Military spokesperson disputes Prime Minister Hun Sen's assessment regarding Cambodia's armed forces' capabilities.
Title: Cambodia's Military Capabilities: Setting the Record Straight
Hey there! Let's dive into the buzz surrounding Cambodia's military might, specifically concerning Hun Sen's comments about reaching Bangkok with weapons. Sit tight, as we're about to debunk some myths and sort fact from fiction.
Recent reports from a reliable source within the security agencies debunked Hun Sen's remarks on the capabilities of Cambodia's military. According to the source, it appears to be an attempt to assert political power and boost Hun Sen's image as a leader.
Regarding the claim that Cambodia could hit Bangkok with its weapons, the source pointed out that such a feat would require a range of at least 200-300 kilometers. However, the known land-based missile systems in Cambodia, like the Chinese-made PHL-03, have a standard range of 70-130 km, with the upgraded AR-2 reaching only around 150 km. Other small-to-medium caliber rockets like Type-81, AS-1, and WS-1B have a range of less than 100 km.
Surprisingly, there's no evidence suggesting that Cambodia possesses long-range missiles beyond 200 km, nor does it have short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. Moreover, Cambodia lacks fighter aircraft capable of carrying long-range missiles, mainly due to the absence of a jet fighter fleet.
To put things into perspective, smaller countries like Laos have Yak-130 aircraft, but Cambodia lags behind even in the field of weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
When it comes to defense budgets, Cambodia spends approximately $550 million USD annually, while Thailand's spending on just four Gripen E/F fighter jets costs around the same amount – an amount equivalent to Cambodia's entire military budget for the year.
The Thai military, by contrast, operates a variety of advanced aircraft with combat ranges that extend to Phnom Penh, equipped with precision-guided munitions. In other words, the claim made by Hun Sen that Cambodia has weapons capable of attacking Bangkok, but has no intention of using them, holds no strategic weight as there is no evidence of such capabilities, nor the budget or infrastructure to develop them.
In conclusion, it seems that Hun Sen's seemingly intimidating statements are more political posturing than factual statements, created to boost his image at home and stoke regional tensions. Don't you think so?
- TAGS:
- Political Posturing
- Hun Sen
- Cambodia
- Military Capabilities
- Regional Tensions
Bonus Insight:The discrepancy between Cambodia's perceived military capabilities versus the reality is a recurring theme in the region. Many nations, like Cambodia, may have limited resources and technology, making it challenging to develop long-range missile systems or maintain a jet fighter fleet. As a result, statements like Hun Sen's should be taken with a grain of salt and examined closely for political intentions.
- The debate surrounding Cambodia's military capabilities may be rooted more in politics than in factual evidence, as demonstrated by Hun Sen's comments about reaching Bangkok with weapons.
- The economic aspect plays a significant role in this discussion, as Thailand's defense budget for four Gripen E/F fighter jets equals Cambodia's entire military budget for a year.
- The infrastructure necessary for long-range missiles, such as launching pads and advanced guidance systems, appears to be lacking in Cambodia, further undermining the claim of having weapons capable of reaching Bangkok.
- War-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislation are essential factors to consider in this context, as regional tensions and political posturing can influence the narrative surrounding a country's military capabilities, often diverging from their true potential.
