Forces converge in Hanoi center for National Day parade rehearsal

Hanoi’s streets turned into a stage of military strength and patriotic fervor on Thursday evening as thousands of troops, armored vehicles, and missile launchers rolled into the capital for a large-scale parade rehearsal. Crowds lined the streets and squares, cheering, waving, and snapping photos as the spectacle unfolded in preparation for the upcoming National Day celebrations.

From the late afternoon, columns of specialized vehicles, tanks, and missile systems began gathering at staging points across the city. By 4:30 p.m., engineering and logistics crews were conducting final checks on self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, and communication systems before deployment. Soon after, forces from the Border Guard, Navy, electronic warfare units, and even performing arts contingents took their positions in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square.

The electronic warfare unit rehearses in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

By early evening, the atmosphere intensified as convoys of tanks and armored vehicles thundered down Thanh Nien Street, joined by Vietnam’s homegrown XTC-02 anti-terror vehicles and XCB-01 infantry fighting vehicles. Civilian contingents also assembled, rehearsing their steps in preparation for their role in the parade.

At 5:30 p.m., missile units rolled out from My Dinh, including Scud-B ballistic missile systems and S-125-VT air defense launchers, drawing cheers from hundreds of spectators. Along the roadside, residents stopped to greet tank crews, and some soldiers seized brief moments to embrace their families after months of training away from home.

The spectacle continued to build as specialized police vehicles, mobile command units, and riot-control trucks advanced toward Ba Dinh Square. By 6:00 p.m., the scale of the rehearsal was on full display: UAVs, artillery, missile launchers, and armored columns stretched in long convoys down Vo Chi Cong Street, where crowds gathered to wave and snap photos.

Tanks, missile launchers, and armored vehicles stretch in long columns down Thanh Nien Street, awaiting their turn to enter Ba Dinh Square. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Du

Fifteen ceremonial cannons were positioned outside My Dinh Stadium, poised to fire during the official parade, while artillery crews drilled vigorously in preparation. Escort motorcycles of the Guard Command lined up to lead high-level delegations, and multi-purpose rescue combat vehicles, designed for both combat and disaster relief, joined the formations.

As dusk settled, the rehearsal reached its climax. From 7:00 p.m., the scene at Ba Dinh Square was dominated by parading troops, missile launchers, and tank columns, while ceremonial contingents marched into the assembly area. Crowds surged forward, capturing photos beside armored vehicles and missile systems, turning the rehearsal itself into a public spectacle.

The rehearsal offered the public a preview of the unprecedented scale of this year’s National Day parade on Sept. 2, promising a grand show of unity, discipline, and national pride.