The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) 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 and has a projected trained strength of 27,400 airmen and 1,300 officers, who are from both regular and reserve service. The Sri Lanka Air Force has expanded to specialise mainly in providing air-support to ground forces, troop landing, and carrying out airstrikes on rebel-held areas in the Northern and Eastern theatres, but is also capable of high- and low-level air defence.
Marshal of the Air Force W. D. M. J. Roshan Goonetileke, RWP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc is a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Governor of the Western Province, Goonetileke had served as the Chief of the Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
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 Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel.
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.
No. 9 "Attack Helicopter" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the air force's fleet of Attack Helicopter of Mil Mi-24s, Mil Mi-35s and Mi-17Sh s from SLAF Hingurakgoda for Close Air Support. The squadron is tasked with close air support/battlefield air interdiction, air interdiction, maritime air operations, armed escort missions and air defence operations.
No. 2 "Heavy Transport" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the C-130 Hercules and Antonov 32 from SLAF Katunayake.
No. 4 (VVIP/VIP) Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Bell 412/412EP/212/206JR from SLAF Ratmalana for VVIP/VIP Air transport.
No. 6 Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Mil Mi-17s from SLAF Anuradhapura for troop transport.
No. 7 Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Bell 212s, Bell 206s from SLAF Hingurakgoda for troop transport, MEDEVAC and training helicopter pilots.
No. 1 Flying Training Wing currently based at SLAF China Bay, carries out basic pilot training of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It is the oldest flying formation in the SLAF.
Air Vice Marshal P.B. Premachandra RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc, qfi, SLAF 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 Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MPhil, MSc in Mgt, FIM(SL) ndc, 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 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 senior Sri Lankan Air Force Officer who served as Commander of the Air Force from 2019 to 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.
