At local time on July 26, 2025, the Thai military publicly released footage of two F-16 fighter jets and two Swedish Gripen fighter jets from the Royal Thai Air Force bombing military targets in Cambodia. It is reported that this time, the Royal Thai Air Force deployed two F-16 fighter jets and two Swedish Gripen fighter jets for joint bombing, targeting the Chinese-made 03-type long-range rocket launchers, the export model AR-2 long-range rocket launchers, belonging to the Cambodian Army. However, the footage so far does not clearly show whether the Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 fighter jets and Gripen fighter jets have destroyed the Chinese-made 03-type long-range rocket launchers, the export model AR-2 long-range rocket launchers.

Russian Sputnik News quoted a screenshot of a report by the Thai Ministry of Defense on the 26th

The Thai Ministry of Defense has clearly stated that the Royal Thai Air Force deployed two F-16 fighter jets and two Swedish Gripen fighter jets to strike the AR-2 long-range rocket launcher positions of the Cambodian Army. According to the statement by the Thai military, the AR-2 long-range rocket launchers of the Cambodian Army have a range of 130 kilometers, and on the 26th, they had already begun shelling targets inside Thailand. The Thai Ministry of Defense announced that according to aerial intelligence, they had identified the location of the rocket launcher firing positions of the Cambodian Army.

The image of the F-16 and Gripen fighter jets jointly attacking and bombing the AR-2 long-range rocket launchers in Cambodia, as released by the Thai military

The Thai military's urgent strike against the Chinese-made 03-type long-range rocket launchers, the export model AR-2 long-range rocket launchers, equipped by the Cambodian Army, is mainly due to reports within Thailand that the Cambodian Army would use the Chinese-made AR-2 long-range rocket launchers to bomb the capital city of Bangkok, causing panic among the Thai people. This is a case of domestic public opinion warfare in Thailand, because the Chinese-made 03-type long-range rocket launcher, the export model AR-2 long-range rocket launcher, has a maximum range of only 130 kilometers. Unless the Cambodian artillery units have purchased flying bomb warheads, the distance between the capital city of Bangkok and the Cambodian territory exceeds 200 kilometers, far beyond the striking range of the Chinese-made 03-type long-range rocket launcher, the export model AR-2 long-range rocket launcher.

The Royal Thai Air Force successfully turned the situation around with the F-16 fighter jets

The Royal Thai Air Force's Gripen fighter jets made their combat debut

However, this still triggered concerns within Thailand, as during these 72 hours, the Cambodian artillery continued to fire large quantities of 122mm rockets into Thai territory, causing controversy within Thailand. In response, the Thai military had no choice but to designate the AR-2 long-range rocket launchers equipped by the Cambodian Army as the primary target for attack. Even though the AR-2 long-range rocket launchers of the Cambodian Army are located deep within the Cambodian territory and face the Cambodian air defense network composed of the HQ-12 surface-to-air missiles and Fei Nu-6 man-portable air-defense systems, the Royal Thai Air Force still deployed two F-16 fighter jets and two Swedish Gripen fighter jets to drop South Korean-made glide-guided bombs in an attempt to eliminate the AR-2 long-range rocket launchers of the Cambodian Army. According to the statement by the Thai military, one AR-2 long-range rocket launcher of the Cambodian Army has been destroyed, and there are five remaining. However, according to the Cambodian side, the Cambodian Army is equipped with 12 AR-2 long-range rocket launchers.

The Chinese HQ-12 surface-to-air missiles could not prevent the Thai Air Force's bombing

As of July 27, 2025, the Cambodian Army suffered a comprehensive bombing by the Royal Thai Air Force. The Royal Thai Air Force deployed 48 fighter jets, including the American-made F-16 fighter jets and the Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, to conduct cross-border bombings or drop glide-guided bombs on military targets in Cambodia. In the absence of air superiority, the Cambodian Army, especially the Cambodian rocket artillery forces, became easy targets. Don't be sad about Cambodia; if the old doesn't go, the new won't come. Now you know the importance of air superiority, it's still timely. So now, hurry up and buy the Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets, JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. If you can't afford them, the FTC-2000G fighter jets, even the free J-8, J-7 fighter jets, and the FC-1 (JL-7) fighter bombers, can also be considered.

The AR-2 long-range rocket launchers of the Cambodian Army became the first target for destruction by the Royal Thai Air Force

The six HQ-12 surface-to-air missiles in Cambodia's possession could not completely prevent the penetration of the Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 and Gripen fighter jets. The SJ-231 fire control radar of the HQ-12 surface-to-air missile system has a detection range of 70 kilometers and a detection altitude of 27 kilometers. The 408E early warning radar has a detection range of 600 kilometers. The maximum range of the HQ-12 surface-to-air missile is 50 kilometers, and its height limit is 27 kilometers. It is currently the main force of the Cambodian air defense network and the most threatening weapon against the Royal Thai Air Force. However, the number is too small, only six, instead of 60.

Cambodia must expand its procurement of fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles from China in the next step

Previously, the Cambodian air defense forces placed all the HQ-12 surface-to-air missiles in Phnom Penh, and would transfer them to the front lines only during wartime. Therefore, in the next step, the Cambodian air defense forces need to intensify their procurement of the HQ-22, HQ-17, and HQ-9BE surface-to-air missile models from China to meet the national air defense needs of Cambodia.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7531659061620654592/

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