Every week, Fighter Aviation Regiment 927 receives oxygen supplies from A34 Factory for its fighter aircraft.
Pilots rely on oxygen with a purity of 99.7% when flying at high altitudes. This prevents moisture from freezing inside oxygen systems and disrupting their supply.
Before delivery, oxygen cylinders undergo rigorous checks to ensure the gas meets the required purity and moisture standards. Filling and valve connections are also carefully handled using specialised equipment.
Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Thanh, head of Specialised Workshop, A34 Factory, Air Defence – Air Force Service, said: "Aviation oxygen must meet strict purity and dew point requirements to ensure flight safety, particularly during combat missions under harsh conditions."
Previously, A34 Factory used an energy-intensive distillation process to produce oxygen and nitrogen, but its output was limited. With modern molecular filtration technology, the factory can now produce around 400 litres of purified oxygen and nitrogen per hour, a significant increase in output.
Lieutenant Colonel Bui Thanh Thuong, operations coordinator at the Specialised Workshop of A34 Factory, Air Defence – Air Force Service, said:"We draw in outside air and pass it through preliminary filtration systems. In nitrogen production mode, purity reaches 99.96%. Fighter pilots operate at extremely high speeds, so their oxygen supply must also meet strict standards."
The purified gases are stored and delivered to air force units. Oxygen supports pilots' breathing, while nitrogen inflates aircraft tyres and pressurises anti-G suits.
Though only a small part of a fighter jet's complex systems, these essential gases reflect the vital behind-the-scenes work of A34 Factory's technicians in supporting safe and successful flights.
