The Sri Lanka Air Force has not acquired any land belonging to the general public, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathi said.
Although the President has ordered to release all public land that had been acquired by the security forces before December 31, the Air Force has only state owned land, the Commander of the Air Force stated in Kandy.
The Air Force Commander made these remarks after paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy yesterday (24) during a religious ceremony held to commemorate the fallen Air Force war heroes.
He said 443 airmen have been killed during operational duties in the Sri Lankan Air Force and the alms giving is annually carried out for the dead, missing and wounded airmen.
The Commander said that for the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force a new system for modernization of the Sri Lanka Air Force has been introduced and the plans to shape the Air Force in 2025 in line with the government’s policies for Sri Lanka’s road map for 2020 are included in the modernization system.
He further said the Air Force obtained six light aircraft from China for training. The six aircraft were assembled in Sri Lanka and one of the biggest projects of the Sri Lanka Air Force recently is the setting up of an aircraft assembly yard. Most of its construction is complete and the President is scheduled to inaugurate the plant.
“The SLAF makes a great contribution to the country’s development. Our force made a greater contribution to the recent ‘Pibidemu Polonnaruwa’ program,” Air Marshal Jayampathy said.
He said the Air Force making a huge contribution to the Presidential Task Force to control drug trafficking. The Air Force is successfully observing the cultivation of cannabis in various areas of the country from air and provide that information to the police and Special Task Force.
Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathi said that the Government’s attention has been drawn towards the rebuilding of the proposed aircraft landing yard at Digana, Kandy and the Air Force will commence construction work once they receive the order from the government.
