| World Air Forces | ||||||
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Cambodia
Air Force
| Current Title: | Toap Akas Khemarak Phoumin |
| Title in English: | Royal Cambodian Air Force |
| Abbreviation: | RCAF |
Narrative History:
Aviation Royale Khmere - Narrative History
Khmer Air Force - Narrative History
Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army - Narrative History
Kampuchean People's Air Force - Narrative History
Royal Cambodian Air Force - Narrative History
Current Status:
A contract with Israel Aircraft Industries to upgrade 9 MiG-21bis and 2 MiG-21UM to MiG-21-2000 standard was been suspended after Cambodia encountered financial difficulties, and is unlikely to be completed. The remaining MiGs are unserviceable and haven't flown for some time. The L-39Cs are also believed to be non-operational.
It is reported that all remaining fixed-wing transport aircraft have been transferred to the Council of Ministers and are no longer operated by the air force. Three Mi-8/17s are operated under direct control of Prime Minister Hun Sen's body guard unit.
Future Plans:
National Insignia:
Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):
Hardly any AFLKA serials are known - except for the Shenyang F-6s, which carried at least two different styles of serial presentation.
KPAF aircraft retained their former VNAF 4-figure serial numbers, or carried civilian XU-xxx registrations.
Curent front-line RCAF aircraft carry a simple numerical individual number, eg: '25' for a L-39C or '7102' for a MiG-21UM. However, the majority of the air forces's strength is made up of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters used in the transport role. These carry civil registrations in the XU-xxx sequence. The state airline, Air Cambodia, also operates as a transport arm of the air force.
Unit/Base Aircraft Code System(s):
Aircraft Designation System(s):
Current Aircraft Inventory:
All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Aviation Royale Khmere [1954-1970]
Aircraft NOT Used:
Aircraft Losses and Incidents:
Current Organisational Structure:
Current Order of Battle:
Historical Orders of Battle:
All-Time Flying Units List:
Current Air Bases:
All-Time Air Bases Used List:
Books:
See aircraft details pages.
Magazines:
World Air Power Journal Vol.43 Winter 2000
JETS (Lela Presse) No. 55 July 2000
Websites:
The present-day Royal Cambodian Air Force is decended from the Aviation Royale Khmer (AVRK), which was established by the French and later became the Khmer Air Force (KhAF). The communist Khmer Rouge take-over in 1975 resulted in the adoption of the title Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army (AFKLA). The air force was disbanded following the invasion by Vietnam in 1979 - but in 1985 a new air arm called the Kampuchean People's Air Force (KPAF) was created to help in anti-guerrilla operations. The KPAF was disbanded in 1992, prior to UN organised elections. The Royal Cambodian Air Force (RCAF) was established in 1993.
Key Dates:
1 April 1954
Aviation Royale Khmere first established
October 1970
Aviation Royale Khmere renamed Khmer Air Force (KAF)
April 1975
Khmer Rouge victory results in name change to Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army
Jan 1979
Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army disbanded after Vietnamese invasion
1985
Kampuchean People's Air Force established
1989
Air Force renamed Cambodian People's Air Force
Feb 1992
Cambodian People's Air Force disbanded and aircraft handed to the United Nations
Sept? 1993
Royal Cambodian Air Force established
Cambodia's status as one of the poorest countries in the world has meant that the RCAF has received very little development. As the country has been largely peaceful since the mid 1990s, the focus of operations is on humanitarian aid flights and support to the various arms of the government. Consequently, most of the air force's budget is spent on maintaining the transport and helicopter fleet.
No future procurement plans are known.
Current --- Historical
AVRK and KhAF aircraft carried a variety of serial numbering systems, which were derived from the system applying in country of origin of the aircraft. The Fletcher Defenders carried a unique letter-number sequence which was not adopted on any other type.
Not used.
None used.
Table of Current Service Aircraft
Royal Cambodian Air Force [1993-Present]
Khmer Air Force [1970-1975]
Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army [1975-1979]
Kampuchean People's Air Force [1985-1992]
False reports of aircraft on order or in service
No information.
Main Headquarters:
Phnom Penh.
The RCAF currently comprises only 2 regular squadrons, plus a transport unit which is operated by the state-owned airline Air Cambodia. The Cambodian Council of Ministers operates a separate VIP transport fleet.
Table of Current Order of Battle
Table of Orders of Battle
Ecole Royale de l'Air Khmere
Groupe de Liaison
1er Groupe d'Intervention
1er Groupe d'Observation
1er Groupe d'Helicopter
1er Groupe de Transport
Unit 701/Fighter Squadron
VIP Squadron
Helicopter Squadron
Transport Squadron
Reconnaissance Squadron
RCAF are based at only one main base, Pochentong International Airport (near the capital), but operates into a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country. See listing below for details.
Apart from small number of main military air bases, there are also a several smaller airports and airfields around the country which are frequently used by the Air Force and the semi-military airline Air Cambodia.
Airports and Airfields Listing
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First Created: 24 November 2004 - Last Revised: 19 December 2004
Copyright © 2004 Jan Forsgren. e-mail: john@aeroflight.co.uk