Kampuchean Revolutionary Army


The Kampuchean Revolutionary Army was the Armed Forces of Democratic Kampuchea.

History

During the Democratic Kampuchea days, the 68,000-member Khmer Rouge-dominated CPNLAF force, which completed its conquest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia in April 1975, was renamed the RAK. This name dated back to the peasant uprising that broke out in the Samlot district of Battambang Province in 1967. Under its long-time commander and then Minister of Defense Son Sen, the RAK had 230 battalions in 35 to 40 regiments and in 12 to 14 brigades. The command structure in units was based on three-person committees in which the political commissar ranked higher than the military commander and his deputy.
Cambodia was divided into zones and special sectors by the RAK, the boundaries of which changed slightly over the years. Within these areas, the RAK's first task was the peremptory execution of former Khmer National Armed Forces officers and of their families, without trial or fanfare to eliminate KR enemies. The RAK's next priority was to consolidate into a national army the separate forces that were operating more or less autonomously in the various zones. The Khmer Rouge units were commanded by zonal secretaries who were simultaneously party and military officers, some of whom were said to have manifested "warlord characteristics". Troops from one zone frequently were sent to another zone to enforce discipline. These efforts to discipline zonal secretaries and their dissident or ideologically impure cadres gave rise to the purges that were to decimate RAK ranks, to undermine the morale of the victorious army, and to generate the seeds of rebellion. In this way, the KR used the RAK to sustain and fuel its violent campaign. The Air Force of the Kampuchean Revolutionary Army was formed in 1977 and disband in 1979.

Organization

Army

The Kampuchean Revolutionary Army was the official name of the army of Democratic Kampuchea during the period of 1975 to 1979, mainly consisting of Khmer Rouge operatives. In 1979 during the Cambodian-Vietnamese war it was reformed into the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea to continue to fight against the People's Army of Vietnam and the new Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Air Force

The Kampuchean Revolutionary Air Force was mainly defunct for the time that Democratic Kampuchea existed. Many aircraft were captured from Khmer National Armed Forces including many western types. During the Mayagüez Incident 5 T-28 Trojan aircraft wear destroyed. All aircraft were destroyed in 1979 during the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia.

Navy

The Kampuchean Navy under the new Khmer Rouge regime had a backbone force of 17 American-made Swift class patrol boats. Additionally the Navy also possessed submarine chaser E-311, 3 landing ships LCU and 1 landing ship LCM and a number of small river boats.

Equipment

Vehicles

TankOriginNumberVariantsNotes
PT-76USSRUnknownSupplied by the USSR during the Vietnam war.
Type 63 ChinaUnknownSupplied by China during the Vietnam war.
T-55USSRUnknownT-55/T-54Supplied by the USSR during the Vietnam war.
Type 59ChinaUnknownT-55/T-54 VariantSupplied by China during the Vietnam war.
Type 62ChinaUnknownSupplied by China during the Vietnam war.
M48 PattonUnited StatesUnknownCaptured from Khmer National Armed Forces and Army of the Republic of Vietnam forces during the Cambodian civil war.
M41 Walker BulldogUnited StatesUnknownCaptured from FANK and ARVN forces during the Cambodian civil war.
AMX-13FranceUnknownCaptured from FANK and ARVN forces during the Cambodian civil war.
M113United StatesUnknownCaptured from FANK and ARVN forces during the Cambodian civil war.
Type 63 APCChinaUnknownSupplied by China during the Vietnam war.
BTR-50USSRUnknownSupplied by the USSR during the Vietnam war.
BTR-40USSRUnknownSupplied by the USSR during the Vietnam war, some were captured from FANK forces.
BTR-152USSRUnknownSupplied by the USSR during the Vietnam war, some were captured from FANK forces.
Cadillac Gage CommandoUnited StatesUnknownCaptured from FANK and ARVN forces during the Cambodian civil war.
Panhard AMLFranceUnknownCaptured from FANK forces during the Cambodian civil war.

Air Force

Navy