated from there. By the beginning of 1990 there was based only one squad of variable composition, consisting of ten aircraft.
From the beginning of 1992 to 1993, the 119th brigade was located in Kamrani, which included diverse ships and aircraft. Since the fall of 1993, this team has also been abolished. The remaining units were subordinated to 922 PMTO.
In the early 90s, many port facilities were transferred to the Vietnamese side in permanent possession.
The Kamran naval base lasted until 2002.
What did the infrastructure include?
What infrastructure did Soviet and Russian military specialists own?
From the 90s until the abolition of the PMTO in Kamrani (April 2002), Soviet and then Russian specialists used a number of facilities. The base of the Navy "Kamran" (Vietnam) had:
- a military garrison, which included headquarters and barracks for personnel;
- a dining room for 250 people;
- a bakery;
- bath and laundry plant;
- club building;
- high school;
- eighteen residential buildings;
- warehouse of material resources;
- fleet of vehicles along with special technical equipment.
The pier area included:
- Tank farm for storing lubricants and combustible materials.
- Two refrigerators with a volume of 279 tons for storing food products.
- Twelve metal storage facilities for material assets.
- Two water intake devices consisting of six wells for supplying the garrison with water. One of them functioned exclusively for the water supply of ships and aircraft.
- A central diesel power station with a capacity of 24, 000 kW. It was designed to supply electricity for all buildings of the garrison, as well as SPV facilities in Kamrani.
Since 1995, the Kamran military base in Vietnam, the photo of which is presented in this article, has included the following units:
- PMTO management;
- financial service;
- communication center;
- aviation commandant's office;
- clothing service;
- fuel storage warehouse;
- food service;
- Laundry
- military commandant's office;
- Department of Marine Engineering;
- separate security company;
- sanitary department;
- fire department;
- field institution;
- naval hospital;
- high school.
How many people lived in the garrison?
From 1995 to 2002, approximately 600-700 people lived in the garrison. This was the minimum number of specialists whose purpose was to ensure the normal functioning of the garrison. They carried out the main strategic tasks of the PMTO.
The tragic incident at the base "Camran"
Kamran (base of the Navy) became the site of the tragedy in 1995. On December 12, when landing at the airport’s base, three Su-27 fighters, which are part of the Russian Knights squadron, crashed. They returned to their homeland from an air show that took place in Malaysia.
Relations between Russia and Vietnam over the years of the base's stay
All the activities of such an important facility as the military base in Kamrani took place in an atmosphere of close cooperation with Vietnamese specialists. Our military worked hand in hand with the sailors of the SPR, who served nearby, on the peninsula.
In addition to jointly solving military-strategic missions, interaction in the sphere of culture and sports was also noted. The national holidays of Vietnam were celebrated with triumph. All this contributed to the creation of a friendly atmosphere.
What about today?
In February 2014, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia intends to expand its military presence in the world. In this regard, active negotiations were held on the deployment of military facilities in Vietnam.
Shoigu noted that refueling of Russian military aircraft designed for long-range flights should be carried out at this military base.
Since the spring of 2014, the air base of the Kamran base began to be used for servicing Russian Il-78 aircraft, which provided military missile carriers Tu-95 MS with fuel refueling in the air.
Did Vietnam completely provide Kamran to Russia? The military base was to be open to the entry of Russian warships. This issue was discussed during a visit to our country by the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. It was decided that an official agreement would be signed with Vietnam in the near future.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, our ships and vessels to serve in the Pacific should only notify the Vietnamese authorities of the call at the military port of Kamran. This was a major event, as Vietnam became the second state after Syria, which allowed the launch of warships of the Russian Navy on their territory. Many military experts pointed out that the fact that Vietnam has long been considered Russia's partner in the military-technical field has played an important role.
In recent years, many contracts have been signed, with a total value of $ 4.5 billion. In 2014, Russia delivered six diesel-powered submarines of the Varshavyanka class 06361 equipped with the Club-S missile system to Vietnam. The Bastion mobile coastal complex was delivered, as well as the Horizon geographic information system for the FDPC. Vietnam ordered lightning-type military boats, 11661 Cheetah-39 guard frigates, and Su-30 MK2 fighter aircraft.
