Lao People's Armed Forces

Lao People's Armed Forces
ກອງທັບປະຊາຊົນລາວ
Emblem of Lao People's Armed Forces
Flag of the Lao People's Armed Forces
Founded20 January 1949 (1949-01-20)
Service branchesLao People's Army (includes Riverine Force)
Lao People's Air Force
Self-Defense Militia Forces[1]
HeadquartersVientiane
Leadership
Governing bodyCentral Committee for National Defense and Security
Commander in ChiefGeneral Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith
Minister of DefenceGeneral Khamlieng Outhakaysone[2]
Chief of the General StaffLieutenant General Saichay Kommasith
Personnel
Military age18- 45 years of age for compulsory military service
Conscriptionminimum 18 months
Active personnel30,000
Reserve personnel100,000
Expenditure
Budget$39 million (2024) [3]
Percent of GDP0.23% (2024)
Industry
Foreign suppliers China
Indonesia
Russia
Ukraine
United States
Vietnam
Historical:
Related articles
HistoryFirst Indochinese War
Vietnam War

Communist insurgency in Thailand
Third Indochina War

RanksMilitary ranks of Laos

The Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) (Lao: ກອງທັບປະຊາຊົນລາວ, romanized: Kongthap Paxaxon Lao) is the armed forces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the military institution of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

History

Lao People's Armed Forces on Red Square in Moscow during the Victory Day parade on 9 May 2025

According to some journalists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), humanitarian and human rights organisations, the Lao People's Army has repeatedly engaged in egregious human rights violations and the practice of corruption in Laos.[4][5] The LPAF and its military intelligence play a role in the arrest, imprisonment and torture of foreign prisoners in Vientiane's Phonthong Prison and the communist Lao gulag system where Australians Kerry and Kay Danes were imprisoned and where civic activist Sombath Somphone may be imprisoned following his arrest in December 2012.[6]

On 17 May 2014, Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Douangchay Phichit was killed in a plane crash, along with other officials.[7] The officials were to participate in a ceremony to mark the liberation of the Plain of Jars from the former Royal Lao government forces.[8] Their Russian-built Antonov AN 74-300 with 20 people on board crashed in Xiangkhouang Province.[9]

Organisation

The LPRP statute states that its political leadership over the military emanates from the LPRP Central Committee's Central Committee for National Defense and Security and is the highest decision-making institution regarding military and security affairs. The committee is chaired by the LPRP General Secretary, making the officeholder the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.[10]

Branches

The LPAF has three known service branches:

Regional structure

  • LPA Headquarters (Vientiane)[11]
  • Military Region 1[11]
  • Military Region 2[11]
  • Military Region 3[11]
  • Military Region 4[11]
  • Vientiane Capital Military Command[11]

Education

  • Kaysone Phomvihane National Defence Academy
  • Viengxay Military Training School[12]

Equipment

Tanks, armoured vehicles and trucks

Photo Model Type Origin Quantity Notes
Tanks
T-72B1MS Main battle tank Russia ~50[13]
T-55 Main battle tank Soviet Union
Hungarian People's Republic		 85[14]
PT-76 Light tank Soviet Union 25[15] 30 were in service in 1996.[16]
APC/IFV
BTR-60PB Armored personnel carrier Soviet Union 70[15] Currently 70 are in service. BTR-60s have been seen in service as recently as January 2019
BTR-152 Armored personnel carrier Soviet Union Unknown [15]
BTR-40 Armored personnel carrier Soviet Union 10[15]
BRDM-2M Armoured car Soviet Union Russia 20[17] Upgraded BRDM-2M supplied by Russia in late 2018. At least 10 in service.
Light armoured vehicle/Light assault vehicle
Dima DMT5070XFB Armored personnel carrier China Unknown
Chinese Tiger 4x4 Infantry mobility vehicle China Unknown
CS/VN3 4x4 Infantry mobility vehicle China Unknown
Truck/Utility
KrAZ-6322 Truck Ukraine Unknown
Ural-4320 Medium truck Soviet Union Unknown
GAZ-3308 Medium truck Russia Unknown
FAW Jiefang 141 Medium truck China Unknown
Ural-43206 Light truck Soviet Union Unknown
GAZ-66 Platform truck Soviet Union Unknown
BAIC 4x4 vehicles Military light utility vehicle China Unknown
UAZ-469 Military light utility vehicle Soviet Union Unknown
BJ2022JC Military light utility vehicle China Unknown
PTS Tracked amphibious transport Soviet Union Unknown
Shaanxi SX2190 Launched bridge China Unknown
Shaanxi SX2190 Floating bridge China Unknown
Engineering and support vehicles
XCMG backhoe loader Engineering vehicle China Unknown
XCMG excavator Engineering vehicle Unknown
XCMG wheel loader Engineering vehicle Unknown
XCMG XJY240WQ Engineering vehicle Unknown
XCMG XJY240Z Engineering vehicle Unknown

Artillery

Photo Model Type Origin Quantity Notes
Dongfeng CS/SS4 Self propelled mortar system China
SR-5 Multiple rocket launcher China 12
BM-21 Grad 122mm multiple rocket launcher Soviet Union 32 Retired from parade in 2019
BM-14 Multiple rocket launcher 20
2S3 Akatsiya 152mm self-propelled howitzer Unknown
122-HL-70 122mm self-propelled howitzer Laos 18
PCL-09 122mm self-propelled howitzer China 12
M-30 122 mm howitzer Towed howitzers and guns Soviet Union 15[18]
122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)20[18]
130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)[18]
M114 155 mm howitzer[18] United States12[18]
M101 howitzer105mm (towed): M-101[18]20[18]
M116 howitzer[18]75mm (towed): M-116 pack10[19][20]

Air defence

Photo Model Type Origin Quantity Notes
S-125 Neva/Pechora Short-range SAM system Soviet Union Unknown
9K35 Strela-10 Vehicle-mounted SAM system Soviet Union Unknown
Yitian anti air system Surface-to-air missile China Unknown
ZSU-23-4 Shilka Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Soviet Union Unknown
Strela-2 Surface-to-air missile Soviet Union Unknown Received 100 launchers from Soviet Union in the 80s[21]
37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K) Air defence gun Unknown
57 mm AZP S-60 Automatic anti-aircraft gun Unknown
ZPU Auto anti-aircraft gun Unknown
ZU-23-2 Anti-aircraft gun Unknown[18]

Weapons

Photo Model Type Caliber Origin Notes
TT-33 Semi-automatic pistol 7.62×25mm Tokarev Soviet UnionStandard service pistols for Laotian Armed Forces.
PM[22] Semi-automatic pistol 9×18mm Makarov Soviet Union
G2 Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum  Indonesia [23]
JS 9 mm Bullpup Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum China [24]
Winchester Model 1200 Pump shotgun 12-gauge  United States
Vepr-12 Semi-automatic shotgun 12-gauge Russia Used by Laotian special forces.
Simonov SKS Semi-automatic rifle 7.62×39mm M43 Soviet Union Limited use, used for ceremonial purpose only
Mosin-Nagant Bolt-action rifle 7.62×54mmR Soviet Union Limited use, in storage
9A-91 Assault rifle, Carbine 9x39mm Russia Used by Laotian special forces.

AKM AKMS

 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm Soviet UnionStandard service rifles for Laotian Armed Forces, including police officer and Lao People's army. To be replaced by AK-74 and AK-12.[22]
AK-74 Assault rifle 5.45x39mm Soviet Union Seen in the hands of Laotian troops during Lao National Day military parade on 2 December 2025.
AK-12 Assault rifle 5.45x39mm Russia Used by Laotian special forces.
QBZ-95 Bullpup Assault rifle 5.8×42mm DBP87
5.56×45mm NATO		 China Used by Laotian Special Forces and Special Police Forces.
Type 56 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm China
Type 81 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm China
AMD-65 Assault rifle 7.62×39mm Hungarian People's Republic
Pindad SS1 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO  Indonesia In 2014, Laos imported 35 SS1 V2s and SS1 V4s.[25]
Pindad SS2 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Indonesia
M16A2 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO  United States
IWI Galil ACE Assault rifle 7.62×39 mm Israel
Vietnam		 Laos received Vietnamese-made Galil ACEs in January 2019.
RPD Light machine gun 7.62×39mm Soviet Union [22]
PK machine gun General-purpose machine gun 7.62×54mmR Soviet Union [22]
M60 machine gun General-purpose machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO  United States
KPV heavy machine gun Heavy machine gun 14.5×114mm Soviet Union
DShK Heavy machine gun 12.7×108mm Soviet Union
Dragunov SVD Designated marksman rifle, Sniper rifle 7.62×54mmR Soviet Union [24]
RPG-7 Rocket-propelled grenade 40mm Soviet Union
RPG-2 Rocket-propelled grenade 40mm Soviet Union [19][20][26]

Mortars

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The World Factbook". CIA.gov. Central Intelligence Agency. November 2021. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Deputy PM, Defence Minister Moves to PM's Office in Latest Reshuffle". Vientiane Times. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Military expenditure, market exchange rates data - Lowy Institute Asia Power Index".
  4. ↑ "Lao People's Democratic Republic: Hiding in the Jungle – Hmong under Threat". Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014.
  5. ↑ The Centre for Public Policy Analysis, CPPA, Washington, D.C. (1 August 2013), http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Archived 6 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Laos Officials Criticized for Obstructing Investigation". Scoop Independent News. Auckland, New Zealand. 19 March 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Laos Deputy PM Douangchay Phichit Dies in Plane Crash". BBC News. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  8. ↑ Williams, Martin (17 May 2014). "Laos Plane Crash Kills Defence Minister and Senior Officials". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Lao Defense Chief Among Plane Crash Victims". Laos News.Net. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Laos Lao People's Army - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System". Photius.com. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Đoàn sĩ quan trẻ Bộ CHQS Thủ đô Viêng Chăn giao lưu tại Trung đoàn 692". People's Army Newspaper (Vietnam). 28 June 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Sophavady, Boualao (10 November 2023). "Logistic Office of MNCS No.2 of Viengxay Reviews Its Annual Work Implementation". Kongthap.gov.la. Lao People's Army Newspaper. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Russia receives 30 vintage tank from Laos". 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021.
  14. ↑ "Trade Registers". Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Foss, Christopher F. (2000). Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle Recognition Guide. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780004724522.
  16. ↑ Administrator. "PT-76". Pancerni 2. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  17. ↑ Gibson, Neil; Fediushko, Dmitry (22 January 2019). "Laotian military parades Russian- and Chinese-made equipment". Jane's 360. London, Moscow. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Laos Army Equipment". Global Security. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  19. 1 2 Pike, John. "World Military Guide". Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  20. 1 2 "Laos". Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "Trade Registers". Archived from the original on 22 April 2019.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 "Know Your Region (KYR): Laos - Military". Cove.Army.gov.au. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  23. ↑ "Laos Borong Senjata Buatan Pindad" (in Indonesian). 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Cặp đôi súng Trung Quốc trong biên chế đặc công Lào mạnh cỡ nào?". 15 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023.
  25. ↑ ANTARA Administrator (24 September 2017). "Laos Expresses Interest To Make Another Purchase of Pindad Weapon". Tempo.co. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  26. ↑ Jones, Richard D. (27 January 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35 ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Country Studies / Area Handbooks / Laos". LOC.gov. Library of Congress. Table 15. Major Equipment of the Armed Forces, 1994. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014.
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