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 air strikes on rebel-held areas in the Northern and Eastern theatres, but is also capable of high- and low-level air defence.
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. 6 Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Mil Mi-17s from SLAF Anuradhapura for troop transport.
SLAF Ekala is the Sri Lanka Air Force station in Ekala. It is the primary training centre for all Sri Lanka Air Force specialist airmen trades, to this end the station is home to the Advanced & Specialized Trade Training School. It is also the home of the office of Chief Recruiting Officer, who is responsible for recruiting Officers and others ranks to the SLAF.
Air Vice Marshal P.B. Premachandra RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc, qfi, SLAF is the former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Sri Lanka Air Force Museum is the museum of the Sri Lanka Air Force, and its predecessor, the Royal Ceylon Air Force. Open to the public, the museum is at the SLAF Ratmalana and is maintained by 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 Prishantha De Silva, USP, psc, SLAF is the former Director Inspection and Safety, and also former director of Aeronautical Engineering Sri Lanka Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Nimal Herat-Gunaratne, VSV, USP, SLAF was the Director Health Services of the Sri Lanka Air Force from 1992 to 2011.
Air Vice Marshal Arun Kumaresan, RSP, USP, psc, SLAF was a Director Planning of the Sri Lanka 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 Vice Marshal P. D. J. Kumarasiri USP, psc, MAIAA, AMRAeCS, EDBA, PGDiplE, DipQM was the former Director of Aeronautical Engineering for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal Dick Cuthbert Perera VSV was the 6th 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 Vice Marshal Chandana Welikala USP is the Director of Administration for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
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 Vice Marshal Janak Wanigatunge USP, BSc, MSc(Def Stu) in Mgt, psc was the Director of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering for the Sri Lanka Air Force and retired in 2017.
Air Vice Marshal Marasinhage Ruchira Kalhara Samarasinghe Purna Bhumi Padakkama, BSc is the Director Civil Engineering for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
