ROYAL CAMBODIAN MILITARY BUILDUP RATANAKIRI PROVINCE CAMBODIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04560A006900010014-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2000
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: April 1, 1970
• Content Type: REPORT

T- NT-
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PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION
REPORT
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
ROYAL CAMBODIAN MILITARY BUILDUP
RATANAKIRI PROVINCE
CAMBODIA
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CONFIDENTIAL
NPIC/R-23/70
APRIL 1970
GROUP 1: EXCLUDED FROM
App~r a F#,o ND elease 2000/05/10: CIA-RDP78BO456OA006900010014-8
 Approved For Release 2000/05/10 : CIA-RDP78BO456OA006900010014-8
This ( locumo'nt contains information affecting
the national defense of the United States,
within the meaning of "Title IS, sections
793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as amended.
Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to )r receipt by an unauthorized person is
,=rohinited by law.
Approved For Release 2000/05/10 : CIA-RDP78BO456OA006900010014-8
 25X1 C NPIC/R-2370
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ROYAL CAMBODIAN MILITARY BUILDUP
RATANAKIRI PROVINCE
CAMBODIA
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NORTHWESTERN
'OUTE
T9A.;
PREVIOUSLY NEW
EXISTING
A 1/ V
ROAD
- - - ROAD, REOPENED
ROAD IN DISUSE
BASE CAMP
0 AIRFIELD
A STRONGPOINT
STRONGPOINT UCON
STRONGPOINT, POSSIBLE
00690do~ryd6fi4:670
NORTH
VIETNAM
SOUTH 1
IETNAM
CIF 4s-
5"56,1 .OF .16mna` t ~.
0W.,
=t~1 2 4 FIG 5
REACTIVAT
STRONGPOIN-T'
FIG
FIGURE 1. ROYAL CAMBODIAN MILITARY BUILDUP, RATANAKIRI PROVINCE, CAMBODIA
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The Royal Cambodian military buildup in northeastern Ratanakiri Province,
Cambodia, continues. Photography from
provides indications of the efforts by the Royal Cambodian military to
reestablish control in this area.
ligence available through and selected photographs.
This report contains text, a location map depicting the cumulative intel-
BASIC DESCRIPTION 25X1 D
There has been an increase in Royal Cambodian military efforts to reestab-
lish control in northeastern Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, since
This area, a VC/VNA bivouac, storage, and agricultural stronghold, contains
Communist Tri-Border Base Area 609, Base Areas 701 and 702, and the southern
extensions of the He Chi Minh infiltration network (Figure 1).
Cambodian military presence within this area not only extends government
influence into a sparsely populated frontier area but also may inhibit the
southward movement of Communist troops from Ratanakiri to Mondulkiri Provinces
and could deny them the use of the Tonle San (river) as an eastward waterborne
logistics route. 25X1 D
Cambodian withdrawal from this area began in mid-1968 when all military
facilities east of Ba Kev were abandoned. Initial efforts to regain control
of the area west of Routes 197 and 1972 and south of the Tonle San were
detected in - These efforts have been expanded, and new operations
are now in progress to extend government control north of the Tonle San and
east to the Cambodia/South Vietnam border. These activities have been high-
lighted by the securing of Routes 197 and 1972, the reopening of Route 19, and
the construction of 26 nautical miles (nm) of new motorable roads. In addition,
13 new strongpoints have been or are being built, a previously identified base
camp has been expanded, a new serviceable airfield has been built, a previous-
ly abandoned border control point has been reactivated, and heavy military
vehicular traffic has been observed along the major roads in the area. 25X1 D
Routes 197 and 1972, reopened in have since been widened and
fire lanes have been cleared on each side in a probable attempt to inhibit
ambushes. Three new strongpoints were constructed at intervals along the
25X1 D routes, and bridges and bypasses are now under construction at vulnerable
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stream crossings (Figure 2). On four BTR-152 APCs, four bull-
dozers, two graders, 14 trucks, and one tractor were observed on a 2.8-nm
segment of Route 197. 25X1 D 25X1 D
Construction of a base camp at Ph Pakap at the terminus of Route 1972 25X1 D
began in - In the following nine months this facility has expanded
rapidly (Figure 3). a small military facility and a
construction support housing area were under construction. By late -
the military facility had been completed and the support area had been
razed. In addition, a new bridge and a new road leading southeast had been
constructed. construction of a new storage area contain-
ing six large buildings was observed. Heavy vehicular activity, open POL
storage, 76mm Soviet field artillery pieces, revetted weapon positions, and
motorized rivercraft were also at this installation.
From the base camp at Ph Pakap the Cambodian effort extends northwest
and southeast along the south bank of the Tonle San. On two 25X1 D
strongpoints, one 5 nm northwest (Figure 4) and one 4 nm southeast Figure 5)
of the camp, were under construction. By late these strongpoints
had been completed, and 9 nm of interconnecting motorable roads had been
built. In addition, new strongpoints were being constructed on the north
bank of the Tonle San directly opposite the two completed strongpoints and the
base camp. On the strongpoints on the north bank were near-
ing completion, and the northwestern road has been extended for an additional
12 nm. By this new road continued for an additional 5 nm to
where it terminated on the south bank of the Tonle San near the newly
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constructed airfield at Ph Ta Veng (Figure 6). This airfield is serviceable
and consists of one NNE/SSW graded-earth runway
control tower.
completion, and
the Tonle San.
a graded-earth parking apron, and a small wooden
A stronguoint immediately ESE of the runway is nearing
a small military facility has been built on the north bank of
Temporary bridges and bypasses have been constructed to give
access to the airfield. Numerous defensive positions are in the area. Grading
operations indicating possible future strongooint sites and probable transship-
ment points are on the south bank of the river.
Indications of a possible eastward expansion movement were detected on
A 3.2-nm segment of Route 19, closed since 1968, has been re-
opened to vehicular traffic. Two BTR-40 APCs , two bulldozers, and 23 trucks
were observed in transit. By the remaining 17.2-nm segment
of Route 19 was open to a toint 1.8 nm west of the Cambodia/South Vietnam
border. Three new strongpoints had been constructed along the route, and the
Ban Komoadou Border Control Point appeared to be in the process of being
reactivated (Figure 7), Vegetation was being cleared away, and one new auto-
matic weapons position was within the perimeter. Grading operations indicating
two possible future strongpoint sites were also observed. Vehicles along
Route 19 on included five US M-8 armored cars, one BTR-40
APC, four bulldozers, two graders, and 11 trucks.
The complete reopening of Route 19, which bisects Communist Base Areas
701 and 702 and the major north/south trail network, not only extends
government control to the South Vietnam border but also may affect the infil-
tration of troops and materials from Ratanakiri Province south to Mondulkiri
Province.
CONSTRUCTION
CAMPM
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CARGO
TRUCK
BTR- 152
IAPC^
FIGURE 2. BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION, ROUTE 197, CAMBODIA
21L-150#0
?APC
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ROUTE 1972
BUILDING UCON
0 TRUCKS
'?REVETTED WEAPONS POSITION
SOVIET 76 MM FIELD ARTILLERY
POL DRUMS
NEW STORAGE
FACILITY
STRONGPOINT
NEARING
COMPLETION
FIGURE 3. BASE CAMP EXPANSION AT PH PAKAP, ROUTE 1972, CAMBODIA
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FIGURE 4. NEW STRONGPOINT, RATANAKIRI PROVINCE, CAMBODIA
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STRONGPOINT IN
fEARLYSTAGE OF
"CONSTRUCTION
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POSSIBLE
HELI-PAD
FIGURE 5. NEW STRONGPOINT, RATANAKIRI PROVINCE, CAMBODIA
0
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,,MM AUTOMATIC WEAPONS
POSITION/FOXHOLE
0 TRUCK
^ COVERED Gt3NTOWER
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FIGURE 6. NEWLY CONSTRUCTED AIRFIELD AT PH TA VENG, CAMBODIA
FIGURE 7. BAN KOMPADOU BORDER CONTROL POINT, CAMBODIA
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CONFIDENTIAL
GRADING
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This report is based on photography from
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NPIC R-2370
6900010014-8
AMS Map. Series 1501(A), Sheet ND 48-8, scale 1:250,000
AMS Map. Series 1501(A), Sheet ND 48-12, scale 1:250,000
AMS Map. Series L7016, Sheets 6436 I, II, III, and IV; 6437 IV;
6536 III and IV, scale 1:50,000
DISTRIBUT ION
RECIPIENT NUMBER OF COPIES
JCS/SALSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
JCS/J-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
D IAXX-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
D IAXX- 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DIAPP- 4A (AHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DIAAP- 4A (PENTAGON) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DIAA P- 4C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
DIAAP- gx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ACSI DA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ONI WATCH OFFICER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
AFNIE (ATTN. COL. TIGHE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
C INC PA C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
COMUSMAC V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
PACAF (FOR 7TH AF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DIAAP-9C3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
CHIEF OER/I/L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
CIA/IAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
STATE RM 7812 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
NSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SPAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
NPIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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