Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the most senior appointment in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, and the highest-ranking military officer in service, outranking the heads of each service branch. The CDS does not, however, have operational command authority over service branches, but rather oversees inter-service co-operation and develops and implements the joint operations doctrine of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Coordination of inter-service joint operations are handled by the Office of the Chief of the Defence Staff, formally known as the Joint Operations Headquarters.
Image: Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Adm. D.W.K. Sandagiri (cropped)
Image: Sarath Fonseka at Ananda
Image: Jagath Jayasuriya
Image: Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Aravinda Gunatilleke (cropped)
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The three services have around 346,700 active personnel; conscription has never been imposed in Sri Lanka. As of 2021 it is the 14th largest military in the world, with 1.46% of the Sri Lankan population actively serving.
Sinhala warriors of the 16th century, from a contemporary Portuguese codex
Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake watching the Ceylon Light Infantry training.
Defence Annual Expenditure since 1988
Sri Lanka Navy SLNS Gajabahu (P626), SLNS Sayurala (P623) and SLNS Sindurala (P624) during 2022 Colombo Naval Exercise. SLNS Samudura (P261) also visible in the distance.
