Royal Lao Army

Royal Lao Army
Armée royale du Laos
ກອງທັບລາດຊະອານາຈັກລາວ
Royal Lao Army Service Banner (1952–1975)
Active1 July 1949 – 2 May 1975
CountryLaos Kingdom of Laos
AllegianceRoyal Lao Government
HM The King of Laos
TypeArmy
RoleAir 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
Size35,000 (at height)
Part ofRoyal Lao Armed Forces
Garrison/HQPhone Kheng (Vientiane)
Nickname(s)RLA (ARL in French)
Anniversaries1 July – RLA Day
EngagementsFirst 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.