Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Encyclopedia
The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (Kangtrop Yuthipol Khemarak Phumin) (RCAF) are the national military forces of Cambodia. The Commander-in-Chief is HM
Majesty
Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...

 King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...

 Norodom Sihamoni
Norodom Sihamoni
Norodom Sihamoni is the current reigning King of Cambodia. He is the eldest son of Norodom Sihanouk and Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. Previously Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO, he was named by a nine-member throne council to become the next king after his father Norodom Sihanouk abdicated in 2004...

, and consists of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces.

The armed forces currently operate under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defence
Ministry of National Defence, Cambodia
The Ministry of National Defence is the government ministry responsible for national defence in Cambodia. The Ministry is responsible for maintaining and governing the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces....

. Under the constitution the RCAF is in charged of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia from external threats.

The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces consists of three branches:
  • Royal Cambodian Army
    Royal Cambodian Army
    The Royal Cambodian Army is a part of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It has ground forces which numbered about 175,000 divided into eleven divisions of infantry, with integrated armour and artillery support...

    • Special Forces
      911 Special Forces
      The 911 Para-Commando Battalion is a Royal Cambodian Army special forces unit based west of Phnom Penh. Most of the battalion graduated from the Indonesian army's special force's Commando Training, Kopassus, so the 911 is very similar to the Kopassus; even they also wear the same red beret,...

  • Royal Cambodian Navy
    • Royal Cambodian Marine Corps
  • Royal Cambodian Air Force
    Royal Cambodian Air Force
    The Royal Cambodian Air Force is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.-Organization:...

  • Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia
    Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia
    The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia, or "Military Police", is a branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and it is responsible for the maintenance of public order and internal security in Cambodia. The paramilitary unit has a strength of more than 7,000 soldiers deployed in all provinces...


The RCAF was created in 1993 by the merger of the Cambodian People's Armed Forces
Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
The Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Khmer People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, was the formal title given to the armed forces of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the de facto government of Cambodia 1979-1990....

 and the two non communist resistance armies. At the time, there were also resistance forces opposing the Government comprising the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 and a separate royalist resistance movement (also known as the National United Army or NUA).

The Royal Cambodian Army
Royal Cambodian Army
The Royal Cambodian Army is a part of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It has ground forces which numbered about 175,000 divided into eleven divisions of infantry, with integrated armour and artillery support...

 is the largest force with troops stationed in each province of the country. The Royal Cambodian Navy is the second largest force and operates at sea, along the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....

 and Bassac
Bassac River
The Bassac River is a distributary of the Tonle Sap and Mekong River. The river starts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and flows southerly, crossing the border into Vietnam near Châu Đốc....

 rivers and in the Tonle Sap
Tonlé Sap
The Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....

 Lake. The military police force numbers around 7,800 employees and runs parallel to the civilian police force.

The military police have posts in every province and municipality across the country. The Royal Cambodian Air Force
Royal Cambodian Air Force
The Royal Cambodian Air Force is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.-Organization:...

 is the smallest of the three forces and has around 1,000 employees. The air force operates in every province with an airport.

Regions

The RCAF command is divided geographically into five military regions and one special region. Each region includes several sub regions that correlate to civilian municipal and provincial boundaries:
  • Region One: Headquarters are in Stung Treng
    Stung Treng
    Stung Treng is the capital of Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. It is located in the western part of the Virachey National Park.It is the major city of both the district and province and has a population of 29,665 ....

     and the region covers the provinces of Stung Treng, Ratanakiri
    Ratanakiri
    Ratanakiri is a province in northeastern Cambodia that borders Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, Mondulkiri Province to the south, and Stung Treng Province to the west. The province extends from the mountains of the Annamite Range in the north, across a hilly plateau between the Tonle San...

     and Mondulkiri
    Mondulkiri
    - References :...

    .

  • Region Two: Headquarters are in Kampong Cham
    Kampong Cham (city)
    Kampong Cham is the capital city of the Kampong Cham Province in eastern Cambodia. It is the third largest city in Cambodia with a population of 63,771 people and is located on the Mekong River. Kampong Cham is 124 kilometers northeast from Phnom Penh and can be reached by either boat or by...

     and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Kampong Thom.

  • Region Three: Headquarters are in Kampong Speu and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Speu, Takéo, Kampot, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong
    Koh Kong Province
    Koh Kong is a province of Cambodia. The name means "Kŏng Island Province". Its capital is Koh Kong.-Geography:The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom...

     and the municipality of Kep
    Kep, Cambodia
    Kep is a coastal city and former beach resort in Cambodia's Kep Province, 173 kilometres southwest of Phnom Penh.The city was founded in 1908 during French colonial rule and was originally named Kep-sur-mer. Many of the French-style villas are overgrown and run-down, but Kep is slowly being...

    .

  • Region Four: Headquarters are in Siem Reap
    Siem Reap
    Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...

     and the region covers the provinces of Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear.

  • Region Five: Headquarters are in Battambang
    Battambang
    Battambang is the capital city of Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia.Battambang is the second-largest city in Cambodia with a population of over 250,000. Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is well known for being the leading rice-producing province of the country...

     and the region covers the provinces of Battambang
    Battambang Province
    Battambang is a province in northwestern Cambodia. It is bordered to the North with Banteay Meanchey, to the West with Thailand, and to the East and South with Pursat. The capital of the province is the city of Battambang. The name, meaning 'lost staff', refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang...

    , Pursat, Banteay Meanchey and the municipality of Pailin
    Pailin
    Pailin is a province at the northern edge of the Cardamom Mountains, in the west of Cambodia near the border of Thailand. This province is surrounded by Battambang Province, and was officially carved out of Battambang to become a separate administrative division after the surrender of the Ieng...

    .

  • Special Region: Headquarters are in the capital, Phnom Penh
    Phnom Penh
    Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

     and the region covers the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Kandal
    Kandal Province
    Kandal is a province of Cambodia. Its capital is Ta Khmao town . The province completely surrounds, but does not include, the national capital Phnom Penh...

     and the greater municipality of Phnom Penh.

Strength and demobilization

In 2002, Prince Sisowath Sirirath, then Co-Minister of Defense, stated that the total Cambodian military strength stood around 112,000 persons. With the end of fighting and the surrender of the last of the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

, the Cambodian military has been undergoing substantial changes as it shifts to become a peacetime force.

Since 1999, the government has been working to demobilize large numbers of servicemen with support from the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

. Demobilization efforts began in February 2000 and the first 1,500 soldiers were demobilized in a pilot project later that year. In 2001, the first phase of demobilization got under way and 15,000 soldiers returned to civilian life in large ceremonies around the country. A second phase of demobilization was planned for 2003 where an additional 30,000 servicemen would leave the armed forces. However, the process has been stalled by allegations of corruption and procurement irregularities.
Component Military personnel
Army 175,000
Navy 12,400
Air Force 2,500
Special Forces 6,500
Royal Gendarmerie 7,000
Total 203,400

Royal Khmer Armed Forces (FARK)

The Royal Khmer Armed Forces "Forces Armées Royales Khmeres" (FARK), was established on 9 November 1953 under a Franco-Khmer convention. This contributed to the termination of the French colony and protectorate, and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

 obtained its own authentic military organization
Military organization
Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation's armed forces...

. The FARK's roles were defined as follows: to guarantee the sovereignty of the nation and of the king; to ensure security, social order and the respect of law; and to defend the Kingdom of Cambodia. With less than 35,000 troops, FARK was organized at battalion level under the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Head of State.

Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK)

The military situation changed dramatically following the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...

 in March 1970. In the Khmer Republic
Khmer Republic
The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...

 regime, FARK was renamed "Khmer National Armed Forces" (Forces Armées Nationales Khmeres
Khmer National Armed Forces
The Khmer National Armed Forces , often abbreviated to FANK, were the official armed defense forces of the Khmer Republic, a short-lived state that existed from 1970 to 1975, known today as Cambodia...

 – FANK). When Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

 real war followed, and in response to a declared state of emergency, the FANK's size was expanded to reach approximately 200,000 military personnel organized in brigades and divisions. The armed forces of all categories were placed under command and control of the President.

National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (NADK)

After the fall of the Khmer Republic
Khmer Republic
The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...

 regime in April 1975, the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 established a new military force called National Army of Democratic Kampuchea
National Army of Democratic Kampuchea
The National Army of Democratic Kampuchea was a Cambodian guerrilla force. NADK were the armed forces of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea , operating between 1979 and the late 1990s.-History:...

 (NADK). It was purely composed of Khmer Rouge fighters. Similar to other forces, the NADK
National Army of Democratic Kampuchea
The National Army of Democratic Kampuchea was a Cambodian guerrilla force. NADK were the armed forces of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea , operating between 1979 and the late 1990s.-History:...

 was organized up to division level and under command of the Chief of the General Staff.

Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (KPRAF)

Following the intervention of the Vietnamese forces in January 1979, which resulted in the collapse of the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 regime and because of the effect of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

, a new force was re-created in Cambodia: The Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
The Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Khmer People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, was the formal title given to the armed forces of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the de facto government of Cambodia 1979-1990....

, which later changed its name to the Cambodian People's Armed Forces (CPAF) of the Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

 government, was rebuilt. This military organization evolved, in terms of size and organization, from battalions to divisions.

In the meantime, anti-Vietnamese movements were formed along the Cambodian-Thai border. Apart from the remained NADK, two other non-communist resistance forces, the Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces
Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces
The Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces was the military component of the Khmer People's National Liberation Front a political front organized in 1979 in opposition to the Vietnamese-installed People's Republic of Kampuchea regime in Cambodia...

 (KPNLAF) and the Armées Nationale pour Khmer Independent – ANKI (previously called Armées Nationale Sihanoukist – ANS) were established. The military evolution of the last two movements was similar in character: from small armed groups to divisions.

Because of the influence of the Cold War's ideological contest, and the interference of some global powers, Cambodia found itself in an insecure environment. This remained the case for more than 20 years after 1970, and was only resolved through the Peace Accords signed in Paris in October 1991.

Re-establishment of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces

A legitimate national armed force, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, was re-established in 1993 following the creation of a democratically elected First-Term Government. The armed forces of all parties, except the NADK, were integrated into one national armed force.

In order to put security problems to an end, the Government commenced its Win Win policy in mid 1995. The policy was to end the internal security crisis through national reconciliation and national unity efforts, under the rule of the King of Cambodia
King of Cambodia
The King of Cambodia is the head of state of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The King's power is limited to that of a symbolic figurehead to whom people are to give love and respect...

. Subsequent defections NADK units began in early 1996. The Win Win policy of Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...

 continued to succeed as the last groups of the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 guerrillas were integrated into the RCAF in late 1998. It historically marked the total dissolution of the Khmer Rouge's political and military organs and the return of all secession areas to government control.

The RCAF now has to continue reforms, so as to be in-line with the Government's political guidelines. These guidelines direct the armed forces to demobilize to an acceptable size, achieve sound capability, and inculcate high ethics and dignity, with advancement towards international standardization in the future. The RCAF also has to plan for its agenda to include security cooperation for the common benefit of the whole region.

Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia

The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia is a paramilitary unit with about 7,000 soldiers deployed in all provinces. It is head quartered in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

. The unit's chain of command is through the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces High Command and commanded by a Lieutenant General, currently Lt-General Sao Sokha. The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia is deployed in every province and cities to keep law and order. After the penal procedure code had been passed the military police in Cambodia play an important role in Cambodia society which keep law and orders in cities like the National Police, an important tasks that had been revoked sub decree in 2002.
Every provincial gendarmerie is commanded by a colonel, after 1 January 2009 by a brigadier general, except in the capital of Phnom Penh where it is commanded by brigadier general since it is created.

See also

  • Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
    Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
    The Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Khmer People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, was the formal title given to the armed forces of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the de facto government of Cambodia 1979-1990....

  • History of Cambodia
    History of Cambodia
    - Prehistory and early history :Carbon 14 dating of a cave at Laang Spean in northwest Cambodia reveals people who made pots were living in Cambodia as early as 4200 BCE . Further archaeological evidence indicates that other parts of the region now called Cambodia were inhabited from around...

  • Cambodian Civil War
    Cambodian Civil War
    The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and their allies the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the government forces of Cambodia , which were supported by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam The Cambodian...

  • Lon Nol
    Lon Nol
    Lon Nol was a Cambodian politician and general who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice, as well as serving repeatedly as Defense Minister...

  • Khmer Republic
    Khmer Republic
    The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...

  • Weapons of the Cambodian Civil War
    Weapons of the Cambodian Civil War
    The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea against the Khmer Republic led by the Lon Nol government.-Pistols:*Smith & Wesson Model 39*Colt.45 M1911*FN GP35...

  • Khmer Rouge
    Khmer Rouge
    The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

  • Meas Sophea
    Meas Sophea
    H.E General. Meas Sophea, born 1955, is a senior general in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces . He is currently the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the R.C.A.F and chief of the Royal Cambodian Army.- Early life :...

  • Hun Sen
    Hun Sen
    Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...


Further reading

  • Gerald Segal and Mats Berdal, 'The Cambodia Dilemma,' Jane's Intelligence Review, March 1993, p. 131-2. Includes listing of formations and equipment of the various factions.
  • Robert Karniol, 'Confined to local waters,' Naval Forces Update, Jane's Defence Weekly
    Jane's Defence Weekly
    Jane's Defence Weekly is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs, edited by Peter Felstead. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F. T. Jane, an Englishman who first published Jane's All the World's Fighting Ships in 1898...

    , 20 June 1992, p. 1097. Status of Cambodian navy.
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