Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force

Last updated

Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Incumbent
Air Vice Marshal RS Wickremeratne
Sri Lanka Air Force
TypeVery senior post
AbbreviationCOS
Reports to Commander of the Air Force
Residence Colombo
Seat Air Force HQ
Nominator President of Sri Lanka
Appointer President of Sri Lanka
Term length Not fixed
Formation1949
DeputyDeputy Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff of the Air Force has been the title of the second in command of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The post is held by a regular officer of the rank of Air Vice Marshal and is the second most senior position in the Air Force. Chief of Staff is charged with assisting the Air Force Commander in both operational and administrative aspects, functioning as the Acting Air Force Commander in his absences or incantation. Chief of Staff is assisted by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

List of chiefs of staff

NoChief of staffTook officeLeft officeNotes
Wing Commander A. E. Dale
Wing Commander Rohan Amerasekera May 1955December 1960Wing Commander Rohan Amerasekera was appointed as 3th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Group Captain Paddy Mendis December 1969Wing Commander Paddy Mendis was appointed as 4th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Commodore Harry Goonatilake 13 October 1976Air Commodore Harry Goonatilake was appointed as 5th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Commodore Dick Perera 30 April 1981Air Commodore Walter Fernando was appointed as 6th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Walter Fernando 198130 April 1985Air Vice Marshal Walter Fernando was appointed as 7th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Terry Gunawardena 31 July 1990Air Vice Marshal Terry Gunawardena was appointed as 8th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe 16 February 1994Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe was appointed as 9th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Anslem Peiris
Air Vice Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody 5 March 1998Air Vice Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody was appointed as 10th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera December 199815 July 2002Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera was appointed as 11th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal WDRMJ Goonetileke 10 June 2006Air Vice Marshal WDRMJ Goonetileke was appointed as 12th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama 201127 February 2011Air Vice Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama was appointed as 13th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake 27 February 201127 February 2014Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake was appointed as 14th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala 201414 June 2015Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala was appointed as 15th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal C.R. Gurusinghe1 February 2016
Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias 1 October 201628 May 2019Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias was appointed as 17th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana 20191 November 2020Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana was appointed as 18th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Prasanna Payoe 9 March 2021
Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa12 September 202229 June 2023
Air Vice Marshal RS Wickremeratne 9 July 2023

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