The very unequal air forces of the kingdoms of Cambodia and Thailand in their border war

A new war has broken out in the world, amid a growing wave of hostilities recently joined by India and Pakistan.

A veteran of the Spanish Navy in an aviation museum in the capital of Thailand
The armament of the air forces of Israel and Iran for a war between the two countries

The origin of the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand

This time the countries at war are two kingdoms: Cambodia and Thailand, in Southeast Asia. I believe the last time two or more kingdoms fought a war was during World War II (the United Kingdom on one side and Italy and Japan on the other). This conflict began at the end of May in a border clash between troops from both countries, which resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. The facts are unclear, and both countries blame each other.

The incident has increased tensions along the already long-standing border disputes between the two kingdoms. Ultimately, both countries have resorted to artillery fire, with fighting so far claiming 20 lives and 130,000 displaced. According to Reuters, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has accused Cambodia of attacking on multiple fronts. These clashes, the worst in Southeast Asia in 13 years, could increase tensions between the major powers in that region, since Cambodia is supported by communist China and Thailand is a traditional partner of the United States.

In addition to ground assets, Thailand has already used its F-16 fighters in these clashes. If the outcome of this war ends up depending on the use of combat aircraft, it's not hard to imagine which side will win, because when it comes to military aviation, Cambodia has everything to lose, as the two nations' air forces have very unequal resources. Let's start with the weakest side.

The Royal Cambodian Air Force

The Royal Cambodian Air Force (RCAF) has 42 aircraft and no combat aircraft. In the past, Cambodia operated Soviet MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-21 fighters, Chinese Shenyang J-5 and J-6 fighters, and Czechoslovak Aero L-39C Albatros and French Fouga CM.170R Magister training aircraft. Today, these obsolete aircraft are either decommissioned or in storage, and even if Cambodia could deploy them, even the MiG-21s would be no match for Thailand's more modern fighters.

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) "The Military Balance 2024," the RCAF has only 1,500 members, 10 fixed-wing aircraft, and 32 helicopters. The fixed-wing aircraft include one Airbus A-320 used as a VIP transport, two Xian MA60 twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft, two Harbin Y-12 light transport aircraft, and five Tecnam P92 Echo light aircraft.

As for helicopters, Cambodia has 6 Mil Mi-17 tactical transport helicopters, some Mi-8s (9, according to "World Air Force 2023"), 11 Harbin Z-9 utility helicopters (the Chinese version of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin), 2 AgustaWestland AW109 multi-purpose helicopters, 2 Aerospatiale AS-350 Ecureuil light helicopters, and 2 Eurocopter AS-355F2 Ecureuil II. In addition, Cambodia has 10 aircraft in storage: 2 Antonov An-24RV transport aircraft, a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander light transport aircraft, 5 L-39C Albatros trainers and two Mi-26 heavy helicopters.

The Royal Thai Air Force

Let's now move on to the best-equipped side. According to "The Military Balance 2024", the Royal Cambodian Air Force (RFAT) has 46,000 members, 84 fighters, 64 helicopters, 45 transport aircraft, 85 training aircraft, and other types of aircraft. The combat aircraft include 11 modern Saab JAS-39 Gripen (7 JAS-39C single-seat and 4 JAS-39D two-seat), 50 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons (36 F-16A single-seat and 14 F-16B two-seat), 23 F-5 Tiger IIs (20 F-5Es, 2 F-5Fs, and F-5THs), and one aging two-seat F-5B Freedom Fighter.

Adding to Thailand's list of armed fixed-wing aircraft are 16 Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker counterinsurgency aircraft and 16 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets. The full list of Thailand's aircraft would be very long to detail, as it numbers several hundred, not including those operated by the Army and Navy. Thailand is one of the best-armed countries in Southeast Asia and is, in fact, the only one to have an aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, built in Spain and the twin of the now defunct R-11 "Príncipe de Asturias" of the Spanish Navy.

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Main photo: CHIYODA I. Un F-16A tailandés.