Royal Cambodian Army

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 Hun Manet 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:

• Region One: Headquarters are in Stung Treng and the region covers the provinces of Stung Treng, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri.
• Region Two: Headquarters are in Kampong Cham and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng.
• Region Three: Headquarters are in Kampong Speu and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Speu, Takéo, Kampot, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong and Kep.
• Region Four: Headquarters are in Siem Reap and the region covers the provinces of Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, and Kampong Thom.
• Region Five: Headquarters are in Battambang and the region covers the provinces of Battambang, Pursat, Banteay Meanchey and Pailin.
• Special Region: Headquarters are in the capital, Phnom Penh and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Kandal and the greater municipality of Phnom Penh.

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.

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.
• 600+ APC
• 800+ artillery
• 23 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.

Tanks and armoured vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Main battle tanks
T-54/T-55/T-55AM2	Main battle tank	325[2]	Soviet Union	Almost all tanks are second-hand. 10 second-hand T-55 tanks received in 1983. 100 second-hand T-55 tanks aided by Vietnam in 1988.15 new T-55AM2 tanks bought from Soviet Union in 1994.50 second-hand T-55AM2 tanks supplied by Poland in 1994.50 second-hand T-55 tanks supplied by Serbia in 2010.100 second-hand T-55 tanks supplied by Ukraine in 2010.[2]
Type 59 tank		250[3]	China
Light tanks
Type 62	Light tank	20[4]	China
Type-63	Amphibious light tank	20[5]	China
PT-76		20[2]	Soviet Union	10 units ordered in 1983 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1983 and another 10 units ordered in 1988 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1989.
Infantry fighting vehicles
BMP-1	Infantry fighting vehicle	170[6]	Soviet Union
Armored personnel carrier
Dongfeng EQ2050[7]	Armored personnel carrier	100	China
Dongfeng Mengshi		Unknown
ZFB-05		Unknown
VN-4[8]		Unknown
BTR-60 PB		240[2][9]	Soviet Union
OT-64 SKOT		60[2][9]	Poland  Czech Republic
BTR-152		30[2]	Soviet Union	Possibly retired.Received in 1964.[2]
Panthera T6 3-RD[10]		30	Turkey  United Arab Emirates
Storm Light APC 4x4[11]		Unknown	Qatar	Used by BHQ.
BRDM-2	Amphibious Armoured scout car	140[2]	Soviet Union

Transport

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
BJ2022	Light military transport	75[12]	China
Beijing BJ80[7]		190
Dongfeng 6x6	Military transport	150[12]
Genpaw 4x2		290[13]
SAIC Genpaw 6x6		190
Ural-4320		250	Soviet Union
M35 series 2½-ton 6×6 cargo truck[14][15]		280	United States
Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5000		25	Germany	replacement for Ural trucks
Mercedes-Benz Zetros		25		replacement for Ural trucks

Artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
ZiS-3	76 mm anti-tank field gun	200[2]	Soviet Union
T-12[2]	100 mm anti-tank field gun	80[2]	Soviet Union	Received in 1989.[2]
D-74[2]	122 mm towed howitzer	100	Soviet Union
M-30[2]		250[2]	Soviet Union	Received in 1963.[2]
D-30[6]		13[2]	Soviet Union	10 received from Soviet Union in 1988.Three received from Seychelles in 1994.[2]
M-46[2]	130 mm towed field howitzer	200[2]	Soviet Union	Received in 1989.[2]
Type 59-1[6]		150	China
Rocket artillery systems
Type 63[2]	107 mm towed multiple rocket launcher	30[2]	China
BM-13/16[2]	132 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher	20[2]		Soviet Union	Second-hand.Received in 1964.[2]
BM-14[2]	140 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher	20[2]	Soviet Union	10 new BM-14 received from Soviet Union in 1964.10 second-hand BM-14 in 1988.[2]
BM-21 Grad / Type 81 SPRL [2]	122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher	32[2]	Soviet Union	22 BM-21 Grad and 10 Type 81 SPRL. 10 BM-21 Grad bought from Soviet Union in 1988. 10 second-hand BM-21 Grad bought from Soviet Union in 1988.2 second-hand BM-21 Grad mlrs received from Seychelles in 1994. 10 Type 81 SPRL bought from China in 1985.[2]
RM-70		20[2]	Czechoslovakia	20 received in 2012.[2]

Anti-aircraft artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
ZPU-2[6]	14.5mm towed anti-aircraft gun	100	Soviet Union
ZU-23-2	23 mm towed twin-barrel anti-aircraft gun	100
61-K[6]	37 mm towed anti-aircraft gun	100
AZP S-60[6]	57mm towed anti-aircraft gun	100
KS-19[2]	100 mm towed anti-aircraft gun	50
Bofors 40 mm[16]	Anti-aircraft autocannon	50	Sweden
KS-1 (missile)	Anti-aircraft missile	unknown	China

Infantry weapons

Small Arms	Type	Origin	Remark
Type 54[17]	Semi-automatic pistol	China	Standard issue
QSZ-92
Tokarev TT33[17]		Soviet Union
Makarov PM
AKM[17]	Assault rifle
AKMS[17]
Type 56[18]		China
Type 56-1[18]
Type 56-2			Standard issue. Recently received and deployed to troops near the Cambodian-Thai border.
Type 81-1			Recently received.
CQ 311			Some are seen in use along with the M16A1 rifle.
CQ 5.56mm Type A			Chinese variant of the M4A1. Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit.
Pindad SS1-V1[19]		Indonesia	Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces, Military Police, and Bodyguard Unit.
M16A1[20]		United States	Former FANK's main assault rifle.
AR-15			Used by BHQ.
Daewoo K1		South Korea	Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
Daewoo K2C
CZ 805 BREN[21]		Czechoslovakia	CZ BREN 2 chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO standard issue rifle in the BHQ.
QBS-09[22]	Semi-automatic shotgun	China
FAMAS	Bullpup assault rifle	France	Used since 1990s.[23]
QBZ-97[24]		China	Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit. Decommissioned and replaced by QBZ-97B.
QBZ-97A[24]			Standard issue. Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
QBZ-97B[24]			Standard issue. Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and Bodyguard Unit and Cambodian Royal Guards.
SKS[17][18]	Semi-automatic carbine	Soviet Union	Used by Cambodian Royal Guards. Decommissioned and replaced by QBZ-97B.
Type 56 Carbine[17][18]		China	Used by Cambodian Royal Guards and reserve training rifle.
Type 85	Submachine gun		Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
Daewoo K7		South Korea
Mini Uzi		Israel	Used by the Bodyguard Unit.
HK MP5A4		Germany	Used in small number by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces and by small number of Bodyguard Unit.
UMP			Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
CZ Scorpion Evo 3		Czechoslovakia
Type 79/85	Sniper rifle	China	Recently received.
KBU-97A
QBU-10
RPK[18]	Light machine gun	Soviet Union
RPD[17][18]
Type 56 LMG[17][18]		China	Standard issue
QBB-97 LSW			Used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.
PKM[18]	General-purpose machine gun	Soviet Union	Also named as K57
Type 80		China	Standard issue
DShK[17]	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union	Being replaced by W85 machine gun on ground troops, tripod mount. Remain in use on main battle tank.
Type 54 HMG[17]		China	Being replaced by W85 machine gun on ground troops, tripod mount. Remain in use on main battle tank.
Type 77
W85			Standard issue
Zastava M84	General-purpose machine gun	Yugoslavia
RPG-2[18]	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union
RPG-7V2[17]
RPG-22
Type 56 RPG		China	Standard issue
Type 69 RPG
PF-89	Light anti-tank rocket	China	Standard issue. New infantry Anti-tank rocket launcher
Armbrust[17]		Germany	Standard issue
9K115-2 Metis-M	Anti-tank guided missile	Russia	Used by FUNCINPEC: during the 1997 Cambodian coup.
LRAC F1	Shoulder-fired missile	France
SA-7 Grail[2]	Man-portable air-defense systems	Soviet Union	Standard issue
HN-5[2]		China
FN-6[2]
FN-12/16[2]			Standard issue, Advance version of the FN-6.
Norinco LG5 / QLU-11	Automatic grenade launcher	China
M79[18]	Grenade launcher	United States	FANK's main grenade launcher.
M203			Attach on the M16A1 rifle, former FANK's grenade launcher.
NORINCO LG4		China

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, a total of 6,822 soldiers, of them 369 are women, have been so far sent to 10 peacekeeping missions in nine countries such as:[25]

• Central African Republic
• Lebanon
• Mali
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Chad
• Syria
• Cyprus
• Yemen

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

• http://www.manager.co.th/IndoChina/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000121559

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Army of Cambodia.

• Official website
• Ministry of National Defence
• PhnomPenhPost