Royal Lao Navy
| Royal Lao Navy Marine Royale Laotiènne |
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|---|---|
.svg)
Royal Lao Navy jack (1955-75)
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| Active | 28 January 1955 – 2 December 1975 |
| Country |
 Kingdom of Laos
|
| Allegiance | Royal Lao Government |
| Branch | Naval Force |
| Type | Navy |
| Role |
Naval warfare Amphibious warfare |
| Size | 500 men, 36 boats and other vessels (at height in 1974) |
| Part of | Royal Lao Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Vientiane |
| Nickname(s) | River Flotilla (Escadrille Fluviale in French), RLN (MRL in French) |
| Colours | Navy blue |
| Anniversaries | 28 January – MRL Day |
| Engagements |
Laotian Civil War Vietnam War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Tiao Sinthanavong Kindavong |
The Royal Lao Navy (French: Marine Royale Laotiènne – MRL) was the naval component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Royal Lao Government and the Kingdom of Laos during the Laotian Civil War between 1960 and 1975.
The Laotian Navy (French: Marine Laotiènne) was first formed in January 28, 1955 as the "naval" wing of the Laotian National Army (ANL) and designated the River Flotilla (French: Escadrille Fluviale). A predominantly riverine force since Laos is a land-locked country, the ANL River Flotilla was allegedly provided at the time with a small number of ex-French Navy STCAN armoured river patrol crafts (aka "stay-can") and FOM escort crafts, which had seen service during the First Indochina War. The new Laotian Navy was originally trained and staffed by French Officers and senior Petty Officers seconded from the naval forces component of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps (CEFEO), although a small number of selected Laotian naval officer candidate students (French: Eléves Officiers de Marine – EOMs) were also sent to France, in order to attend advanced Officer and Petty Officer courses at the French Naval Academy in Brest.
In July 1959 the ANL River Flotilla was re-designated Laotian Navy and became an independent branch, now part of the newly created Laotian Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées Laotiènnes – FAL), renamed Royal Lao Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées du Royaume – FAR) in September 1961.
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