Royal Cambodian Army

Royal Cambodian Army
Emblem of the Royal Cambodian Army
Founded 1953
Country  Cambodia
Allegiance HM The King
Type Army
Size 85,000[1]
Part of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ Phnom Penh
Motto(s) Defending the Kingdom of Cambodia
Colours Red, Blue
Anniversaries 9 November 1953
Engagements First Indochina War
Cambodian Civil War
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
1997 clashes in Cambodia
Cambodian–Thai border dispute
Commanders
Current
commander		 General Hun Manet
Notable
commanders		 General Meas Sophea
General Tea Banh
General Srey Doek
General Hun Manet
General Hing Bun Hieng

The Royal Cambodian Army (Khmer: កងទ័ពជើងគោក, Kangtorp Cheung Kork) is a part of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It has ground forces which numbered 85,000 divided into eleven divisions of infantry, with integrated armour and artillery support. The Royal Army is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defence.

Military organisation

Royal Cambodian Army Soldiers

Under the current military plan and divisions, every military region has a full division size. Each division will be supplemented by a mobile reinforcement division in Phnom Penh. The country is divided into six, until recently five, military regions, each comprising three or four provinces. There are garrisons in major cities and major army bases.

General Meas Sophea is the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. He is also the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

The forces are deployed as required across the country and in operations, with bases as follows:

Every Military Region is under the command of a Major General, assisted by a Chief of staff with a rank of a Brigadier General. In every province, there is a military base called Military Operation Zone under the command of a Colonel.

Special Forces Airborne

Equipment

As of June 2010, it is assessed that 500 of the tanks are to be fully operational.

  • 500+ tanks and an unknown number of light tanks.
  • 300+ APC
  • 600 Artillery
  • 19 Helicopters
T-55AM2BP variants.
BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher.

Operational art and tactical doctrine is still being defined as the process of reform continues. Ostensibly, the continuing military reorganisation will provide integrated armoured support for each of the regional infantry divisions. However, much of Cambodia's terrain does not lend itself to armoured operations and tanks are rendered unusable during the rainy season. All the OT-64 APCs have apparently gone to the Phnom Penh reserve force.

In the 1990s, to make the army more mobile and mechanised, there was a steady influx of new tanks, self-propelled artillery, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), and trucks. The ground forces seldom retire old models of weapons and tend to maintain a large equipment stock, keeping old models along with upgraded ones in the active force or in reserve. The army remains largely an infantry force, although a decade-long modernisation program has significantly improved the mobility and firepower of its active forces.

Equipment for the main force units was furnished by Vietnam, China, and by the Soviet Union. Armaments consisted of small arms of Soviet origin, including the AKM (updated version of the AK-47) assault rifle, RPD light machine gun, PKM general-purpose machine gun, RPG-2 82mm rocket-propelled grenade, RPG-7 85mm rocket-propelled grenade, Chinese Type 56 assault rifle, and various crew-served weapons, including towed medium howitzers, and air-defense weapons in several calibres. Tanks in the RCAF armoured battalions included the T-54/55, an old, but capable, main battle tank of Soviet origin; the obsolete PT-76/Type 63 light amphibious tank; and the Type-59, an older Chinese main battle tank, probably handed down from Vietnamese stocks. Multiple rocket launcher in main force included BM-14 and BM-21. Armored fighting vehicles in the main force inventory consisted of the Soviet BTR series of wheeled vehicles, and some ageing American equipment, such as: M106 armoured carriers and M113 armoured personnel carriers, either bequeathed by Vietnam or left behind from the days of the Khmer Republic.

Vehicles

Armoured fighting vehicles

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
T-55Main battle tank350[2] Soviet Union
Type 62/63Light Tank150[2] China
PT-7650[2] Soviet Union
BMP-1Infantry fighting vehicle200[3]
BTR-60PBArmored Personnel Carrier300[2]
OT-64 SKOT50[2] Poland
 Czech Republic
BTR-15250[2] Soviet UnionPossibly retired
BRDM-2Amphibious Armoured Scout Car50[2] Soviet Union

Artillery

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
ZiS-3[3]76 mm anti-tank field gun50 Soviet Union
T-12[2]
D-74[2]122 mm towed howitzer
M-30[2]
D-30[3]
M-46[2]130 mm towed field howitzer100
Type 59-1[3]200 China
Type 63[2]107 mm towed multiple rocket launcher
Type 81 SPRL[2]122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher100
BM-13/16[2]132 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher Soviet Union
BM-14[2]140 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher
BM-21 Grad[2]122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher200
RM-70 122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher 50  Czechoslovakia

Anti-aircraft artillery

Name Type Quantity Origin Notes
ZPU-2[3]14.5mm towed anti-aircraft gun100 Soviet Union
ZU-23-223 mm towed twin-barrel anti-aircraft gun100
61-K[3]37 mm towed anti-aircraft gun100
AZP S-60[3]57mm towed anti-aircraft gun100
KS-19[2]100 mm towed anti-aircraft gun50
Bofors 40 mm[4]anti-aircraft autocannon50 Sweden

Infantry weapons

Small ArmsType OriginRemark
Type 54[5]Semi-automatic pistol  ChinaStandard issue
QSZ-92
Tokarev TT33[5]  Soviet Union
Makarov PM
AKM[5]Assault Rifle
AKMS[5]
Type 56[6]  China
Type 56-1[6]
Type 56-2[7]Standard issue, Recently received and deployed to troops near the Cambodian-Thai border.
Type 81-1Recently received.
CQ 311Some are seen in use along with the M16A1 rifle.
CQ 5.56mm Type AChinese variant of the M4A1. Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit.
Pindad SS1-V1[8]  IndonesiaUsed by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces, Military Police, and Bodyguard Unit.
M16A1[9]  United StatesFormer FANK's main assault rifle.
Daewoo K1  South KoreaUsed by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
Daewoo K2
QBZ-97[10]Bullpup Assault Rifle  ChinaUsed by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit. Decommissioned and replaced by QBZ-97B.
QBZ-97A[10]Standard issue Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
QBZ-97B[10]Standard issue Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit and Cambodian Royal Guards.
SKS[5][6]Semi-Automatic Carbine  Soviet UnionUsed by Cambodian Royal Guards. Decommissioned and replaced by QBZ-97B.
Type 56 Carbine[5][6]  ChinaUsed by Cambodian Royal Guards and reserve training rifle.
Type 85Submachine GunUsed by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
Daewoo K7  South Korea
Mini Uzi  IsraelUsed by the Bodyguard Unit.
HK MP5A4  GermanyUsed in small number by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and by small number of Bodyguard Unit.
Type 79/85Sniper Rifle  ChinaRecently received.
KBU-97A
RPK[6]Light Machine Gun  Soviet Union
RPD[5][6]
Type 56 LMG[5][6]  ChinaStandard issue
QBB-97 LSWUsed by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
PKM[6]General-purpose machine gun  Soviet Union
Type 80[11]  ChinaStandard issue
DShK[5]Heavy Machine Gun  Soviet UnionBeing replaced by W85 machine gun on ground troops, tripod mount. Remain in use on main battle tank.
Type 54 HMG[5]  ChinaBeing replaced by W85 machine gun on ground troops, tripod mount. Remain in use on main battle tank.
Type 77
W85[11]Standard issue
RPG-2[6]Rocket-Propelled Grenade  Soviet Union
RPG-7V2[5]
Type 56 RPG  ChinaStandard issue
Type 69 RPG
PF-89[7]Light Anti-tank Rocket  ChinaStandard issue New infantry Anti-tank Rocket Launcher
Armbrust[5]  GermanyStandard issue
SA-7 Grail[2]Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems  Soviet Union
HN-5[2]  China
FN-6[2][7]
FN-12/16[2][7]Standard issue, Advance version of the FN-6.
M79[6]Grenade Launcher  United StatesFANK's main grenade launcher.
M203Attach on the M16A1 rifle, former FANK's grenade launcher.

Peacekeeping Operations

The RCAF has sent RCAF personnel to various hotspots as part of the Kingdom of Cambodia's role as a member of the United Nations. Mostly engineers and logistical units, as well as Military Police and members of the paramilitary Armed Police have been sent to peacekeeping operations such as:

[12]

Army ranks and insignia

Equivalent
NATO Code		OF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D) & Student officer
Cambodia Cambodia
(Edit)
No equivalent
នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍អគ្គមេបញ្ចាការ នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ឯក ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ទោ ឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ត្រី វរសេនីយ៍ឯក វរសេនីយ៍ទោ វរសេនីយ៍ត្រី អនុសេនីយ៍ឯក អនុសេនីយ៍ទោ អនុសេនីយ៍ត្រី
General of the Army General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain 1st Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant
Equivalent
NATO Code		OR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
Cambodia Cambodia
(Edit)
នាយចំណង់ ព្រឹន្ទបាលឯក ពលបាលឯក ពលបាលទោ ពលបាលត្រី នាយឯក នាយទោ ពលឯក ពលទោ
Chief Warrant Officer Warrant Officer Command Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Staff Sergeant Chief Corporal Corporal Soldier 1st Class Soldier 2nd Class Soldier

See also

References

  1. ↑ Anthony H. Cordesman; Robert Hammond (16 May 2011), THE MILITARY BALANCE IN ASIA: 1990-2011 (PDF), Center for Strategic and International Studies, p. 70, retrieved 27 June 2011
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 SIPRI Trade Registers, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, retrieved 27 June 2011
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Cambodian Army Land Forces Equipment". ArmyRecognition.com. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  4. ↑ Bofors 40 mm#Users
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Christina Wille, How Many Weapons are there in Cambodia? (PDF), Small Arms Survey
  7. 1 2 3 4 http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/10/cambodias-chinese-weapon-on-parade.html
  8. ↑ "Cikal Bakal Senapan Serbu Nasional". Alutsista Dalam Negeri (in Indonesian). Indonesia: 38–39.
  9. ↑ "Report: Profiling the Small Arms Industry - World Policy Institute - Research Project". World Policy Institute. November 2000. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  10. 1 2 3 "QBZ97自动步枪". Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  11. 1 2 http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2011/05/mini-pla-in-making.html
  12. ↑ http://www.un.org.kh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=203:moving-from-conflict-to-peacekeeping-42-cambodian-peacekeepers-sent-to-chad-and-central-african-republic-for-first-time&catid=43:latest-press-releases&Itemid=76
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