The US is set to hand over one of its Coast Guard cutters known as USCGC John Midgett (WHEC-726) to Vietnam in the coming months to increase the country’s coast guard capacity.

USCGC John Midgett (WHEC-726), the second Hamilton class cutter of
the US Coast Guard, is scheduled to arrive in Vietnam in a couple of months 

“The comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the United States have in recent times developed well in many fields, including national defense and security cooperation,” said Doan Khac Viet, vice spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry.

Viet was speaking in response to reporters’ questions regarding the news at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on May 28.  

“Both sides will continue to promote bilateral defense cooperation, including maritime security cooperation and capacity building on maritime law enforcement, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world,” stressed Viet.

The vice spokesperson also said that such cooperation is based on the agreements reached between the two sides, including the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation, the 2015 Joint Vision Statement on Defense Relations 2015 and the Plan of Action for Defense Cooperation for 2018-2020.

USCGC John Midgett (WHEC-726) is the second Hamilton class cutter the US has planned to deliver to Vietnam following the first USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) provided in 2017.

After dismantling some important equipment from the ship, the US side will train Vietnamese sailors to own and direct the ship back to Vietnam.

The handover ceremony of the vessel to the Vietnam Coast Guard, scheduled to take place in late March, has to be canceled due to the COVID-19 epidemic.