Sri Lanka Air Force

As such the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) was formed on 2 March 1951 with RAF officers and other personnel seconded to the RCyAF. Ceylonese were recruited to the new RCyAF and several Ceylonese who had served with the RAF during world war 2 were absorbed in the force. Initial objective was to train local pilots and ground crew, early administration and training was carried out by exclusively by RAF officers and other personnel on secondment. The first aircraft of the RCyAF were de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks used as basic trainers to train the first batches of pilots locally while several cadets were sent to Royal Air Force College Cranwell. These were followed by Boulton Paul Balliol T.Mk.2s and Airspeed Oxford Mk.1s for advanced training of pilots and aircrew along with de Havilland Doves and de Havilland Herons for transport use, all provided by the British. By 1955 the RCyAF was operating two flying squadrons based at RAF Negombo. The first helicopter type to be added to the service was the Westland Dragonfly.

Following Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike's negotiated the closure of British air and naval bases in Ceylon in 1956, the RCyAF took over the former RAF stations; Katunayake and China Bay, becoming RCyAF operational stations while ancillary functions were carried out at Diyatalawa and Ekala. The RAF headquarters, Air HQ Ceylon, was disbanded on 1 November 1957. However RAF officers remained with the RCyAF till 1962.[4]

In 1959 de Havilland Vampire jet aircraft were acquired. However, the RCyAF did not put them into operational use and soon replaced them with five Hunting Jet Provosts obtained from the British, which were formed into the Jet Squadron. These were supplemented in the 1960s with various other aircraft, most notably American Bell JetRanger helicopters and a Hindustan HUL-26 Pushpak given by India. The force had grown gradually during its early years, reaching a little over 1,000 officers and recruits in the 1960s. By 1970 the Provosts were in storage.

The Royal Ceylon Air Force first went into combat in 1971 when the Marxist JVP launched an island-wide insurrection on April 5. The Ceylon Armed Forces were caught off guard; police stations island-wide and the RCyAF base at Ekala were attacked in the initial wave. Responding rapidly the RCyAF deployed its limited aircraft, at first to resupply besieged police stations and military outposts and patrol around major cities. The Jet Provosts were taken out of storage and put into service within three days, carrying out attacks on insurgents.[5] During this insurgency the left-leaning Bandaranaike government turned to the Soviet Union for more sophisticated weaponry, and received five Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F fighter bombers and a MiG-15 UTI trainer, as well as two Kamov Ka-26 helicopters meant for search and rescue and casualty evacuation. The RAF's heavy transports also flew in six Bell 47G helicopters purchased from the United States, which were put into combat as soon as possible after only five days of pilot training.[6] Air Force personnel joined in ground operations, and when the insurgents surrendered after about a month's fighting the RCyAF was in charge of three of the many rehabilitation camps setup for insurgents.

With Ceylon becoming a republic in 1972, the Royal Ceylon Air Force changed its name to the Sri Lanka Air Force long with all insignia. Because of a shortage of funds for military expenditure in the wake of the 1971 insurrection, the No. 4 Helicopter Squadron began operating commercial transport services for foreign tourists under the name of Helitours.[7] On March 31, 1976 the SLAF was awarded the President's Colour. That same year SLAF detachments, which later became SLAF stations, were established at Wirawila, Vavuniya and Minneriya.

With the closure of Air Ceylon in 1978, its Hawker Siddeley HS 748 transport aircraft was taken over by the SLAF. By the early 1980s the Provosts and all of the Soviet aircraft had been taken out of active service and placed in long-term storage, leaving the air force without any fighter/bomber capability.

A Mig-27 of the No. 12 Squadron

Sri Lanka Air Force Chengdu F-7GS

Rapid growth began in the mid-1980s, when the Sri Lankan Civil War against Tamil separatists drew the service into a major, long-term security role. In 1982 the SLAF reactivated airfields at Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Koggala and Sigiriya that had been disused since World War II, all later becoming SLAF Stations. During the First Eelam War between 1983 and 1987, the force grew by nearly 50 percent. In 1987 the air force had a total strength of 3,700 personnel, including active reserves.

As in the other services, a shortage of spare parts plagued maintenance efforts, forcing the service to send a number of aircraft to Singapore and elsewhere for repairs. After the purchase of equipment from Canada in 1986, the air force gained the capability to make structural repairs on its fleet of Bell helicopters, several of which had been damaged in operations against the Tamil separatists. Maintenance of electronic equipment was performed at the communications station at Ekala, in the north of Colombo District.

After the 1983 riots, the government worked rapidly to expand the SLAF inventory, relying largely on sources in Italy, Britain, and the United States. Because of tight budget constraints, the SLAF was compelled to refit a number of non-combat aircraft for military uses in counter-terrorism operations against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists. From the period 1983 to 1985, the Air Force acquired 11 Bell 212 helicopters, four Bell 412 helicopters, three SIAI Marchetti SF.260s, two Cessna 337s, one Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and two Beechcraft Super King Airs. By 1985, nine more Bell 212s were added to the fleet, along with four Bell 412s. The 412s along with the SIAI Marchetti SF.260 aircraft advanced the attack capabilities of the SLAF. Central in the government's security efforts were six SIAI Marchetti SF.260TP turboprops which were used for rocket attacks and strafing. Additionally, the air force, with the help of Heli Orient of Singapore, equipped twelve Bell 212 and Bell 412 helicopters to serve as gunships and as transport vehicles for highly successful commando assault operations. The air force had a fleet of approximately eighty aircraft, of which sixty-four were reported to be operational in early 1988.

Government forces reportedly also used helicopters on bombing missions. A more effective bombing capability was provided by a small fleet of Chinese Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport aircraft. These were equipped with bomb racks that had been fitted to carry up to 1,000 kilograms of fragmentation and anti-personnel bombs. Transport, training, and surveying functions were carried out by a variety of Cessna and de Havilland aircraft. In 1987 during the Vadamarachchi Operation the air force mustered one HS 748, two Y-12s and one de Havilland Heron, all configured as improvised bombers. In 1987 the air force acquired Shaanxi Y-8s and would later use them for bombing, until 1992 when one Y-8 crashed during a bombing mission, when all bombing using transport aircraft were stopped.

On 3 September 1987 a Women's Wing was formed and located in Colombo. The first CO was Air Cdre D.S.G. Vithana. The Women's Wing was set up to maintain and update all records pertaining to female officers and airwomen, prepare promotional schedules, annual assessments, issue identity cards, etc.[8]

To increase its attack capability, in 1991 the SLAF acquired four F-7 Skybolts, three FT-7s and two Shenyang J-5s from China. Later in 1993 the first of three Mil Mi-17 helicopter transports[9] were acquired along with four FMA IA 58 Pucarás for ground attack. These proved to be effective, but three of the Pucarás were lost, two to surface-to-air missiles launched by the LTTE. The sole remaining Pucará was retired in 1999 due to lack of spare parts. In 1995 Mil Mi-24 gunships were acquired for close air support for the army and by 2001 Mil Mi-35s were added to the fleet.[10]

In 1996 the SLAF acquired seven IAI Kfirs (six C.2s and one TC.2) from Israel[11] and a further nine of these aircraft had been added to the inventory by 2005. This included four C.2s and four C.7s in 2001. Currently the SLAF operates two C.7s, eight C.2s and two TC.2s. The SLAF used these Kfirs to launch attacks against Tamil separatist targets in rebel-controlled areas of the island.

In 2000 new aircraft were acquired; apart from the addition of Kfir C.7s and Mi-35s, these included six Mikoyan MiG-27 dedicated ground attack aircraft (obtained due to lack of specialised ground attack aircraft since the retirement of the Pucarás), a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23UB trainer and two Lockheed C-130 Hercules for heavy transport. Six K-8 Karakorum trainers were soon bought from China, creating No. 14 Squadron to train pilots for the newly expanded fleet of jets.

On 24 July 2001, thirteen aircraft including two Kfir jet fighters, one Mi-24 helicopter gunship and one MiG-27 jet fighter, were destroyed in the pre-dawn attack by the LTTE on SLAF Katunayake air base, part of Bandaranaike International Airport about 35 km north of Colombo. Three military training aircraft and five civilian jets were also among the destroyed aircraft.[12] Many of these aircraft were later replaced. Sri Lanka's international airport has remained on alert for a repeat of the 2001 attack, with severe restrictions on the number of people allowed into the terminal buildings. Huge walls were built around the terminals and the control towers to prevent impact from car bomb attacks, and many sentries were placed along the approach roads to the facility. All airports including the international airport are heavily guarded by members of the SLAF Regiment. In 2006 four MiG-27s were bought from Ukraine to replace two lost in crashes and the one lost in the attack on the airport.

Since the start of the civil war the SLAF used its combat aircraft in a ground-attack role to attack LTTE targets in the then LTTE-controlled areas in the northern and eastern parts of the island. Following confirmation that the LTTE was using several light weight aircraft in 2006, the SLAF expanded its air defence capabilities which had been neglected for years. Extensive air defence radar network was established and ground-based air defence strengthened. Airborne interception of the LTTE light aircraft were developed using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft until dedicated interceptors were acquired. During the 2007–2009 the LTTE launched several attacks using light aircraft on Colombo, SLAF Katunayake and several other locations with superficial damage. In the early hours of October 22, 2007 a ground attack by the LTTE on SLAF Anuradhapura at Saliyapura, which was supported briefly by its air wing, resulted in the destruction of eight aircraft with several others damaged.[13] The attack only affected the SLAF's training element. Early in 2008 the air force received six F-7Gs, these are primarily used as interceptors and are attached to No.5 Jet Squadron.[14]

In October 2008 the air force claimed its first air-to-air kill, when it reported that one of its Chengdu F-7G interceptors shot down a Zlín Z 43 of the LTTE air wing when it attempted to attack a military base in Vavuniya.[15] In the last stages of the civil war the SLAF flew its highest number of sorties providing close air support of ground and naval forces and carried out pinpoint bombing on identified targets. It moved many of its units including fighter jets to forward air bases to increase the number of sorties.

A SLAF C-130H performs at the 70th independence day

Following the end of the civil war the number of sorties flown were reduced. The air force began utilising its fix wing and rotary wing transport aircraft for civilian transport by reforming the civilian domestic airline Helitours. It also began undertaking international flights and deployments as part of humanitarian and UN peacekeeping operation.

In 2014, the SLAF deployed a contingent of three Mi-17 helicopters with support personnel and equipment designated No. 62 Helicopter Flight to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad consisting of 122 personal.[16] This was followed by second contingent three Mi-17 helicopters and 81 personal to United Nations Mission in South Sudan.[17]

In December 2014, SLAF C-130 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron flew a special humanitarian operation transporting essential spares and accessories for repair of the desalination facility in Male from Singapore. The breakdown of the desalination facility resulted in a desperate shortage of drinking water in Male and the equipment for repair could not be flown in commercial flights, resulting in the Maldivian government requesting aid from the government of Sri Lanka.[18] In April 2015, following the earthquake in Nepal the Sri Lankan government responded by deploying relief contingents from the armed services including teams from the air force. These teams were airlifted to Nepal by a SLAF C-130 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron, which was followed by other flights carrying in aid supplies. This was the first time a SLAF aircraft has been deployed on a rescue mission to a foreign country.[19] This was followed by another humanitarian flight to Pakistan following earthquakes. In 2016, SLAF C-130 Hercules carried out resupply missions to its detachments based in Central African Republic and South Sudan.

In the years that followed the war, the SLAF began a program of upgrading its air fleet and looking for replacements for ageing aircraft. In 2011, two Xian MA60 passenger transport aircraft were purchased for the air force operated Helitours and two more Bell 412 have been purchased in addition to the eight already in service.[20][21][22] In addition 14 Mi-171 helicopters are to be purchased from Russia.[23] That same year it grounded its Kfir of the No. 10 Fighter Squadron following a mid-air collision that resulted in the loss of two Kfirs. On 13 February 2012, one MiG-27 crashed while on a training mission, the pilot ejected.[24] On 12 December 2014, an Antonov An-32 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron crashed whilst on a routine flight.[25]

By 2009 SLAF operated three FT-7, three F-7BS, six F-7G, two Kfir TC.2s, two Kfir C.7s, eight Kfir C.2s, seven MiG-27s and one MiG-23UB trainer.[26] By 2017 the Migs and Kfirs have been withdrawn as only one Kfir out of seven still available (fifteen were originally procured) was serviceable and the seven surviving Mig23/27 aircraft were not operational.[27] Two J7GS were recently seen to be operational during the 66th Anniversary of the Sri Lankan Air Force in March 2017. A single J7GS and J7BS were recently overhauled in China, and CATIC and the air force additionally overhauled an FT7 and another J7GS at the recently opened SLAF overhaul facility. The aircraft overhaul wing was opened as part of a joint venture between the air force and CATIC with a plan to overhaul all F7 aircraft in service.[28][29][30][31] In 2017, the air force was deployed in force to assist civilian authorities during the 2017 Sri Lanka floods. To carryout search and rescue operations the air force deployed seven Mi-17 helicopters, three Bell-212 helicopters and one Bell-412 helicopters. During the relief operations one of the air force's Mi-17 crashed landed without any casualties.[32] In December 2017, Janes reported that the Sri Lankan government was in talks with IAI for the upgrade and return to service of five of the grounded Kfir aircraft.[33] Meanwhile, a single Kfir C2 and a single Kfir C7 have been preserved for display.[34][35] In 2018 May, six brand-new PT-6 training aircraft were accepted by the SLAF from AVIC Hongdu in Nanchang, China. These aircraft will be utilised by the No 1 Flight Training Wing at the SLAF Academy.[36]

The Air Force has supported the Sri Lanka Army in all major operations undertaken by them;

The professional head of the air force is the Commander of the Air Force, as of 2019 Air Marshal Sumangala Dias who reports directly to the Minister of Defence. The Commander of the Air Force exercises operational and administrative control of the air force from Air Force Headquarters, SLAF Colombo.

Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters, Colombo

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors numbers 13;

• Chief of Staff – Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana
• Director Air Operations – Air Vice Marshal PDKT Jayasinghe
• Director Ground Operations – Air Vice Marshal WLRP Rodrigo
• Director Aeronautical Engineering-Air Vice Marshal MD Ratnayake
• Director General Engineering-Air Vice Marshal AWE Wijesooriya
• Director Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering – Air Vice Marshal HMB Herath
• Director Logistics – Air Vice Marshal WMKSP Weerasinghe
• Director Administration – Air Vice Marshal RS Biyanwila
• Director Civil Engineering – Air Vice Marshal MRK Samarasinghe
• Director Health Services – Air Vice Marshal LR Jayaweera
• Director Training – Air Vice Marshal MDAP Payoe
• Director Welfare – Air Vice Marshal PDA Mariestella

The air force has four commands known as zonal commands, each under the control of an air officer for command and administrative control. The zonal commands control all flying squadrons, aircraft and air defences; zonal Commanders are responsible for air and ground operations that have been decided upon by the Directorate of Operations at Air Force HQ.

Four Zonal Commands

• Eastern Zonal Command
• Northern Zonal Command
• Southern Zonal Command
• Western Zonal Command

Sri Lanka Air Force no 3 Air defence radar squadron using 4 Indian made Indra Mark II 2D Radar Systems and also Sri Lanka air force has Chinese JY-11 low/medium altitude 3D surveillance radars and CETC YLC-18 3D Radar. The Sri Lanka Air Defence Command, based at SLAF Katunayake, is the SLAF command responsible for co-ordination of air and ground units to maintain integrated national air defence.[37][38] National Air Defence System's main radar station situated at the Pidurutalagala tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, at 2,524 m (8,281 ft).

CETC YLC-18 3D Radar – Sri Lanka Air Force

Indian Doppler Radar (INDRA II) 2D Mobile Radar – Sri Lanka Air Force

• No. 1 Flying Training Wing
• No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron
• No. 4 (VIP) Helicopter Squadron
• No. 5 Jet Squadron
• No. 6 Helicopter Squadron
• No. 7 Helicopter Squadron
• No. 8 Light Transport Squadron
• No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron
• No. 10 Fighter Squadron
• No. 12 Squadron
• No. 14 Squadron
• No. 111 Air Surveillance Squadron
• No. 112 Air Surveillance Squadron

SLAF paratroopers

• General Duties Pilot Branch – Pilots and Navigators (commissioned officers)
• Administrative Branch – Administrative Officers,Legal Officer Human resources Human Capital managements and associated trades are involved with training management, physical education, catering, infrastructure management, accounts, dress and discipline, personnel and recruitment. Also includes; Legal Branch, SLAF Military Band, Provost
• Operations Air Branch – Fighter Controllers and Air Traffic Controllers, Radar Observes control SLAF aircraft from the ground as well as Air defense and Fire fitting.
• Aeronautical Engineering Branch – Engineering Officers, Aircraft maintenance Officer/Engineers and Aircraft mechanic Fitters/Technician are employed to maintain and repair the Aircraft, Aircraft structures, Propulsion systems, autopilots Aero Instruments used by the SLAF. Aircraft Technician maintain, test, Inspection of Air frame, Aero Engine, Aircraft Electrical, Flight instruments, Aviation Safety, Quality assurance, Ground base and Air Weaponry systems, Non-destructive test and Airworthiness
• Electronics Engineering Branch – Avionics /Technical officer, Avionics fitters/technical staff test, inspection maintenance Radio transceivers, Navigational aids, Radar systems, Electronic warfare co-ordinate and manage Airborne Radar, Electronics Counter Measures, Voice and Data transmission and reception equipment mounted on aircraft, weapon delivery navigation systems, ground base and air defense automation. Air field Communication & Navigation systems, Telecommunication Officers/Telecom technician manage Networks infrastructure, Microwave backbone, point to point link, Point to Multi point, Routing, switching systems, PBX, Video Teleconference, VoIP Telephony, Telemetry instrumentation Internet over things, Office Automation, Intruder detection systems & CCTV systems. Information Technology/Information systems officer/IT Administrator/ System Analysis/Database Administrator, manage office application, Database management, developing e-application, Cyber security/Network security Information Communication Technology and systems.
• Logistic -Supply chain managements,procurement, Equipment officer and Load Masters, Aviation Fuel quality control, Air Cargo, Air Movements – MOVCON, Property management Inventories,physical verification, property disposal, Receiving & Inspection aircraft spares and Aircraft spare depot-ASD.
• Airfield Construction Branch – Civil engineering and mechanical engineering/electrical engineers, power transmission, Alternative power, Green power, Air conditioning and Infrastructure, accommodation, Air field Constriction and maintenance water treatment and waste water managements.
• Operations Ground – Officers and Air/ground intelligence Air Gunners;Special airborne gunners, paratroopers, rescue team, it has infantry, paratrooper and light armoured units to protect against ground attack and defend against air attack with ground-to-air defence units, explosive ordnance disposal EOD
  • SLAF Special Air Borne Force – The first elite special forces SWAT unit for VIP Protection in SLAF.
  • SLAF Regiment Special Force – The elite special forces unit of the SLAF.
  • Air Force Police – Military police of the SLAF and are located wherever the SLAF is located.
• Medical Branch – Aviation medicine specialists, medical officers, nurses, paramedics

• Air & ground operations are carried out from 20 bases around the country which includes 6 air bases with resident squadrons, 8 forward operational airfields, 4 ground stations and 2 SLAF Regiment detachments.
• Security of the Katunayake International Airport is maintained by the SLAF Regiment.
• Ground-based air defence of vital infrastructure are carried out by the SLAF Regiment.

• Sri Lanka Air Force deployed its second aviation unit under United Nations Mission in South Sudan. The deployment consists fleet of three Mi-17 Helicopters from the SLAF along with 104 personnel consisting pilots, engineers and other supporting staff.[50]

Regiment Special Force is an elite Special Forces unit of the Sri Lanka Air Force, part of the SLAF Regiment. It provides highly effective land-based defence and beyond-forward-defence-line assault capabilities.

Special Air Borne Force (SABF) is an elite Airborne forces unit of the Sri Lanka Air Force, part of the SLAF Regiment. It provides highly effective air assault capabilities and VVIP protection. Formed out of the Administrative Regiment Branch in 1989 by Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe, it initially under took counter insurgency operations during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection and thereafter in the Sri Lankan Civil War for VIP protection under the Chief Provost Marshal, until it was transferred under the command of Directorate Of Ground Operations.

The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya is the highest award for valour awarded in the Sri Lankan armed forces. Air Force recipients include;

• Wing-Commander Tyron Silvapulle †

Over 23,790 Sri Lankan armed forces personnel were killed since beginning of the civil war in 1981 to its end in 2009, this includes air officers killed in active duty.[54] 659 service personnel were killed due to the second JVP insurrection from 1987 to 1990. 53 service personnel were killed and 323 were wounded in the first JVP insurrection from 1971 to 1972.[55] Notable fallen members includes;

• Air Commodore Shirantha Goonatilake  † – Commanding Officer, No. 1 Flying Training Wing[56]
• Group Captain D. S. Wickramasinghe  † – Senior Staff Officer, Directorate of Aeronautical Engineering
• Group Captain Roger Weerasinghe  † – Zonal Commander, Northern Zone
• Group Captain Jagath Rodrigo  † – Commanding Officer, No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron
• Wing Commander Thilina Kaluarachchi  † – Officer Commanding Operations, No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron

The first female officers to join the air force were in 1972, to the Volunteer Air Force,[7] today women are recruited to both the regular and volunteer forces as both officers and airwomen to the SLAF Women's Wing. However, there are no female pilots in the air force. Although female officers are not able to join the general duties pilot branch, they can join any other branch, including the SLAF Regiment and the Air Force Police.