*

Hegseth arrives in Hanoi after Malaysia meetings

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Talks expected on supply of C-130 military planes, sources

say

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Chinook, S-92 helicopters may also figure, source says

(Adds Hegseth quotes after arrival; paragraphs 1-3)

By Francesco Guarascio and Phuong Nguyen

HANOI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The United States wants deeper

military ties with Vietnam, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

said on Sunday at the start of a visit to Hanoi amid prolonged

talks for the potential supply of military equipment to

Washington's former foe.

Hegseth was expected to meet Vietnam's Communist Party chief

To Lam, President Luong Cuong and Defence Minister Phan Van

Giang, a Vietnamese official briefed on the visit said.

"Deeper (military) cooperation will benefit both of our

countries," Hegseth, who arrived in the Vietnamese capital after

meetings in Malaysia with Asian counterparts, said prior to

meeting Giang.

The United States had already delivered three cutters to the

Vietnamese coastguard and three T-6 trainer aircraft, from an

order of 12, and intended to do more, he added.

In a statement, Vietnam's defence ministry said both

governments agreeed to continue promoting security cooperation,

including areas such as the defence industry.

Talks on U.S. arms supplies are expected to dominate the

agenda, according to the official and another Vietnamese source

briefed on the matter.

Both mentioned Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules

military transport planes among the items to be discussed. A

U.S. official also confirmed C-130s would come up in the talks.

One of the Vietnamese sources said the supply of U.S.

helicopters could also be discussed, specifically Lockheed

Martin S-92s and Boeing Chinooks.

It was not clear if any deal or announcement would be made

on Sunday, said the sources, who declined to be identified as

the information was not public.

Boeing ( BA ) deferred questions on the matter to the two

governments.

Vietnam's government, the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) did

not respond to requests for comment outside business hours.

PLANES, HELICOPTERS UNDER DISCUSSION

The Southeast Asian nation, which relies heavily on Russian

weapons, has been looking to diversify its arsenal for years.

Talks with the United States, which lifted an arms embargo

in 2016, gained momentum during the Biden administration but

have not yet yielded any formal announcement.

Reuters reported last year on discussions for the sale of

C-130 planes to Vietnam's defence ministry, and in July on a

preliminary deal on two S-92 helicopters after years of talks on

the matter with its public security forces.

The possible purchase of two or three Chinook helicopters by

Vietnam's police was also under discussion, said one of the

sources.

In December, a newspaper controlled by the police said a new

airport under development near Hanoi would be suitable for

Chinook CH-47D helicopters and other models.

The Chinook was the only aircraft mentioned in the report

that is not being used by Vietnamese forces.