Lao People's Armed Forces

The Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is the armed forces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the institution of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

Lao People's Armed Forces
Emblem of Lao People's Armed Forces
Flag of the Lao People's Armed Forces
Founded	20 January 1949; 76 years ago (1949-01-20)
Service branches	Lao People's Army (includes Riverine Force) Lao People's Air Force Self-Defense Militia Forces[1]
Headquarters	Vientiane
Leadership
Governing body	Defence and Public Security Commission
DPSC Chairman, (General Secretary of the LPRP)	Thongloun Sisoulith
Minister of Defence	Senior Lieutenant General Khamlieng Outhakaysone [2]
Chief of the General Staff	Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith
Personnel
Military age	18- 45 years of age for compulsory military service
Conscription	minimum 18 months
Active personnel	100,000
Reserve personnel	30,000
Expenditure
Budget	$39 million (2024) [3]
Percent of GDP	0.23% (2024)
Industry
Foreign suppliers	China Czech Republic Hungary Indonesia Russia Ukraine Vietnam Historical: Hungarian People's Republic Czechoslovakia  East Germany  Soviet Union
Related articles
History	First Indochinese War Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Communist insurgency in Thailand Third Indochina War Insurgency in Laos Thai-Laotian Border War
Ranks	Military ranks of Laos

Organization

The LPRP statute states that its political leadership over the military emanates from the LPRP Central Committee's Defence and Public Security Commission (DPSC) and is the highest decision-making institution regarding military and security affairs. The DPSC is chaired by the LPRP General Secretary, making the officeholder the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.^[4]

History

Main article: Military history of Laos

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.^[5][6] 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.^[7]

In 2013, attacks by the Lao People's Army against the Hmong people intensified, with soldiers killing four unarmed Hmong school teachers in addition to engaging in other human rights abuses according to the Lao Human Rights Council, the Centre for Public Policy Analysis and others.^[8]

On 17 May 2014, Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Douangchay Phichit was killed in a plane crash, along with other officials.^[9] The officials were to participate in a ceremony to mark the liberation of the Plain of Jars from the former Royal Lao government forces.^[10] Their Russian-built Antonov AN 74-300 with 20 people on board crashed in Xiangkhouang Province.^[11]

Equipment

Tanks, armoured vehicles and trucks

Photo	Model	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Tanks
	T-72B1MS	Main battle tank	Russia	~50[12]
	T-55	Main battle tank	Soviet Union Hungarian People's Republic	85[13]
	PT-76	Light tank	Soviet Union	25[14]	30 were in service in 1996.[15] Currently 25 are in service.
APC/IFV
	BTR-60PB	Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	70[16]	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	[17]
	BTR-40	Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	10[18]
	BRDM-2M	Armoured car	Soviet Union Russia	20[19]	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	14[citation needed]
	SR-5	Multiple rocket launcher	China	12
	BM-21 Grad	122mm multiple rocket launcher	Soviet Union	32
	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[20]
	122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)[citation needed]			20[20]
	130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)[20]
	M114 155 mm howitzer[20]		United States	12[20]
	M101 howitzer	105mm (towed): M-101[20]		20[20]
	M116 howitzer[20]	75mm (towed): M-116 pack		10

^[21][22]

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[23]
	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

^[20]

Weapons

Photo	Model	Type	Caliber	Origin	Notes
	TT-33	Semi-automatic pistol	7.62×25mm Tokarev	Soviet Union	Standard service pistols for Laotian Armed Forces.
	PM[24]	Semi-automatic pistol	9×18mm Makarov	Soviet Union
	G2	Semi-automatic pistol	9x19mm Parabellum	Indonesia	[25]
	JS 9 mm	Bullpup Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	China	[26]
	Winchester Model 1200	Pump shotgun	12-gauge	United States
	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 Union	Standard service rifles for Laotian Armed Forces, including police officer and Lao People's army.[24]
	QBZ-95	Bullpup Assault rifle	5.8×42mm DBP87 5.56×45mm NATO	China	Standard issue for 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.[27]
	Pindad SS2	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Indonesia
	M16A2	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	United States
STV-380, an assault rifle made from Vietnam-based to Israeli's assault rifle.	IWI 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	[24]
	PK machine gun	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×54mmR	Soviet Union	[24]
	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	[26]
	RPG-7	Rocket-propelled grenade	40mm	Soviet Union
	RPG-2	Rocket-propelled grenade	40mm	Soviet Union

^[21][22][28]

Mortars

• 81mm^[29]
• 82mm^[29]
• 120mm^[24]
• Soviet Union M1938 mortar^[29]
• Soviet Union 120mm: M-43^[29]
• United States M2 4.2 inch mortar

See also

• Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
• Military ranks of the Lao People's Armed Forces