The 910th Regiment, under the unit awarded with the title Hero of The People’s Armed Force, part of the Air Force Academy, is one of the first two squadrons of the Vietnamese People’s Air Force, established on November 3, 1958, with the mission of training military pilots on various types of aircraft such as the Aero-45, An-2, MiG-17, Yak-52, and training aircraft produced by Czechoslovakia like the L-29 Delphin and L-39 Albatros. In 1982, after receiving the first L-39 aircraft for training domestically, the 910th Regiment was additionally named the Julius Fucik Squadron to express gratitude to the Czechoslovakian government and people for their support, assistance, and aid to Vietnam during both wartime and peacetime… Currently, from the Dong Tac base on the coast of Tuy Hoa, the 910th Regiment is training final-year cadets before transitioning to other aircraft types such as the Yak-130, Su-22M4, and Su-30MK2.
. . .
The 921st Regiment, known as the Red Star Air Force Squadron, is the first fighter air force regiment of the Vietnam People’s Air Force. Established on February 3, 1964, under the umbrella of the 371st Air Division, it holds a special place in history as the training ground for illustrious war heroes like Pham Thanh Ngan, Nguyen Hong Nhi, Nguyen Van Coc, Nguyen Van Bay, Dang Ngoc Ngu, Nguyen Dang Kinh, Nguyen Nhat Chieu, Vu Ngoc Dinh, Nguyen Ngoc Do, Mai Van Cuong, Dinh Ton, Do Van Lanh, Pham Tuan, Dao Dinh Luyen, and many others. Their valorous battle led by Pham Ngoc Lan on April 3, 1965, marked the inauguration of the “skyfront of triumph,” symbolizing the outset of an arduous yet glorious historical journey. As the torchbearers of the revered legacy of the heroic “Big Red Brother” Squadron, the pilots stationed at the airbase nestled amidst the mountainous terrain of Yen Bai province undergo relentless day-and-night training, preparing themselves for intricate combat flying maneuvers. Their unwavering commitment remains steadfast, safeguarding the cherished Northwestern border of our beloved Motherland.
. . .
Regiment 917 (Dong Thap Air Force Regiment) – Hero of the People’s Armed Forces. Regiment 917 was an air force unit established immediately after the reunification of the country on May 21, 1975. Stationed at Tan Son Nhat Airbase, it was a highly mobile force within the composite air division, operating captured aircraft such as UH-1 and CH-47 helicopters, as well as L-19 and U-17 reconnaissance planes. Its mission included coordinating with Military Region 6 forces to eliminate the remnants of Fulro insurgents, defending the southwestern border, and conducting medical evacuation flights from battlefields. At the end of April 2017, after 42 years stationed at Tan Son Nhat Airbase, the regiment relocated to Can Tho Airbase along with its Mi-8 and Mi-171 helicopters. It continued its duties, including VIP transport, logistics flights, search and rescue, fire prevention, and medical evacuations on both land and sea, covering the area from the 13th parallel to the southwestern region and the continental shelf.
. . .
The Air Force Officer Academy is a distinguished institution that has trained the majority of Vietnam’s pilots during the war era. Established on August 20, 1959, this academy has been the cradle of air combat heroes, including fighter pilots, bomber pilots, transport pilots, and helicopter pilots throughout the nation’s glorious years of resistance and struggle. Carrying forward its proud tradition, the academy continues to train successive generations of young individuals who aspire to “master aviation science and technology to take command of the skies.” These young trainees are being shaped into pilots with exemplary virtues, exceptional skills, and unwavering courage, ready to uphold the noble mission of safeguarding the peaceful skies of the homeland.
. . .
Air Regiment 940 was established on May 3, 1979, at Phan Rang Airbase under the Air Force Officer School. Its primary mission was to train, educate, and provide refresher courses for jet pilots using the MiG-17. At the end of 1981, the regiment relocated to Phu Cat Airbase, where it took on the role of training MiG-21 pilots. Over 28 years, from 1985 to late 2013, the designation of Regiment 940 underwent multiple mergers, temporary deactivations, and renamings. However, it remained a key institution for training generations of MiG-21 and Su-27 pilots for the Air Force during peacetime. By late 2021, with Vietnam’s acquisition of the Yak-130 advanced trainer aircraft, Regiment 940 was re-established with a new mission: training instructors, converting pilots to new aircraft types, and educating military pilot cadets. Since its first training flight with the Yak-130 at Phu Cat Airbase on March 16, 2022, the regiment has solidified its role in preparing the next generation of pilots. From their early cadet years, trainees undergo advanced programs, including combat applications, live-fire exercises, and bomb-dropping drills, ensuring they are mission-ready upon graduation and prepared for operational deployment.
. . .
The 937th Air Force Regiment was established on May 21, 1975, formerly known as the Quyet Thang Squadron, stationed at Thanh San Airfield. (Phan Rang). In the early days, the Regiment with its A-37 aircraft squadrons (captured from the Americans) fought very effectively in the Southwest Border War. Since the late 1980s, the Regiment has been equipped with the Su-22M4 and Su-22UM3K aircraft. The pilot force of the regiment is young, enthusiastic, eager to fly, passionate about learning, capable, and knowledgeable, ensuring readiness for the mission of protecting the sky, sea, islands, and southern continental shelf of the homeland.
. . .
In July 1967, at the Central Propaganda School, a group of officers, mostly from Regiment 923, was assigned to form the 925th Fighter Aviation Regiment, operating MiG-19 and MiG-17 aircraft. July 9, 1967, was designated as the regiment’s traditional day. Over nearly 60 years, the regiment has undergone multiple redesignations: Regiment 925 (1967 – 1980), Regiment 940 (1979 – 1990), Regiment 920 (1990 – 2002), Training Center for MiG-21 Pilot Conversion Flights (2002 – 2005), Regiment 940 (2005 – 2013)
Since 2014, the regiment has officially carried the name Regiment 925 and was awarded the title Hero of the People’s Armed Forces on April 26, 2018. Currently, Regiment 925 is responsible for training and combat readiness with Su-27 aircraft at Phu Cat Airfield (Binh Dinh Province).
. . .
The 927th Air Force Regiment was the fourth fighter regiment established on February 3, 1972. From its formation until the end of the U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam (January 1973), the regiment carried out 209 sorties, participated in 63 battles, shot down 43 U.S. aircraft (including one B-52), captured 23 enemy pilots, and accounted for more than 50% of the total number of U.S. planes shot down by the Vietnamese Air Force in 1972. After several large troop movements between the North and South, on November 11, 2016, Regiment 927 – an AHLLVTND unit (Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces) – received its first Su-30MK2 fighter aircraft, which landed at Kép Airfield from Thọ Xuân Airport. This marked the beginning of the regiment’s new responsibility in safeguarding the skies of the Northeast of the Fatherland, a historic mission for the airbase.
. . .
Regiment 923 of the Air Force is the second fighter regiment established on August 4, 1965, at Kep Airfield (Bac Giang). During the resistance against the U.S., Regiment 923 “Anh Hai Vang” – a unit awarded the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces – shot down 107 American aircraft, carried out a successful attack on two destroyers of the U.S. 7th Fleet in Quang Binh waters (April 19, 1972), and the Quyết Thắng squadron of the regiment used enemy A-37 aircraft to bomb Tan Son Nhat airfield (April 28, 1975). After several relocations, the regiment was stationed at Tho Xuan Airfield (Thanh Hoa) in 1980 and trained for the Su-22M, Su-22M3, and Su-22M4 aircraft. In December 2011, the regiment received the first Su-30MK2 jets, becoming a multi-role air regiment equipped with the most advanced weaponry in the Air Defense – Air Force Service, tasked with protecting the airspace, waters, borders, and islands of the Fatherland from latitude 18 north to the northernmost region.
