Royal Cambodian Air Force

Air warfare branch of Cambodia's armed forces

Royal Cambodian Air Force

កងទ័ពជើងអាកាស

Badge of the Royal Cambodian Air Force

Founded| 9 November 1953; 70 years ago (1953-11-09)
Country|  Cambodia
Allegiance| HM The King
Type| Air force
Role| Aerial warfare
Part of| Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Headquarters| Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Motto(s)| "ការពារព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា" (Khmer)
("Defend the Kingdom of Cambodia")
Mascot(s)| Aafra Zarnaz Auhona
Engagements|

* Indochina Wars
* First Indochina War
* Second Indochina War
* Cambodian Civil War

Commanders
Current
commander| General Soeung Samnang
Insignia
Roundel|
Fin flash|

Military unit

The Royal Cambodian Air Force (Khmer: កងទ័ពជើងអាកាស, romanized: Kâng Toăp Cheung Akas [kɑːŋtɔəp cəːŋ ʔaːkaːh]; lit. 'Air Army') is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.

## Organisation

[edit]

The Royal Cambodian Air Force is commanded by General Soeung Samnang, who has four deputy commanders beneath him. The Air Force itself is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defence.

Air Force headquarters are located at Phnom Penh International Airport and is still sign posted Pochentong Air Base. The only operational aircraft at Pochentong Air Base are from the VIP squadron. Maintenance of aircraft and helicopters is also at Pochentong. The airworthy Z-9 and Mi-17 helicopters from the helicopter squadron are based at Phnom Penh International Airport and Siem Reap International Airport.

Recently, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense plans to purchase five L-39NG light fighter jets from the Czech Republic. In the past, the Cambodian Air Force has already purchased Mil Mi-17 and Mil Mi-171 helicopters.

## Inventory

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### Previous inventory

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In the past some MiG-21 fighters were operational. These aircraft in 2023 could be seen on ground in Phnom Penh international airport.

### Current inventory

[edit]

A former Mil Mi-26 Halo of the Royal Cambodian Air Force.[1] Aircraft  | Origin  | Type  | Variant  | In service  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Transport
Airbus A320 | France | VIP transport |  | 1[2] |
Xian MA60 | China | transport |  | 2[3] |
Harbin Y-12 | China | transport / utility  |  | 1[3] |
Britten-Norman BN-2 | United Kingdom | transport  |  | 1[3] |
Helicopters
Mil Mi-8 | Russia | transport |  | 9[3] |
Mil Mi-17 | Russia | transport |  | 6[3] |
Harbin Z-9 | China | utility |  | 9[3] | 1 Harbin Z-9 was lost in an accident on 12 July 2024
Eurocopter AS350 | France | utility |  | 3[3] |
AgustaWestland AW109 | Italy | utility |  | 2[4] |
Trainer
Aero L-39 | Czechoslovakia | trainer / light attack | L-39C  | 5[5] |

## Sport

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Main article: Royal Cambodian Air Force FC

The force maintains a professional association football team as one of its branches, which formerly played in the C-League.

## Air Force ranks and insignia

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Rank group  | General/Flag/Air officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers  | Officer cadet

|
|
|
|

Royal Cambodian Air Force

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* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍
Néay ŭtdâmôséniy | ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ឯក
Ŭtdâmôséniy êk | ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ទោ
Ŭtdâmôséniy toŭ | ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ត្រី
Ŭtdâmôséniy trei | វរសេនីយ៍ឯក
Vôrôséniy êk | វរសេនីយ៍ទោ
Vôrôséniy toŭ | វរសេនីយ៍ត្រី
Vôrôséniy trei | អនុសេនីយ៍ឯក
Ânŭséniy êk | អនុសេនីយ៍ទោ
Ânŭséniy toŭ | អនុសេនីយ៍ត្រី
Ânŭséniy trei | នាយចំណង់
Néay châmnáng
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Royal Cambodian Air Force

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* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ព្រឹន្ទបាលឯក
Prœ̆ntôbal êk | ព្រឹន្ទបាលទោ
Prœ̆ntôbal toŭ | ពលបាលឯក
Pôlôbal êk | ពលបាលទោ
Pôlôbal toŭ | ពលបាលត្រី
Pôlôbal trei | នាយឯក
Néay êk | នាយទោ
Néay toŭ | ពលឯក
Pôl êk | ពលទោ
Pôl toŭ

## See also

[edit]

* Cambodian Civil War
* Khmer National Armed Forces
* Khmer Air Force
* Royal Cambodian Army
* Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
* Royal Cambodian Navy
* Weapons of the Cambodian Civil War

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air force of Cambodia.

1. ^ "World Air Forces 2015 pg. 12". Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
2. ^ "Air Force One of Cambodia". alfredmeier.me. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
3. ^ a b c d e f g "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
4. ^ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
5. ^ Vogel, Ben (16 October 2019). "Cambodia could buy more L-39s". janes.com. Jane's Defence Industry. Retrieved 5 January 2020.

* Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, 11–17 December 2012, Vol. 182 No. 5370. pp. 40–64. ISSN 0015-3710.
* Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International. Vol. 194, No. 5665, 4–10 December 2018, pp. 32–60. ISSN 0015-3710
* World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 05

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Militaries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations

Royal Brunei Armed Forces|

* Royal Brunei Land Force
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South-East Asia highlighted in green

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces|

* Royal Cambodian Army
* Royal Cambodian Air Force
* Royal Cambodian Navy
* Royal Gendarmerie

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