No. 10 Squadron SLAF

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No. 10 Fighter Squadron
Sri Lanka Military 0034.jpg
An IAI Kfir of the No. 10 "Fighter" Squadron
ActiveJanuary 5, 1996 - to present day
CountryFlag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
BranchAir Force Ensign of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka Air Force
RoleOffensive Support, Air Defence
Station SLAF Katunayake
Nickname(s)Kfir Squadron
Motto(s)total success in operations during day and night with right attitude, right training and full-time readiness
Equipment IAI Kfir
Engagements Sri Lankan Civil War
Decorations3 Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya
Commanders
Commanding OfficerWing Commander Shehan Fernando

No. 10 "Fighter" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the IAI Kfir from SLAF Katunayake. The squadron is tasked with providing offensive support for ground & maritime (anti-shipping) operations, air interdiction and interception. It specializes in high altitude precision ground attacks. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The squadron was formed on January 5, 1996 at the SLAF Katunayake with six IAI Kfir multi-role fighter jets acquired from Israel, with US State Department approval. These included five C2 types and a TC.2 type trainer. At its formation the squadron had six pilots, four engineers and 70 technicians along with the six aircraft. In 2000, the squadron received eight more Kfirs that included C7 types and another trainer.

On November 2, 2007 the Sri Lankan Air Force claimed that aircraft from the squadron killed the LTTE’s Political Wing Leader S.P. Thamilselvan and a group of LTTE cadres in an air raid. During the last phase of the war it maintained units at SLAF China Bay. [3]

In March 2009, the squadron was presented with the President’s Colours. [4]

By 2017 only one Kfir was serviceable out of 7 while Mig 23 and Mig 27 of the No. 12 Squadron grounded in the same year. [5]

In 2021 government approved a US$49 million deal with Israel Aerospace Industries to update the remaining five Kfirs to Block 60 standard. [6]

Aircraft operated

Kfir Ammunition on display Sri Lanka Military 0035.jpg
Kfir Ammunition on display

Year of introduction

Notable members

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References

  1. ↑ "NO 10 FIGHTER SQUADRON | Sri Lanka Air Force". www.airforce.lk. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  2. ↑ "NO 10 FIGHTER SQUADRON 'LION CUBS' CELEBRATE SILVER JUBILEE | Sri Lanka Air Force". www.slaf.gov.lk. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  3. ↑ "Bringing back Kfirs - Sri Lanka's infamous warplanes to get US$50 million revamp | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  4. ↑ Presentation of President's Colours to SLAF Formations [ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Gady, Franz-Stefan. "Sri Lanka Mulls Purchase of New Fighter Aircraft". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  6. ↑ "Govt. green-lights $ 49 m fighter jet overhaul as No. 10 Squadron turns 25 | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
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