The Sri Lanka Air Force 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.
Short Sunderland Mark IIIs of No. 230 Squadron RAF at RAF Koggala in Ceylon.
A Hawker Siddeley HS 748 used by the SLAF, now displayed at Koggala Airport
A SIAI-Marchetti SF260 used for ground attack in the early days of the civil war.
A FMA IA 58 Pucará ground-attack aircraft used in the civil war in the early 1990s.
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.