Royal Lao Army | |
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Armée royale du Laos ກອງທັບລາດຊະອານາຈັກລາວ | |
Active | 1 July 1949 – 2 May 1975 |
Country | Kingdom of Laos |
Allegiance | Royal Lao Government HM The King of Laos |
Type | Army |
Role | Air assault Anti-tank warfare Armored warfare Artillery observer Combined arms Counter-battery fire Counterinsurgency Counterintelligence Direct fire Fire support Force protection Indirect fire Jungle warfare Maneuver warfare Military engineering Military intelligence Military logistics Mountain warfare Patrolling PSYWAR Raiding Reconnaissance Screening Security checkpoint Tracking |
Size | 35,000 (at height) |
Part of | Royal Lao Armed Forces |
Garrison/HQ | Phone Kheng (Vientiane) |
Nickname(s) | RLA (ARL in French) |
Anniversaries | 1 July – RLA Day |
Engagements | First Indochina War Laotian Civil War Vietnam War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Sounthone Pathammavong Phoumi Nosavan Ouane Rattikone Kouprasith Abhay |
The Royal Lao Army (Lao: ກອງທັບລາດຊະອານາຈັກລາວ; French: Armée royale du Laos – ARL), also designated by its anglicized title RLA, was the land component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Kingdom of Laos during the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos and the Laotian Civil War between 1960 and 1975.