Royal Cambodian Navy
| Royal Cambodian Navy | |
|---|---|
| កងទ័ពជើងទឹក Kâng Toăp Cheung Tœ̆k | |
 Emblem of the Royal Cambodian Navy | |
| Founded | 1 March 1954 |
| Country |  Cambodia |
| Type | Navy |
| Role | Naval warfare |
| Size | 4,800 personnel, including marines [1] |
| Part of | Royal Cambodian Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Phnom Penh |
| Motto(s) | "ការពារព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា" (Khmer) ("Defend the Kingdom of Cambodia") |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Admiral Tea Vinh |
The Royal Cambodian Navy - RCN (Khmer: កងទ័ពជើងទឹក, romanized: Kâng Toăp Cheung Tœ̆k; lit. 'Naval Force') is the naval warfare service branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and one of the three uniformed services of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
It has an estimated of 4,000 active personnel and operates roughly 228 boats. Commanded by Admiral Tea Vinh, it sails under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defense.[2]
History
[edit]The Royal Khmer Navy (French: Marine royale khmère, MRK) was originally an extension of the Khmer Royal Army (French: Armée Royale Khmère – ARK) but officially became its own separate service in 1954.
Its role initially was only relegated to coastal & riverine patrols as well as ground support for internal security operations.
By 1967, it had a strength of about 1400 officers & men including 200 men of the Naval Infantry Force.[3]
National Committee for Maritime Security (NCMS)
[edit]The NCMS was established in December 2010, on the initiative of Prime Minister Hun Sen and with support from international security partners.
Part of its role is focusing on fighting against terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, cross-border crimes, drug trafficking as well as on preserving natural resources and conducting emergency rescue works.[4]
It is overseen by Admiral Tea Vinh and has bases in Sihanoukville, Ream and Phnom Penh, working with and for the Royal Cambodian Navy.
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NCMS is also responsible for the security of visiting navy's ships and personnel from neighbouring countries and allies, including China, Russia, Japan [5] and the USA.
Equipment
[edit]The navy possesses fifteen patrol craft and a further five patrol craft of the "fast attack" variety. There are also about 200 motorized and manual canoes.[6]
The country's seagoing capability was boosted in August 2005, when China handed over 4 patrol boats. Followed by 2 in 2006 from Vietnam and again, a further 7 by China were handed over worth $100,000,000. The craft were donated to Cambodia by China to help counter piracy, transnational crime, smuggling and to safeguard future oil installations. Despite ongoing rumors, the RCN have yet to announce nor confirmed the handover of the 2 PLN's Type 056 corvettes currently stationed at the Ream Naval Base.
In 2007, Cambodia reported that it was increasing the strength of its navy from 1,000 to 3,000 sailors, apart from creating a force of 2,000 Marine infantry.
Many officers of the Royal Cambodian Navy received their training at the Vietnam Naval Academy.[7]
The Royal Cambodian Navy also has many plans to strengthen their naval fleet with assistance from China, Germany, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan.
Bases
[edit]Naval bases of the Royal Cambodian Navy include the following:
- Main Headquarter located at the Chroy Changvar Naval Base (Mekong Flotilla)
- Ream Naval Base (Bay of Thailand Flotilla)
Flotillas
[edit]Mekong Flotilla
[edit]| Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Current Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Patrol Craft | ||||
| Koh Pothi-class | Koh Pothi Koh Seh |
1103 1104 |
Active Service Active Service |
Swift-class Mk. III, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.
Recently transferred from the Bay of Thailand Flotilla.[8] |
| Koh Kong-class | Koh Kong Koh Sdach Koh Ampil |
2101 2102 2103 |
Active Service Active Service Active Service |
Albatroz-class, acquired by the RCN in 2015.[9] |
| ASPB | Unknown | 2903 2904 2905 |
Unserviceable Decommissioned Decommissioned |
Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[10] |
| Large Patrol Craft | ||||
| Turya-class | Unknown | 1121 1122 |
Decommissioned Decommissioned |
Project 206M-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[11][12] |
| Small Landing Craft | ||||
| LCM-6 Landing Craft | Unknown | 2402 2406 |
Active Service Active Service |
Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[13] |
Bay of Thailand Flotilla
[edit]| Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Current Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Patrol Craft | ||||
| Koh Yor-class | Koh Yor Koh Tunsay |
1101 1102 |
Unserviceable Unserviceable |
Project 1400ME-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[14][15] |
| Koh Chhlam-class | Koh Chhlam Koh Rong |
1105 1106 |
Active Service Active Service |
Fassmer FPB 21-class, acquired by the RCN in 1997.[16] |
| Koh Ruesay-class | Koh Ruesay Koh Py Koh Krabey |
1107 1108 1109 |
Active Service Active Service Active Service |
Aid from China.[17] |
| Large Patrol Craft | ||||
| Shershen-class | Unknown | 1123 1124 |
Decommissioned Decommissioned |
Project 206-class, aid from Vietnam, |
| Koh Polowai-class | Koh Polowai Koh Tang Koh Pring Koh Via |
1131 1132 1133 1134 |
Active Service Unserviceable Unserviceable Active Service |
Project 02059-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.
In 1995, 1131 and 1134 were sent to Malaysia for modernization, creating a new sub-class.[20][21] |
| Koh Svay-class | Koh Svay Koh Kras Koh Krasar Koh Tbal |
1141 1142 1143 1144 |
Active Service Active Service Active Service Active Service |
Aid from China.[22]In 2021, a fire broke out on 1142;
resulting in 4 deaths.[23] |
| Large Landing Craft | ||||
| Yuch'in-class | Koh Andoek | 1401 | Active Service | Type 069-class, aid from China.[24] |
| LCM-8 Landing Craft | Unknown | Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[25] | ||
Navy ranks and insignia
[edit]| Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Royal Cambodian Navy |
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| នាយឧត្ដមនាវី Neay Utdamneavi |
ឧត្ដមនាវីឯក Utdamneavi ek |
ឧត្តមនាវីទោ Utdamneavi tou |
ឧត្តមនាវីត្រី Utdamneavi trei |
វរនាវីឯក Veareaneavi ek |
វរនាវីទោ Veareaneavi tou |
វរនាវីត្រី Veareaneavi trei |
អនុនាវីឯក Anuneavi ek |
អនុនាវីទោ Anuneavi tou |
អនុនាវីត្រី Anuneavi trei | |||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Royal Cambodian Navy |
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| នាយចក្របាលឯក Neay chakrabal ek |
នាយចក្របាលទោ Neay chakrabal tou |
ចក្របាលឯក Chakrabal ek |
ចក្របាលទោ Chakrabal tou |
ចក្របាលត្រី Chakrabal trei |
ចក្របាលរងឯក Chakrabal rong ek |
ចក្របាលរងទោ Chakrabal rong tou |
នាវិកឯក Neavik ek |
នាវិកទោ Neavik tou | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
[edit]- Khmer National Navy
- Ministry of Defense, Cambodia
- Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
- Royal Cambodian Army
- Royal Cambodian Air Force
References
[edit]
- ^ John Pike. "Royal Cambodian Navy". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ Ministry of National Defense website, retrieved 16/11/08[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cambodia Navy - History". www.globalsecurity.org.
- ^ "akp.gov.kh". www.akp.gov.kh. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Japanese navy plans Sihanoukville stop".
- ^ articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Sentinel-Security-Assessment-Southeast-Asia/Navy-Cambodia.html
- ^ "Học Viện Hải Quân Nha Trang - Ngôi nhà của các chiến sĩ". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "P121 patrol boats (1972-1973)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "2101 patrol boats (2015)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "VP1 coastal patrol boats (1964-1968/1968)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "11 patrol craft (1984-1985)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "Large torpedo boat - Project 206M". russianships.info.
- ^ "TA01 landing craft (1943-1945/1970)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "41 patrol boats (1985-1988)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "Coast guard patrol boat - Project 1400". russianships.info.
- ^ "KAOH CHHLAM patrol boats (1997)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "1107 patrol boats (2007)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "Shershen-class".
- ^ "Large torpedo boat - Project 206". russianships.info.
- ^ "MONDOLKIRI patrol craft (1985-1987)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "Coast guard patrol ship - Project 205P". russianships.info.
- ^ "1141 patrol craft (2007)". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "Boat fire injured 4 navy officials, other two missing". www.navypedia.org.
- ^ "1401 landing craft (1970s/2007)". navypedia.org.
- ^ "60 landing craft (1970s/1992)". www.navypedia.org.
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