Sri Lankan Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air force is the youngest of the armed services in Sri Lanka. The force was initially called the Royal Ceylon Air Force and was renamed as the Sri Lanka Air force after the republican constitution of 1972. While initially a largely ceremonial force over the last three decades the Sri Lanka Air Force has grown in to a mature fighting force and has given the Army and Navy extensive support in the ongoing war against separatist terrorism.
The Air Force is led by the Commander of the Air force who is responsible to the Commander in Chief through the secretary of defense. Supporting the Commander is the Chief of Staff and the Air Force Board of Management whose directors are responsible for different functions such as air operations, ground operations, logistics, administration etc.
Ground infrastructure is supported by 6 main Air bases and 13 units and detachments spread across the island. The operational element of the Air force is divided among 12 flying squadrons and combat field units tasked with base security and ground operations in support of the Army.
The flying squadrons performs the tasks of transport, training, close air support and reconnaissance. While squadrons are allocated a home base, assets and crews are often deployed to forward operating fields to support ongoing operations on land and sea.
The SLAF fleet number over one hundred and is a unique mix of aircraft from eastern and western origins forming a cohesive whole ideally suited to the unique tasks faced in fighting a peculiar breed of separatist terrorism.
Against a ruthless terror organization that sports surface to Air missiles, light aircraft and suicide cadres the Air force has evolved over the years in to a first rate fighting force. Using technology to speed up the Observe – Orientate – Decide – Act (OODA) loop the Air Force has managed to bring offensive fire power to bear at the right place at the right time and has succeeded in wresting the initiative from often elusive guerillas expert in the art of camouflage, concealment and hit and run raids.
With over 30 years of combat experience, a cadre of dedicated men and women, superlative training and induction of new technology the Sri Lanka Air Force is pledged to fulfill its stated mission of ‘establishing an air force of high operational efficiency to preserve the sovereignty of Sri Lanka’ in to the new millennium.
