HANOI: At 6.30am on Saturday (Aug 30), the final State-level full-dress rehearsal for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (Sept 2) took place at Ba Dinh Square and along central streets of the capital.
The rehearsal matched the scale of the official event, with marching contingents, a parade and the participation of the Air Force.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was present at the event to review the rehearsal.
The rehearsal comprised two parts: the ceremony and the military parade. Nearly 16,000 officers and soldiers took part, including 43 marching formations (26 military units and 17 police units), contingents from foreign militaries, 18 static formations, and 14 mechanised columns featuring military and police vehicles, artillery and specialised equipment.
Opening the rehearsal, squadrons of the heroic Vietnam People’s Air Force flew over the skies of Hanoi. Leading the formation were Mi-171, Mi-17, and Mi-8 helicopters carrying the Party and national flags over historic Ba Dinh Square – a symbol of great national unity and pride of the Party and the people, expressing the will, intellect, and aspiration for Vietnam to rise and soar in the new era.
This was followed by formations of Casa C-295 and C212i transport aircraft – the “silent warriors” tasked with combat coordination, reconnaissance, transport, and search-and-rescue missions. Also joining the flypast were Yak-130, L-39NG and Su-30MK2 aircrafts.
Additionally, the rehearsal featured live commentary and screen displays introducing the naval parade of the armed forces taking place simultaneously at the Cam Ranh military base in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.
For the first time in 40 years, since 1985, this year’s celebration of the August Revolution and National Day at Ba Dinh Square will include large-scale formations of heavy mechanised vehicles, artillery, and weaponry.
Notably, the armoured vehicles and artillery showcased are all modern equipment currently in service with the Vietnam People’s Army and the People’s Public Security.
These include missile systems, UAVs, and combat vehicles researched, designed, and developed domestically in Vietnam.
Many weapons such as missiles, tanks, armoured vehicles, and rocket artillery have been upgraded and modernised with advanced equipment.
Military mechanised columns included tanks and armoured vehicles; self-propelled artillery, rocket artillery, and surface-to-surface missiles; air defence artillery and missile systems; and electronic warfare vehicles.
Public Security specialised vehicles included traffic command vehicles; escort vehicles for Party, State and international guests; mobile combat command vehicles; armoured anti-bullet vehicles; anti-riot vehicles; multi-purpose combat support vehicles; and firefighting and rescue vehicles.
After the ceremonial segment, the formations advanced past the grandstand in front of President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum.
These included: the honour formations (with a vehicle carrying the National Emblem, the Party and national flag contingents, a vehicle carrying the portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, and a vehicle symbolising the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam); marching contingents of the Vietnam People’s Army, foreign militaries, militia forces, and the People’s Public Security; mechanised columns of the army and police; and civilian contingents representing workers, farmers, youth, women, veterans, and overseas Vietnamese.
This rehearsal also saw the participation of military formations from four countries: China, the Russian Federation, Laos, and Cambodia.
The parade contingents displayed the heroic spirit of the people’s armed forces, synchronised with the steady advance of weapons, equipment and specialised vehicles, demonstrating the modernisation of the Vietnam People’s Army and People’s Public Security.
The formations maintained proper horizontal and vertical alignment, marching evenly and with discipline – reflecting their overall strength, combat readiness, regularity, and the spirit of great national unity.
Compared to the preliminary and earlier rehearsals at Ba Dinh Square, the mass formations – including delegations representing national solidarity, 54 ethnic groups, veterans, former police officers, workers, farmers, revolutionary journalists, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, women, overseas Vietnamese, youth, and the culture and sports sectors – showed marked improvement.
After passing the grandstand at Ba Dinh Square, the parade contingents marched along several central streets of Hanoi before returning to their designated assembly points.
During the rehearsal, thousands of students from universities, academies, and colleges cheered on the parade and performed artistic formations in the stands.
A highlight was the performance of the “Festival Drums” by over 1,000 cadets and officers from the People’s Police Academy, combining drumbeats with flag dances, lion and dragon dances on a large stage.
The performance created a vibrant atmosphere, embodying the discipline, unity, and youthful energy of the police forces.
Following this rehearsal on Aug 30, the official parade will take place at 6.30am on Sept 2 at Ba Dinh Square. - Vietnam News/ANN
