Donald Perera | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
| Service |  Sri Lanka Air Force |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force |
| Battles / wars | Sri Lankan Civil War |
| Awards | Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, Uttama Seva Padakkama |
| Other work | Ambassador to Israel |
Air Chief Marshal G Donald Perera VSV, USP is a Sri Lanka air officer who served as commander of the Air Force from 2002 to 2006 and Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006 to 2009. He served as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Israel. [1]
Perera was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia.
Perera joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an officer cadet in the general duties pilot branch in the officer cadet intake 1 of the Air Force Academy, China Bay on 12 January 1972. On completing his flying training he was commissioned as a pilot officer on 19 October 1973. Serving as a squadron pilot in the No. 2 Squadron SLAF, he logged over 7,500 flying hours on transports. He served as the Commandant Flying Training Wing, Air Force Academy, China Bay; Commanding officer, the No. 2 Squadron; Base Commander, SLAF Katunayake and Zonal Commander - Western Zone; Base Commander, SLAF China Bay and Zonal Commander - Eastern Zone and Acting Director Operations. He attended the Air Command and Staff College in 1990 and the National Defence College, New Delhi in 1998. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the SLAF in December 1998. On 16 July 2002, he was appointed commander of the Air Force with promotion to the rank of Air Marshal. He was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 12 June 2006 with promotion to the rank of Air Chief Marshal, during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War and retired on 15 July 2009. His awards include Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, Uttama Seva Padakkama, Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal, Sri Lanka Air Force 50th Anniversary Medal, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, President's Inauguration Medal, 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal, North and East Operations Medal, Purna Bhumi Padakkama, Vadamarachchi Operation Medal and Riviresa Campaign Services Medal. [2]
Following is retirement as Chief of the Defence Staff, Perera was appointed Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Israel. [3]
The Sri Lanka Air Force is the air arm and the youngest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. It was founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with the assistance of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The SLAF played a major role throughout the Sri Lankan Civil War. The SLAF operates more than 160 aircraft.
Marshal of the Air Force W. D. M. J. Roshan Goonetileke, RWP and bar, VSV, USP is a Sri Lankan senior air force officer. He was a former Governor of the Western Province of Sri Lanka.
Air Chief Marshal W.D. Harry Goonetileke USP, ndc, psc, SLAF was the fifth Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force from November 1, 1976, to April 30, 1981.
Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody, RWP, VSV, USP is a Sri Lanka air officer who served as commander of the Air Force from 1999 to 2002. He served as Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Major General Janaka Perera, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP was a Sri Lankan General and politician. He served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and is considered one of the most distinguished generals in Sri Lankan history. After retiring from the army he served as a Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia and Ambassador to Indonesia. He was the opposition leader of the North Central Provincial Council until he and his wife were killed on 6 October 2008 by a suicide bomber. The LTTE have been blamed for the bombing by Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Air Chief Marshal Deshamanya Pathman Hariprasadha Mendis, FBIM was a Sri Lankan aviator. He was the fourth Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force from 1971 to 1976.
Air Vice Marshal P.B. Premachandra is a highly decorated senior Sri Lankan Air Force officer, who served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal Harsha Abeywickrema, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, rcds, psc, qfi is a senior Sri Lankan air force officer and fighter pilot, who served as the Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force from 2012 to 2014 and later went on to serve as the Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon.
Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc, qfi is a Sri Lankan fighter pilot and a former Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Ravi Arunthavanathan, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, SLAF was the former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force and current Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MPhil, MSc in Mgt, FIM(SL) National Defence College, India, psc is a retired air officer and a former commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. He has also held the position of Chief of the Air Staff and after his retirement on 12 September 2016, was appointed the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Afghanistan, a position he holds currently.
Air Chief Marshal Dick Cuthbert Perera VSV was the 6th Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal Andibuduge Walter Fernando, VSV, ndc, psc was a senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer, who served as the 7th Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force and thereafter Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
Air Chief Marshal Makalandage Johnny Terrence "Terry" De Silva Gunawardena, VSV (-2014) was the 8th Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal Oliver Matthew Ranasinghe, RWP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc was the 9th Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal Dambure Liyanage Sumangala Dias, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired Sri Lanka Air Force officer and pilot who served as Commander of the Air Force from 29 May 2019 to 2 November 2020. He retired from his position as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force on 2 November 2020 and was replaced by Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana.
Air Chief Marshal Kapila Veedhiya Bandara Jayampathy WWV, RWP, RSP MSc, MSc is the 16th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. After his retirement he is now appointed as Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia.
Air Chief Marshal Sudarshana Karagoda Pathirana WWV, RSP & four Bars, VSV, USP is a former senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer, who had served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Air Marshal R. A. Udeni P. Rajapaksa RSP & two Bars, VSV, USP is a senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer and pilot currently serving as Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force since June 2023. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Director Air Operations, Base Commander SLAF Katunayake and Commandant of the Air Force Academy China Bay.
Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, VWV, RWP and two bars, RSP and bar, USP is former senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer and attack helicopter pilot. He is the current Secretary of Defence, having served as the first Air Commander, Southern Air Command and Commandant, Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, China Bay.
|  | |
  | This biographical article about the military of Sri Lanka is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |