Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force

Key facts

Official Name Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
Country🇱🇦 Laos
World rank#102
Active aircrafts33 as of 2025
Aircrafts on order6

Overview

The Laos Air Force, officially known as the Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force, is the air component of the Lao People's Army, the country's military force. Established on January 14, 1976, it maintains a primary role of providing air support for ground forces and ensuring national security. The air force operates a diverse fleet of aircraft, including helicopters and fixed-wing planes, to carry out various missions such as reconnaissance, transport, and aerial fire support. The fleet encompasses models such as the Antonov An-74, Harbin Y-12, Mil Mi-17, and Mil Mi-24, among others. The air force has undergone limited modernization and still relies on a combination of locally produced equipment and imports. Additionally, it has training agreements with countries such as Vietnam and Belarus to enhance its operational capabilities. Although smaller in size compared to its neighboring air forces and lacking advanced equipment, the Laos Air Force plays a crucial role in safeguarding Laos' territorial integrity and defense interests.

Origin countries of aircrafts

Country Active Aircraft
🇨🇳 Ex-USSR 21
🇨🇳 China 8
🇵🇰 Pakistan 4
🇷🇺 Russia 4

Evolution of Laotian Air Force fleet

Aircrafts by type in 2025

Aircraft type Active
Helicopter Helicopter 23
Training Training 4
Combat Combat 4
Transport Transport 2

Full inventory in 2025

Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force

Aircraft Type Model Origin Country Model Year Active 𝚫 YoY Ordered
CombatCombat K-8 🇨🇳 🇵🇰 1994 4
+4
0
HelicopterHelicopter Mi-17/172 🇨🇳 1977 17
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Z-9 🇨🇳 1994 4
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Ka-32 🇨🇳 1982 2
0
0
TransportTransport An-26 🇨🇳 1969 1
0
0
TransportTransport MA600 🇨🇳 1969 1
-1
0
TrainingTraining Yak-130 🇷🇺 2010 4
0
6
Various public data, including Wikipedia, Flightglobal.com, SIPRI Arms Transfer and official government websites.