Sri Lanka Air Force

Sri Lanka Air Force ශ්‍රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව இலங்கை விமானப்படை
Sri Lanka Air Force Emblem
Founded	2 March 1951
Country	Sri Lanka
Type	Air force
Size	28,700 personnel 132 aircraft
Part of	Ministry of Defence
Air Force Headquarters	SLAF Colombo, Colombo
Motto(s)	සුරකිමු ලකඹර Surakimu Lakambara English: "Protect Lankan Skies"
Anniversaries	2 March (Air Force Day)
Engagements	1971 Insurrection Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War
Website	www.airforce.lk
Commanders
Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force	Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc, SLAF
Notable commanders	Air Vice Marshal E R Amarasekara DFC & Bar, RCyAF Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake USP, ndc, psc, SLAF Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonatilake RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc, SLAF
Insignia
SLAF Ensign
SLAF Roundel
SLAF Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Attack	Mikoyan MiG-27
Fighter	IAI Kfir F-7 Skybolt Chengdu F-7
Interceptor	F-7 Skybolt
Patrol	Beechcraft Super King Air Cessna 421 Golden Eagle
Reconnaissance	IAI Searcher EMIT Blue Horizon 2
Trainer	K-8 Karakorum Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Nanchang CJ-6 (PT-6) Cessna 150 Bell 206
Transport	C-130 Hercules Boeing 767 Antonov An-32 Harbin Y-12 Mil Mi-17 Bell 212 Bell 412 Eurocopter AS350

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) (Sinhalese: ශ්‍රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව Sri Lanka Guwan Hamudawa) (Tamil: இலங்கை விமானப்படை Ilaṅkai Vimāṉappaṭai) 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.

The Commander of the Air Force is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

The mission statement of the Sri Lanka Air Force is

To achieve professional excellence in rapid mobility and precision engagement by developing core capabilities based on technological superiority, to ensure operational readiness and success in exploiting the competent human resources and equipment of the Sri Lanka Air Force

The Vision of the Sri Lanka Air Force is

To be a well accomplished, resolute and an ingenious air power capable of fulfilling the aspirations of the nation and preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island

In its early years, the air force was engaged primarily in immigration patrol, with occasional assistance in emergency relief. During the insurgency of 1971, the air force played a major role in restoring internal order; in addition to providing transport of supplies and troops, it participated in assaults against insurgent strongholds. Following the ethnic rioting of 1983, the air force was placed on permanent active status and participated in counter-insurgency activities and air strikes on the rebel-controlled areas of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.