Royal Cambodian Navy

The Royal Cambodian Navy - RCN (Khmer: កងទ័ពជើងទឹក, romanized: Kâng Toăp Cheung Tœ̆k; lit. 'Naval Force') is the naval warfare service branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and one of the three uniformed services of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Royal Cambodian Navy
កងទ័ពជើងទឹក Kâng Toăp Cheung Tœ̆k
Emblem of the Royal Cambodian Navy
Founded	1 March 1954; 71 years ago (1954-03-01)
Country	Cambodia
Type	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	2,800 personnel, including 1,500 marines [1] 19 ships +2 Type 056 (which are under construction) [2]
Part of	Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Phnom Penh
Motto(s)	"ការពារព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា" (Khmer) ("Defend the Kingdom of Cambodia")
Commanders
Commander	Admiral Tea Vinh

It has an estimated of 2,800 active personnel and operates roughly 19 ships. Commanded by Admiral Tea Vinh, it sails under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defense.^[3]

History

Main article: Khmer National Navy § History

The Royal Khmer Navy (French: Marine royale khmère, MRK) was originally an extension of the Khmer Royal Army (French: Armée Royale Khmère – ARK) but officially became its own separate service in 1954.

Its role initially was only relegated to coastal and riverine patrols as well as ground support for internal security operations.

By 1967, it had a strength of about 1400 officers and men including 200 men of the Naval Infantry Force.^[4]

National Committee for Maritime Security (NCMS)

The NCMS was established in December 2010, on the initiative of Prime Minister Hun Sen and with support from international security partners.

Part of its role is focusing on fighting against terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, cross-border crimes, drug trafficking as well as on preserving natural resources and conducting emergency rescue works.^[5]

Cambodian Navy officers stand in ranks with US Navy members.

It is overseen by Admiral Tea Vinh and has bases in Sihanoukville, Ream and Phnom Penh, working with and for the Royal Cambodian Navy.

Cambodian Navy saluting the flag.

USS Mustin (DDG-89) visits Cambodian Navy.

NCMS is also responsible for the security of visiting navy's ships and personnel from neighbouring countries and allies, including China, Russia, Japan ^[6] and the USA.

Equipment

The navy possesses fifteen patrol craft and a further five patrol craft of the "fast attack" variety. There are also about 200 motorized and manual canoes.^[7]

The country's seagoing capability was boosted in August 2005, when China handed over 4 patrol boats. Followed by 2 in 2006 from Vietnam and again, a further 7 by China were handed over worth $100,000,000. The craft were donated to Cambodia by China to help counter piracy, transnational crime, smuggling and to safeguard future oil installations. Despite ongoing rumors, the RCN have yet to announce nor confirmed the handover of the 2 PLN's Type 056 corvettes currently stationed at the Ream Naval Base.

In 2007, Cambodia reported that it was increasing the strength of its navy from 1,000 to 3,000 sailors, apart from creating a force of 2,000 Marine infantry.

Many officers of the Royal Cambodian Navy received their training at the Vietnam Naval Academy.^[8]

The Royal Cambodian Navy also has many plans to strengthen their naval fleet with assistance from China, Germany, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan.

Bases

Naval bases of the Royal Cambodian Navy include the following:

• Main Headquarter located at the Chroy Changvar Naval Base (Mekong Flotilla)
• Ream Naval Base (Bay of Thailand Flotilla)

Flotillas

Mekong Flotilla

Class	Ship Name	Hull Number	Current Status	Notes
Small Patrol Craft
Koh Pothi-class	Koh Pothi Koh Seh	1103 1104	Active Service Active Service	Swift-class Mk. III, inherited from the KPRN/CPN. Recently transferred from the Bay of Thailand Flotilla.[9]
Koh Kong-class	Koh Kong Koh Sdach Koh Ampil	2101 2102 2103	Active Service Active Service Active Service	Albatroz-class, acquired by the RCN in 2015.[10]
ASPB	Unknown	2903 2904 2905	Unserviceable Decommissioned Decommissioned	Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[11]
Large Patrol Craft
Turya-class	Unknown	1121 1122	Decommissioned Decommissioned	Project 206M-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[12][13]
Small Landing Craft
LCM-6 Landing Craft	Unknown	2402 2406	Active Service Active Service	Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[14]

Bay of Thailand Flotilla

Class	Ship Name	Hull Number	Current Status	Notes
Small Patrol Craft
Koh Yor-class	Koh Yor Koh Tunsay	1101 1102	Unserviceable Unserviceable	Project 1400ME-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[15][16]
Koh Chhlam-class	Koh Chhlam Koh Rong	1105 1106	Active Service Active Service	Fassmer FPB 21-class, acquired by the RCN in 1997.[17]
Koh Ruesay-class	Koh Ruesay Koh Py Koh Krabey	1107 1108 1109	Active Service Active Service Active Service	Aid from China.[18]
Large Patrol Craft
Shershen-class	Unknown	1123 1124	Decommissioned Decommissioned	Project 206-class, aid from Vietnam, torpedo tubes were removed prior to handover.[19][20]
Koh Polowai-class	Koh Polowai Koh Tang Koh Pring Koh Via	1131 1132 1133 1134	Active Service Unserviceable Unserviceable Active Service	Project 02059-class, inherited from the KPRN/CPN. In 1995, 1131 and 1134 were sent to Malaysia for modernization, creating a new sub-class.[21][22]
Koh Svay-class	Koh Svay Koh Kras Koh Krasar Koh Tbal	1141 1142 1143 1144	Active Service Active Service Active Service Active Service	Aid from China.[23]In 2021, a fire broke out on 1142; resulting in 4 deaths.[24]
Large Landing Craft
Yuch'in-class	Koh Andoek	1401	Active Service	Type 069-class, aid from China.[25]
LCM-8 Landing Craft	Unknown			Inherited from the KPRN/CPN.[26]

Navy ranks and insignia

Main article: Military ranks of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces

Rank group	General/flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Royal Cambodian Navy v t e
			នាយឧត្ដមនាវី Neay Utdamneavi		ឧត្ដមនាវីឯក Utdamneavi ek		ឧត្តមនាវីទោ Utdamneavi tou		ឧត្តមនាវីត្រី Utdamneavi trei		វរនាវីឯក Veareaneavi ek		វរនាវីទោ Veareaneavi tou		វរនាវីត្រី Veareaneavi trei		អនុនាវីឯក Anuneavi ek		អនុនាវីទោ Anuneavi tou			អនុនាវីត្រី Anuneavi trei

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Royal Cambodian Navy v t e
	នាយចក្របាលឯក Neay chakrabal ek						នាយចក្របាលទោ Neay chakrabal tou		ចក្របាលឯក Chakrabal ek		ចក្របាលទោ Chakrabal tou						ចក្របាលត្រី Chakrabal trei						ចក្របាលរងឯក Chakrabal rong ek				ចក្របាលរងទោ Chakrabal rong tou		នាវិកឯក Neavik ek						នាវិកទោ Neavik tou

See also

• Khmer National Navy
• Ministry of Defense, Cambodia
• Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
• Royal Cambodian Army
• Royal Cambodian Air Force