Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

ROYAL LAO  PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE (LPLAAF)
Air Force 3,500 personnel.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
(Includes Air Defence Systems)

• AIRCRAFT 40+ combat capable. Total 68 Aircraft.

Interceptor & Fighter Ground Attack 2 sqn with up to 40+ FGA/Ftr ac:
16+ Mik-Gur. MiG-21bis PPL Fishbed-L / MiG-21bis SAU Fishbed-N / MiG-21MF Fishbed-J / MiG-21F-13 Fishbed-E / MiG-21PF Fishbed-D / MiG-21PFM Fishbed-F (18 in stored);
4 Mik-Gur. MiG-21UM Mongol-B*; 2 Mik-Gur. MiG-21U Mongol-A* (in stored);

VIP Transport 1 sqn with 3 VIP Tpt ac:
1 Antonov An-74TK-100 Madcap;
2 Yakovlev Yak-40 Codling;

Transport 1 sqn with 18 Tpt ac:
3 Antonov An-26 Curl;
4 Antonov An-24RV Coke;
3 Xi‘an Y-7-100C (An-24) Coke;
2 Harbin Y-12-II Panda (in stored);
4 Antonov An-2M Colt;
2 Xi‘an MA600

Training & Liaison 1 sqn with 4 Trg/Liaison ac:
3 Ilyushin IL-103 (21 ordered)
1 MiG-15UTI (in stored);

* Trainer Aircraft


• HELICOPTER  No armed capable. Total 27 Helicopters.
  (6 Hel sqn with)

Search and Rescue 3 SAR hel:
3 Aérospatiale SA-360 Dauphin

Support 38 Spt hel:
6 Kamov KA-32T Helix-C;
1 Mil Mi-26T Halo;
1 Mil Mi-6 Hook;
18 Mil Mi-8 Hip-C;
12 Mil Mi-17V1 (Mi-8MT) Hip-H

Utility 1 Utl hel:
1 Harbin Z-9 (AS-365N1 Dauphin)

• MISSILES
  AAM AA-2 Atoll


• FACILITIES
  Laos Air Force Heaquarters: Vientiane

  LPLAAF Airfields and Airbases Organisation:
  Vientiane-Xieng Khouang air base (Fighter Regt.): MiG-21
  Pakse (VLPS) air base (Fighter Regt.): MiG-21
  Vientiane-Wattay (VLVT) Airport (Transport Regt.): Y-12-II, Y-7, An-2/24/26
  Vientiane-Wattay (VLVT) Airport (VIP Sqn): 2 An-74, 1 Yak-40    
  Vientiane-Wattay (VLVT) Airport (Training Regt.): IL-103, MiG-15UTI
  Vientiane-Wattay (VLVT) Airport (Helicopter Regt.): Mi-8, Mi-17V1    
  Luang Prabang (VLLB) Airport (Helicopter Sqn det.): Mi-8   
  Pakse (VLPS) Airport (Helicopter Sqn det.): Mi-8    
  Phonsavan-Xieng Khouang (Helicopter Sqn det.): Mi-6/8/26    
  Savannakhet (VLSK) Airport (Helicopter Sqn det.): Mi-8    
  ? Camp - (Helicopter Sqn det.): Ka-32T

Note: Laos has 9 airports with paved runways (2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3) and 21 airports with unpaved runways (1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21)

All government aircraft are operated by the LPLAAF on behalf of the state