Introduction
How is the Military in Laos and how does it work to maintain Sucity and fight terrorism? In terms of Military and security forces, we have the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF; aka Lao People's Army): Lao People's Army (LPA, includes Riverine Force), Lao People's Air Force (LPAF); Self-Defense Militia Forces (2025).
Security and military information of Laos
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information limited and varied; estimated 30,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 100,000 Self-Defense Militia Forces (2025) |
|---|---|
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the LPAF is armed with Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era equipment and weapons (2025) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory military service for men 18-35 with a minimum 18-month service obligation (2025). |
| Military deployments | . |
| Military expenditures | |
| Military Expenditures 2019 | 0.2% of GDP (2019 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2018 | 0.2% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2017 | 0.2% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2016 | 0.2% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2015 | 0.2% of GDP (2015 est.) |
All Important Facts about Laos
Want to know more about Laos? Check all different factbooks for Laos below.
