Showing off its heavy artillery strength on Monday, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) high command presided over a live-fire exercise involving new tanks and sophisticated truck-mounted rocket launchers.
RCAF Commander-in-Chief Pol Saroeun said the military’s newly acquired tanks and RM-70 Czech-made missile launchers hit their “targets 100 percent.”
“The live-fire exercise today is aimed at defending our country, which is our duty. We do not invade other countries and we do not allow any country to invade our country,” General Saroeun said following the exercises at the ACO Tank Command Headquarters in Kompong Speu province.
Describing the military as the “backbone of the country,” Gen. Saroeun said the exercise was an annual event and is similar to training undertaken by the militaries of other countries.
However, the cost of the five-day weapons exercise, which began on Friday and is the third such live-fire event held by the army and military police this year, has been an issue avoided by RCAF top brass who have declined to comment on the price tag.
Lieutenant-General Ith Sarath, who was present at the exercise, said a total of 145 missiles were fired during the 35-minute target practice. With each missile for the RM-70, which can fire 40 missiles in 20 seconds, costing between $1,200 and $3,800, the bill for the rockets alone would be in the region of $174,000.
Commenting on the cost of the exercise, Gen. Saroeun said the event was in line with allocations in the national budget.
The government’s budget of $3.4 billion for 2014 includes $489 million for the ministries of defense and interior, an increase of 17 percent in security-related spending over the 2013 budget.
