Press Releases
U.S. Embassy donates several million dollars of military equipment to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Released in Phnom Penh, September 4, 2009
In a handover ceremony at the National Defense Ministry on September 3rd presided over by Brigadier General Skip Vincent and Lieutenant General Chau Phirun, General Director of Materiel and Techniques of the Ministry of National Defense, the U.S. formally transferred nearly twenty forty foot containers of excess military equipment to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. The original cost of the material was approximately $6.5 million and includes 16,000 Kevlar helmets, 4,000 field packs, 6,000 camouflage uniforms among other items. General Vincent was in Cambodia on an official visit and is currently the assistant to the director of strategy and policy for Pacific Command.
The equipment was donated through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. Since 2006 Cambodia has received approximately $4.5 million worth of military equipment and technical assistance through this program. The FMF program is also funding the grant of excess military transport equipment and technical assistance to the Ministry of National Defense and the High Command, English language training materials and technical assistance to the RCAF English Language Training Program and Maritime Security and Professional Development training to the Royal Cambodian Navy.
The equipment will be issued to priority units with RCAF, many of whom are currently receiving training and capacity building assistance from the United States government.
