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| SLAF Diyatalawa | |
|---|---|
| Diyatalawa, Uva Province | |
| Type | SLAF Station |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Sri Lanka Air Force |
| Site history | |
| In use | 15 October 1952 – present |
SLAF Diyatalawa is the Sri Lanka Air Force station in Diyatalawa. It is the primary ground combat training centre for SLAF Regiment and other trades. It runs basic combat courses for officer cadets and recruits as well as Advanced training for SLAF Regiment officer cadets. Gunner instructor technique course, drill instructor technique course and physical training instructor course are carried out here.
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 specialize mainly in providing air-support to ground forces, troop landing, and carrying out air strikes on rebel-held areas in the Northern and Eastern theaters, but is also capable of high- and low-level air defence.
Diyatalawa is a former garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is situated at an altitude of 1,499 m (4,918 ft) and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers. It is home to the Diyatalawa Garrison of the Sri Lanka Army, which includes the Sri Lanka Military Academy, officer training center of the army; SLAF Diyatalawa, the Sri Lanka Air Force's ground combat training centre; and facilities of the Sri Lanka Police.
The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment is a specialized ground combat corps within the Sri Lanka Air Force, responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. Its members are the SLAF Regiment Officers and the airmen of operations ground specialization. The SLAF Regiment is fully capable of protecting all its air bases, installations by itself using infantry and light armored units as well as launch air assaults with Airborne Infantry elements (paratroopers). Ground-based air defense of vital military and civil installations around the country is carried out by the SLAF Regiment along with combat search and rescue missions (CSAR). The corps itself is simply known as the 'regiment'.
The Royal Ceylon Air Force first established a detachment in the garrison town of Diyatalawa on 15 October 1952, at the Stable Hill Camp as a Ground Combat and Recruit Training Unit, with seconded RAF officer in command. In 1953 McReberts Camp was taken over by the RCyAF from the RAF.
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base. The garrison is usually in a city, town, fort, castle, ship or similar. "Garrison town" is a common expression for any town that has a military base nearby.
