An Air Force, Royal Khmer Aviation, was planned in 1953 for police and communications operations. Its first aircraft were 7 Fletcher FD-25A/13 Defender light attack aircraft, followed in 1955 by 7 Morane-Saulnier MS733 Alcyon trainers. American military aid started in 1956 with 8 Cessna L-19 Bird Dog AOPaircraft and a douglas c-47 and DHC-2 Beaver transports.

As attention centred on SE Asia, aircraft started to arrive from both sides of the Iron Curtain. France provided 30 surplus Douglas A-1D skyraiders, Potez Magister trainers and Alouette II light helicopters. The USA providedNorth American T-28D armed trainers, Curtis C-46 Commando transports, Sikorsky S-58 helicopters, Cessna T-37B and North American T-6G trainers. From the Eastern Bloc came Mig-15 and Mig 17 fighter/bombers and An-2 transports.

Cambodia claimed to be neutral, but allowed North Vietnamese troops to use its territory for operations against South Vietnam. In 1970, a pro-western government took over, creating a republic and the RKA became the Cambodian Air Force. The following year, VietCong guerrillas destroyed all the Migs on the ground. The country suffered a civil war from 1970 tom1975, during which most of the air force's remaining aircraft were destroyed and in 1975, the country became isolated as international opinion turned against the Khmer Rouge regime. The regime was overthrown in 1979 by invading Vietnamese troops and a new constitution established in 1981, with the country known as Kampuchea until restoration of the monarchy.

The Royal Cambodian Air Force operates a small number of combat aircraft, with a squadron of 14 Mig-21bis and 5 Mig 21-UM, some of which have been upgraded by Israel's IAI. There are also 5 l-39 armed trainers and at least 3 Mi-24 attack helicopters. Two transport squadrons operate one An-26, 2 HAMC Y-12, a BN-2,a Cesna 401 and a 402 as well as a Socata Tobago light aircraft. A helicopter squadron has 6 Mi-8, 7 Mi-17 and a VIP Mi-8P, as well as a Eurocopter AS-355.

Training uses five Tecnam P-92 and L-39. Overall, plans to reduce the armed forces are in development but it is not sure how mcuh this will affect the Air Force.