| No. 7 Helicopter Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Bell 212 of No. 7 Squadron | |
| Active | 1994 – Present |
| Branch | Sri Lanka Air Force |
| Role | Air transport |
| Station | SLAF Hingurakgoda |
| Equipment | Bell 212, Bell 206, Mi-24 |
| Engagements | Sri Lankan Civil War |
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.
In 1994, No. 4 Helicopter Wing was split into two Squadrons namely 401 and 402. No. 401 Squadron took charge of operational flying requirements and pilot training, and was located at SLAF Hingurakgoda with Bell 212 and Bell Jet Ranger helicopters in its fleet. It was later renamed as the No. 7 Squadron in July 1996 when Squadron Leader KVB Jayampathy was commanding. No. 402 Squadron remained at SLAF Katunayake and flew Bell 412 and Bell Jet Rangers, largely catering to VIP movement. In 1995 Mil Mi-24 were temporarily attached to this squadron before forming their own No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron. Flying Officer Asela Wickramasinghe was the youngest to command a helicopter at the age of 22.Pilot Officer Ravi Dharmawickrama was the first volunteer pilot ever to command a helicopter in battle field. Further he achieved a VIP rating when ranked flying officer a year after in the same squadron. Then Squadron Leader Avindra Mirando earned his second WWV (Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya) medal and became the first to be earned bar (Two time award of the same medal) for WWV flying for the squadron. Posthumous Squadron Leader Dushantha Edirisinghe and his co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Upul Thennakoon were the first fatalities of the squadron. Both were killed when their Bell 212 CH-561 helicopter was shot down off Olumadu.
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.
The Sri Lanka Signals Corps (SLSC) is a combat support corps of the Sri Lanka Army, responsible for providing military communications, information technology and electronic warfare support. The corps is made up of a signals brigade, ten regular regiments and one volunteer regiment. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems. It is headquartered at the Panagoda Cantonment.
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 Commodore Shirantha Goonetileke RWP, RSP, SLAF was a Sri Lankan aviator and the most senior Air Force officer to be killed in action. He was the youngest son of Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake the 5th Commander of the Air Force and the brother of the 12th Commander of the Air Force, Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetileke.
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. 5 "Jet" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates in both air defence and ground attack role with F-7 Skybolts from SLAF Katunayake.
No. 14 Squadron is a training squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It operated the Hongdu JL-8 from SLAF China Bay for advanced flying training. The training at the squadron can be divided into two sections. They are Advance Flying Training and Fighter Conversion Training. The flying cadets who complete the Advance Flying Training chosen in to three main streams of flying in the SLAF. The flying cadets who are chosen in to the fighter jet have to remain further at the squadron to follow the fighter conversion training.
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. 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 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.
Operation Eagle was a Sri Lanka Air Force operation to resupply and rescue critically wounded service personnel from the old Dutch Fort of Jaffna held by the Sri Lanka Army and besieged by the LTTE on July 3, 1990. The successful rescue operation gained headlines, leading to much rejoicing island-wide and helped increase morale.
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) 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 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.