Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force (LPLAAF) is the air force of Laos
.
. Pathet Lao
guerrilla forces began to operate a few aircraft from 1960, as did another rebel group led by Kong Le
. Kong Le forces were later re-incorporated into the Royal Lao Air Force. When the communist take-over in, 1975, resulted in the adoption of the present title.
Military co-operation agreement with Russia in 1997 resulted in 12 Mil Mi-17 helicopters that entered service in mid 1999 to follow on from previous deliveries of Mi-8s. SAM systems also entered service such as the SA-3 'Goa' and SA-7B 'Grail'.
and Phonsavanh - with another three bases supported by detachments from the main units. Apart from the main military air bases, there are also a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country which are frequently used by the Air Force and the semi-military airline Lao Airlines. In 1961 Laos had 25 airstrips capable of taking a C-47.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Antonov An-24
|| || transport || An-24 || 3 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-2
|| || utility || An-2 || 10 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-26
|| || Transport || An-26 || 1 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-74 || || VIP Transport || An-74 || 1 ||
|-----
| Xi'an Y-7 || || Transport || Xi'an Y-7-100C || 1 ||
|-----
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
|| || fighter || MIG-21s || 17 were stored ||5 in active service
|-----
| | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
|| || fighter || MIG-21UM || 2 were stored in 2006 ||
|-----
| Ilyushin Il-103
|| || Training aircraft || || 3 delivered, 21 ordered ||
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-40
|| || trainer || Yak-40 || 2 ||
|-----
| Kamov Ka-32 || || Transport helicopter || Ka-32T || 6 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-6
|| || utility helicopter || Mi-6 || 1 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-8
|| || transport helicopter || Mi-8 || 7 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-17
|| || transport helicopter || Mi-17 || 9 ||
|-----
| Harbin Z-9
|| || utility helicopter || Z-9 || 4 ||
Google Earth imagery has shown seventeen MiG-21 Fishbed
at Xieng Khouang airbase and three at Vientiane
, although their condition is unknown.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
.
History
The present-day LPLAAF is descended from the Aviation Laotienne, which was established by the French and later became the Royal Lao Air ForceRoyal Lao Air Force
The Royal Lao Air Force was the air force branch of the Military of the Royal Lao Government in the Kingdom of Laos. The RLAF, along with the Royal Lao Navy, and the Royal Lao Army, were placed under the control of the Ministry of Defense in Vientiane....
. Pathet Lao
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group was ultimately successful in assuming political power after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists...
guerrilla forces began to operate a few aircraft from 1960, as did another rebel group led by Kong Le
Kong Le
Kong Le is a former paratrooper captain in the Royal Lao Army known for overthrowing the government of Laos in a 1960 coup d'état. He obtained his training from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1957 and joined the Royal Lao Army in 1960.-Coup of 1960:...
. Kong Le forces were later re-incorporated into the Royal Lao Air Force. When the communist take-over in, 1975, resulted in the adoption of the present title.
Military co-operation agreement with Russia in 1997 resulted in 12 Mil Mi-17 helicopters that entered service in mid 1999 to follow on from previous deliveries of Mi-8s. SAM systems also entered service such as the SA-3 'Goa' and SA-7B 'Grail'.
Bases
The LPLAAF operates from two main bases - VientianeVientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
and Phonsavanh - with another three bases supported by detachments from the main units. Apart from the main military air bases, there are also a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country which are frequently used by the Air Force and the semi-military airline Lao Airlines. In 1961 Laos had 25 airstrips capable of taking a C-47.
- Wattay International AirportWattay International Airport-Ground transportation:Access to airport by taxi, car and tuk-tuk. A taxi rank is located outside the main arrival hall.-Accidents and incidents:*On 24 March 1976, Douglas C-47A XW-TAF and C-47Bs XW-TDF and XW-TDR or Royal Air Lao were damaged beyond economic repair in a storm.-External links:* *...
- Long TiengLong TiengLong Tieng is a Laotian military base located in Xiangkhouang Province. During the Laotian Civil War, it served as a town and airbase operated by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States...
- Pakse International AirportPakse International AirportPakse International Airport is one of the few international airports in Laos. Pakse is the former southern capital city of the Champasak Kingdom.-Airlines:...
- Xieng Khouang AirportXieng Khouang AirportXieng Khouang Airport is an airport in Phonsavan, Laos .-Airlines and destinations:Lao Airlines offers six flights a week in peak season and four flights to Vientiane in low season.Flights are at noon and leave in the early afternoon.-References:...
Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Antonov An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
|| || transport || An-24 || 3 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-2
Antonov An-2
The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
|| || utility || An-2 || 10 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-26
Antonov An-26
The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...
|| || Transport || An-26 || 1 ||
|-----
| Antonov An-74 || || VIP Transport || An-74 || 1 ||
|-----
| Xi'an Y-7 || || Transport || Xi'an Y-7-100C || 1 ||
|-----
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
|| || fighter || MIG-21s || 17 were stored ||5 in active service
|-----
| | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
|| || fighter || MIG-21UM || 2 were stored in 2006 ||
|-----
| Ilyushin Il-103
Ilyushin Il-103
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* -External links:* ....
|| || Training aircraft || || 3 delivered, 21 ordered ||
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-40
Yakovlev Yak-40
The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engined airliner that is often called the first regional jet transport aircraft...
|| || trainer || Yak-40 || 2 ||
|-----
| Kamov Ka-32 || || Transport helicopter || Ka-32T || 6 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-6
Mil Mi-6
|-Facts:*Test pilot N.B. Leshin has set the world record of speed. This event was awarded by the American Helicopter Society.*Small numbers are still in service, most in Siberia plus a small number with the People's Republic of China...
|| || utility helicopter || Mi-6 || 1 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
|| || transport helicopter || Mi-8 || 7 ||
|-----
| Mil Mi-17
Mil Mi-17
The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...
|| || transport helicopter || Mi-17 || 9 ||
|-----
| Harbin Z-9
Harbin Z-9
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
|| || utility helicopter || Z-9 || 4 ||
Google Earth imagery has shown seventeen MiG-21 Fishbed
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
at Xieng Khouang airbase and three at Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
, although their condition is unknown.