To defend Muong Soui, Kong Le's forces needed an artillery unit. But unfortunately he had none, and General Phoumi did not want to share the limited number of RLA with his former rival Therefore, the United States, with Souvanna Phouma's concurrence, approached the RTC for an rtillery battery as well supporting personnel and equipment 62 Bangkok warmly welcomed the request, and by early July 201 RTA artillery personnel including a 30-man laying unit and 30 security guards with howitzers arrived in Muong scheme to despatch men to support the neutralist forces was then christened Project 008, and the Thai artillery battery was code-named Sierra Romeo (SR).