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Hegseth travels to Hanoi after meetings in Malaysia

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

say

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Chinook, S-92 helicopters might also be discussed, source

says

By Francesco Guarascio and Phuong Nguyen

HANOI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete

Hegseth is set to meet Vietnamese senior officials on Sunday as

he visits Hanoi amid prolonged talks over Washington's potential

supply of military equipment to its former foe, including

transport planes and helicopters.

Hegseth is expected to arrive in the Vietnamese capital

early on Sunday afternoon after a series of meetings in Malaysia

with his Asian counterparts, according to a Vietnamese official

briefed on the trip. Hegseth was expected to meet Vietnam's

Communist Party chief To Lam, President Luong Cuong and Defence

Minister Phan Van Giang, the official said.

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.

The three sources declined to be named as the information

was not public. They all said it was not clear whether any deal

or announcement would be made on Sunday.

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

and U.S. 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 country, which relies heavily on Russian

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

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 Vietnam's 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 briefed on the matter.

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 currently in use by Vietnamese forces.