The Khmer Air Force

The Khmer Air Force (French: Armée de l'air khmère; AAK), commonly known by its americanized acronym KAF (or KhAF) was the air force component of the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK), the official military of the Khmer Republic during the Cambodian Civil War between 1970 and 1975. ពត៍មាន​អំពី យន្តហោះកងទ័ពអាកាសខ្មែរ 

ទ័ពអាកាសខ្មែរ គេសំដៅយកពីឆ្នាំ ១៩៥៤ ដល់ ឆ្នាំ ១៩៧៥។ សម័យសង្រ្គាមលោកទី ២ កម្ពុជាជាផ្នែកមួយនៃកងទ័ពបារាំង​ដូច្នេះ មានអកាសយានិកយោធិន តិចតួចណាស់បំរើក្នុងជួរកងទ័ពបារាំង។ សម័យដែលជប៉ុនគ្រប់គ្រង និងកាត់ដីប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឲ្យទៅសៀម កម្ពុជាមិនមានអ្នកបើកបរយន្តហោះ កម្ពុជាត្រូវជួលជនជាតិបារាំងសម្រាប់កិច្ច​នានា។ ក្រោយការចាកចេញរបស់ជប៉ុនពីកម្ពុជា ឆ្នាំ ១៩៤៥ គឺមានតែកងទ័ពអាកាសបារាំងប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ គ្រានោះ កងទ័ពអាកាសបារាំង បានប្រញាប់ប្រញាល់ជ្រើសរើស ប្រឡង និស្សិតបើកបរយន្តហោះ​ ដែលជាការចាប់ផ្តើម promotion ទី១  Air 
Academy 1954 Class 1, 1955 Class 2 1958 Class 3 960 Class 4 1962 Class 5 1963 Class 6 1969 Class 7 1970 Class 8A 1971 Class 8B 1971 Class 8SG 1972 Class 9 1973 Class 10 1974 Class 11

Active	8 June 1971 – 17 April 1975
Country	Cambodia
Allegiance	Khmer Republic
Branch	Air Force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	10,000 personnel (at height)
	309 aircraft (at height)
Part of	Khmer National Armed Forces
Headquarters	Pochentong Air Base, Phnom Penh
Nickname(s)	KAF, KhAF (AAK in French)
Colors	Blue-gray
Anniversaries	22 April – AVRK Day
	8 June – KAF Day
Engagements	Cambodian Civil War
	Vietnam War
Commanders
Notable	So Satto
commanders	Penn Randa
	Ea Chhong
Aircraft flown
Attack	Fouga Magister, T-6G, T-28D, AD-4N
	Skyraider, T-37, AU-24, AC-47, FD-25
Electronic	EC-47D
warfare
Fighter	J-5, MiG-17
Reconnaissance	MS 500 Criquet, O-1 Bird Dog, U-6 (L-20), U-17
Trainer	T-6G, T-28B, T-41, MS 733 Alcyon,
	Nanchang BT-6/PT-6, Yak-18 Max,
	Socata Horizon, MiG-15UTI, FT-5,
	Fouga Magister, T-37, FD-25B
Transport	Cessna 170, Cessna 180, Dassault
	MD 315 Flamant,34, UH-1, Mi-4
	UTVA-60, An-2, Il-14, C-47, Douglas
	C-54B, Curtiss C-46F, C-123K, Alouette II,
	Alouette III, H-19, H-

១. កងអាកាសចរណ៍ខេមរភូមិន្ទ ១៩៥៣-១៩៧០ (Aviation Royale Khmerè)
២. កងទ័ពអាកាសខ្មែរ ១៩៧០-១៩៧៥ (Khmer Air Force)
៣. កងទ័ពអាកាសបដិវត្តន៍កម្ពុជា ១៩៧៥-១៩៧៩ (KRAF)
៤. កងទ័ពអាកាសប្រជាបដិវត្តន៍កម្ពុជា ១៩៧៩-១៩៨៩ (KPRAF)
៥. កងទ័ពអាកាសប្រជាបដិវត្តន៍កម្ពុជា ១៩៨៩-១៩៩៣ (CPRAF)
បច្ចុប្បន្ន: ១. កងទ័ពអាកាសខេមរភូមិន្ទ ១៩៩៣-សព្វថ្ងៃ (RCAF)។
L'Aviation Nationale Khmère 1970

During Sihanouk’s long stay in France, the incidents between the Cambodian population and Vietcong troops multiplied in Cambodia. There were also skirmishes between Vietcong and Cambodian troops. In the provinces and in Phnom Penh, protest demonstrations against North Vietnam took place. An ultimatum was given to the Vietcong and North Vietnam ordering them to leave Cambodia. Despite a request from the government, Prince Sihanouk still doesn’t return from France. The events had moved fast. 

On March 18, 1970 the national assembly voted the destitution of Sihanouk with an absolute majority and entrusted power to the Prime Minister Lon Nol and deputy Prime Minister, Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak.  In the Army, officers loyal to Sihanouk were considered as dangerous. They were put under tight surveillance, while some of them were arrested. Other officers belonging to the royal family found their situation very delicate with the atmosphere of distrust reigning among the echelons of commandment. Little by little this distrust was diminished, but not completely.