US to sell C-130 military transport planes to Vietnam soon, congressman says

Lockheed Martin

29/05/2026 12:22

    HANOI, May 29 (Reuters) - The United States will soon make its first foreign military sale of three Lockheed Martin LMT.N C-130 Hercules military transport planes to Vietnam, U.S. lawmaker Michael Baumgartner said. 
Baumgartner described the move as a "very significant development" in a post on X, adding in a separate post that a strong and growing strategic partnership between the U.S. and Vietnam is key for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

        Reuters reported that the two countries had discussed the sale of the planes.
Lockheed Martin LMT.N, Vietnam's foreign ministry, and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The C-130 can carry soldiers, military equipment and other supplies, and it would boost Vietnamese defence capabilities at a time of rising South China Sea boundary tensions with China and other countries in the region.
U.S. defense exports to Vietnam have remained limited since a 2016 embargo was lifted, primarily comprising coastguard vessels and trainer aircraft. Concerns over costs, government approvals, and compatibility with existing military equipment have previously slowed such transactions.

(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
((Phuong.Nguyen@thomsonreuters.com; +84-24-3852-9623;))