Resumed U.S.-Cambodia Military Exercises Renew Prospective Equipment Market
Following a meeting with U.S. Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced plans on August 14 for Cambodia to restart its joint military exercises with the United States; the exercises were later confirmed to take place in February 2027, designated as “Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027.” This comes nearly 10 years after the program’s suspension, when, in 2017, the annual Angkor Sentinel joint exercise was suspended without any official explanation. Nevertheless, its revival highlights renewed U.S. military interest in Cambodia and hint heightened concerns in Washington about Cambodia’s close economic and political ties with China.
Reports suggested that, from August 31 to September 4, Cambodian and U.S. military representatives convened for an initial planning conference for Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027, involving the Cambodian Army, the National Center for Peacekeeping Forces, Mine Clearance and Explosive Remnants of War of Cambodia, the U.S. Army Pacific, and the Idaho Army National Guard. Previously, on October 26, 2025, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to resume joint military exercises, with Washington also resuming the sales of arms to Phnom Penh after lifting the 2021 ban imposed by the Biden Administration.
From a geopolitical perspective, Washington’s move appears intended to counter China’s expanding footprint in Cambodia, particularly around Ream Naval Base and Chinese military activities. Renewed U.S.-Cambodia cooperation thus reflects an effort to preserve American influence in Southeast Asia. For private aerospace, defense, and security companies, the resumption of military exercises—coupled with the lifting of U.S. restrictions on arms sales—provide greater exploratory opportunities in Cambodia as a defense market; renewed military engagement reduces concerns over political uncertainty and signals sustained demand for defense equipment, particularly as Cambodia continues to modernize its armed forces amid ongoing border tensions. Nevertheless, given China’s long-standing military ties with Cambodia, only sustained U.S. engagement will determine whether these efforts can shift market share currently dominated by Chinese suppliers.
