In September 1993, a new air arm, the Royal Cambodian Air Force, RCAF, was formed. Among its staff were included many officers which had served with the Khmer Air Force during the arly seventies. About half a dozen MiG-21s were returned to operational status, with about ten Mi-8/Mi-17 Hips used for gunship and troop transport duties forming the backbone of the RCAF.

During January and March 1994, government forces attacked two Khmer Rouge strongholds, Anlong and Pailin, in eastern Cambodia. Some armed reconnaissance sorties were flown by the 701st Fighter Regiment. On one sortie, one MiG-21 received slight damage by small arms fire, its pilot making a forced landing at Battambang. However, due to the limited capability of the RCAF, its air assets were rarely used to full effect.

During 1995, a plethora of various transport and training aircraft were acquired from a a number of countries, including China, France, Great Britain, Israel, Italy and the Ukraine. Among the aircraft acquired were three BN-2 Islander light transports, which were pressed into use as light attack aircraft as well. Six Technam P 92 Echo trainers were delivered from Italy, while the Israeli company IAI supplied six Aero L-39 Albatros basic jet trainers. IAI also offered to train and re-organize the RCAF. In the event, four MiG-21s were despatched to Israel for refurbishment by IAI. The helicopter fleet of Mi-8/Mi-17s were augmented by the delivery of two heavy-lift Mi-26 Halos from Ukraine. Incidentally, most of the helicopter pilots and maintenance staff were from eastern Europe, being hired under contract to fly and maintain the Mi-8s/Mi-17s and Mi-26s.

Operations against the Khmer Rouge continued, with an offensive being launched during the 1996 dry season. With most of the MiG-21s grounded, the operational elements of the RCAF included five Mi-17 gunships, eight Mi-8/Mi-17 troop transports, and three BN-2 Islanders, one of the latter being lost during the offensive.

By 1998, the last remnants of the Khmer Rouge had finally been defeated. The situation for the RCAF remained dire, though. Two of the MiG-21s refurbished by IAI were returned to Cambodia in 1999, with the remaining two being embargoed due to the lack of payment. Lack of funds also prevented the refurmishment of a further five MiG-21s, as had been originally intended. By 2000, no less than 15 MiG-21s were in outside storage at Pochentong, slowly but steadily rotting away. Most of the MiGs appeared not to have been flown, or even moved for that matter, since at least 1992. Both of the Mi-26 Halos were stored at Pochentong as well.

Since the end of the hostilities, RCAF operations have centred around training, liaison and VIP transport. Sorties in support of humanitarian needs have been conducted as well. Five of the L-39s are still in service, although at least two have been grounded at anytime due to lack of spares. As Cambodia remains one of the world's poorest and least developed countries, the future of the RCAF remains uncertain. For the forseeable future, the remaining L-39s and two refurbished MiGs will constitute the sole combat aircraft. With no serious external threat, emphasis will be placed upon developing available training, liaison and transport assets. Some tension remains with Thailand, though, as evidenced by the anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh on January 29-30, 2003.

Jan Forsgren