Chapter Headings:
INTRODUCTION
BEFORE 1975
REVOLUTION AND REORGANIZATION
OPERATIONS
FIGHTERS
TRAINING
HELICOPTERS
TRANSPORTS
THE FUTURE

REVOLUTION AND REORGANIZATION

By December 2, 1975, the Lao armed forces consisted of 60,000 troops, including about 35,000 Pathet Lao troops and some former neutralist forces. The Pathet Lao had no Air Force of its own, but among the spoils of war were approximately 150 former RLAF aircraft and helicopters. Among these were T-28 Trojan light attack aircraft, Sikorsky H-34 helicopters, Douglas C-47s, Fairchild C-123K Providers, Cessna O-1F Bird Dogs and a few Cessna T-41s.

As related, the Pathet Lao had received a few training and transport aircraft in 1960 and 1962. During 1973 and 1974, it appears that a few non-scheduled flights were undertaken by an airline called Pathet Lao Airlines. On March 8, 1974, an Antonov An-24 operated by Pathet Lao Airlines crashed near Hanoi. The An-24 carried the Algerian Foreign Secretary and 15 journalists covering his tour of Cambodia, Laos, North Vietnam and Thailand. All aboard were killed, including three crew and 15 passengers.

By early 1976, the LPLA changed its name to Lao People's Army, LPA. It was organized along NVA lines with 42,000 troops being organized into 65 infantry battalions. The LPLA HQ was at Vientiane, with four military regions being formed. These military regions were based at Luang Prabang in Luang Prabang province, Muang Phonsavan in Xieng Khouang province, Xeno in Savannakhet province and at Pakxe, in Champassak province. The former RLAF aircraft and helicopters taken over were integrated into the newly created Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force, LPLAAF. The Vietnamese Air Force, the VPAF, supplied almost all equipment needed, apart from new aircraft. Spares for the captured US aircraft were supplied from the large stocks that had been captured by the NVA in 1975. Pilots and technicians who had served in the old Royal Lao Air Force, were, along with former Government officials, put into indoctrination camps, known as Samana. It has been estimated that between 30,000 and up to 160,000 people were sent to the Samanas. After the Pathet Lao victory in 1975, about 300,000 people re-settled abroad, particularly in the USA, France and Australia.

As the role of the old Royal Lao AF had been that of counter-insurgency, transport and training, a new Air Force with a limited air-to-air capability was organized with Soviet and Vietnamese help. During 1977, a first batch of ten MiG-21s, six Antonov An-24s and four Mil Mi-8s were delivered from the Soviet Union, along with technical advisers. A new base at Muang Phonsavan, on the Plain of Jars, was constructed jointly by Vietnam and the Soviet Union. A former French Air Force base at Xeno was rebuilt as well. By the late 'seventies and early 'eighties, several early-warning radar stations had been constructed by the Soviet Union. These radar stations, based in northern and western Laos, were used to monitor Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai aircraft movements.

OPERATIONS

Much of 1976 was spent consolidating and training the LPLAAF along the then current Soviet doctrine. The new air force, the communist LPLAAF suffered some losses through desertions. Nine aircraft and helicopters, including one An-2 Colt, one Douglas C-47, one Cessna T-41, two N.A. T-28s and four Sikorsky H-34s were flown by their crews to Thailand between 1975 and 1977. Although the Lao regime demanded the return of of the aircraft, only the An-2 was, in fact, returned to Laos. The other aircraft and helicopters were had all been supplied to the former RLAF under MAP by the USA, and therefore technically remained US property. However, most of the eight aircraft and helicopters were left unattended in Thailand until 1987, when they were finally sold. Even though cut off from US support, Hmong resistance to the Vientiane regime continued. Even though thousands of Hmong had been evacuated to Thailand in 1975, some 60,000 Hmong had taken refuge at the Phou Bia Massif, south of the PDJ. At the time, no serious attempt was made by the LPLA to challenge the Hmong at Phou Bia. But, by 1977, Vietnamese troops attacked, using 130 mm long range artillery. Being unable to dislodge the Hmong forces, LPLAAF aircraft, based at the former US base at Long Tieng flew strike missions against Phou Bia. Among the aircraft based at Long Tieng were T-28 strike aircraft, C-123K transports, as well as FAC O-1s. Apart from napalm, a gas known as trichotecene was deployed against the Hmong. This later became known as "yellow rain", and the subject of much controversy. Hmong resistance has continued until the present day. A few bomb attacks against cafes in Vientiane occurred during 2000 and 2001. Operations against the last Hmong resistance fighters in the northeastern parts of the country are currently being conducted by the LPLA. It is not known if the LPLAAF are involved in these operations, but presumably both helicopters and transport aircraft are used. The Hmong resistance to the Vientiane regime is a tragic and terrible reminder that the Vietnam War didn't end in 1975. In Laos, it has continued until the present day.

By 1979, about 60,000 NVA troops were based in Laos. Apart from operational units, senior advisors were attached to LPLA and LPLAAF units. LPLA and LPLAAF operations against insurgents continued into the 'eighties. Among these groups were the "Ethnic Liberation Organization of Laos", known as Chao Fa (Lords of the Sky, or God's Disciples), which was an outgrowth of the Hmong resistance. One helicopter, presumably a Mil Mi-8, was shot down by guerrillas in April 1985. Among those killed were several high-ranking LPLA officers, three Soviet military advisers and two Vietnamese major generals.

Between November 1987 and mid-1988, a short, but bloody war was fought between Laos and Thailand. During November 1987, heavy fighting broke out, but the LPA were able to hold their ground against the Royal Thai Army. According to contemporary Lao reports, over 500 Thai soldiers were killed. These losses were later denied by the Royal Thai Army. The RTAF lost one Skyeye UAV over Bosan village, Botain district, Sanyabuli province during late 1987. Northrop F-5s flew several air strikes against the Lao troops, apparently to little effect. On February 13, 1988, an OV-10C Bronco from Wing 41, based at Chiang Mai, was shot down. The LPLAAF did not deploy any aircraft or helicopters during the conflict.

The Skyeye, as well as small parts of the Bronco are prominently displayed at the LPLA Museum. However, the conflict seemed to clear the air between the protagonists. Since then, relations between the two countries have greatly improved, with Thailand becoming the largest foreign investor in Laos.

The last NVA and VPAF units were withdrawn from Laos in 1988. By 1990, all Soviet and Vietnamese advisors had withdrawn from Laos. The breakup of the Soviet Union spelled the end of military aid to Laos.

The LPLAAF current main bases are Wattay, on the outskirts of Vientiane and Phonsavan, adjacent to the Plain des Jarres. Small detachments are also kept at bases in northern and southern Laos. One Mil Mi-8 is based at Luang Prabang with another being based somewhere in the southern panhandle, probably at Pakxe or Savannakhet. A Mi-8, RDPL-34076, probably belonging to this southern detachment was noted at RTAFB Ubon on January 10, 2001. Regarding organization, it is not known for certain if the current inventory are divided into squadrons. Most probably, they are, as some of the Mi-8s are operated by a unit numbered as 2. A VIP flight seem to exist, possibly operating the An-74 Coaler and some Mi-8s. One Mi-8 was recently noted in what could be described as a "VIP colour scheme", consisting of overall mid-green with red dayglow and serial in white.

As Laos is the world's third largest opium producer, US drug enforcement agencies are cooperating with Lao authorities in reducing the production, as well as the large drug smuggling. Heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma are smuggled through Laos. Government forces, including the LPLA are known to have been used to monitor and intercept drug smugglers.

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