Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
| Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 |
| Country | Laos |
| Branch | Lao People's Army |
| Type | Air Force |
| Size | 43 aircraft |
| HQ | Vientiane |
| Insignia | |
| Fin Flash |  |
The Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force (LPLAAF) is the air force of Laos.
The present-day LPLAAF is descended from the Aviation Laotienne, which was established by the French and later became the Royal Lao Air Force. Pathet Lao guerrilla forces began to operate a few aircraft from 1960, as did another rebel group led by Kong Le. Kong Le forces were later re-incorporated into the Royal Lao Air Force. When the communist take-over in, 1975, resulted in the adoption of the present title.
Military co-operation agreement with Russia in 1997 resulted in 12 Mil Mi-17 helicopters that entered service in mid-1999 to follow on from previous deliveries of Mi-8s. SAM systems also entered service such as the SA-3 'Goa' and SA-7B 'Grail'.
The LPLAAF operates from two main bases - Vientiane and Phonsavanh - with another three bases supported by detachments from the main units. Apart from the main military air bases, there are also a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country which are frequently used by the Air Force and the semi-military airline Lao Airlines. In 1961 Laos had 25 airstrips capable of taking a C-47.
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