Accordingly, Australia provided one of its largest military transport aircraft, C-17A Globemaster III, to carry Vietnam’s peacekeepers and equipment to South Sudan on November 19. Australia will also transport Vietnamese VIPs and personnel of the L2FH Rotation 1 back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Present at the farewell ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport are Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Rear Admiral Nguyen Trong Binh, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Ms. Robyn Mudie, and other high-ranking Vietnamese and Australian military officers. The first sortie of the C17 aircraft left Hanoi at 11:00am today and will fly for around 12 hours (with a stopover in Seychelles) to Juba, South Sudan.
    |
 |
|
Deputy Chief of the General Staff Rear Admiral Nguyen Trong Binh presents a picture of Uncle Ho to the staff of the L2FH Rotation 2. |
|
|
 |
|
Staff of the L2FH Rotation 2 salutes the national flag before departing for UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. |
The second sortie, which transports the remaining military personnel and equipment, is expected to take place on 26 November 2019. In total, the two airlifts will fly 63 personnel and approximately 60 tons of cargo to South Sudan and transport the 63 personnel of Rotation 1 back to Vietnam.
|
|
 |
|
Australian Ambassador Ms. Robyn Mudie and LTGEN Do Quyet of Vietnam's Military Medical University inspecting the cockpit of the C-17A Globemaster that will transport Vietnam's L2FH Rotation 2 to South Sudan |
“I am very proud to be here today to farewell Vietnam’s second medical contingent to South Sudan. The L2FH is one of the most complex military units to deploy and Australia congratulates Vietnam on the outstanding success of its first deployment. Vietnam’s dedicated and professional military medical and support personnel are, rightly, earning the country an outstanding reputation for its contribution to UN international peacekeeping operations in South Sudan.”
|
|
 |
|
Australian Ambassador Ms Robyn Mudie saying goodbye to Vietnamese peacekeepers |
“Australia has been privileged to support the training and strategic airlifts for this operation, which shows a high level of cooperation and trust between the Australian Defense Force and Vietnam People’s Army,” Ms. Mudie said.
Aside from the airlift, Australia, as a country with much experience in UN peacekeeping operations, has provided training courses for Vietnam’s peacekeepers since 2011, particularly English language and Subject Matter Expert training, which have helped Vietnamese peacekeepers meet the UN’s strict English and skills requirements. The language support for the L2FH Rotation 3 is also underway under the Defense Cooperation Program.
|
|
 |
|
Group 1 of Vietnam’s L2FH Rotation 2 pose with HE Ms. Robyn Mudie, the Australian Ambassador and RADM Nguyen Trong Binh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff in front of the Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster that will transport them to South Sudan. |
|
|
 |
|
COL Nerolie McDonald, Australian Defense Attaché to Vietnam, bidding farewell to members of Vietnam's L2FH Rotation 2 to South Sudan on the deployment day |
|
|
 |
|
A Vietnamese peacekeeper supports the Vietnam football team that will play against Thailand this afternoon. |
|
|
 |
|
Pre-departure safety procedures for Vietnamese peacekeepers on the Royal Australian Airforce C-17A prior to taking off to South Sudan |
|
|
 |
|
Loading equipment of the L2FH into C17A aircraft |
Reported by Binh Chau