• SL Air Force inducts Maritime Patrol Aircraft to fleet

Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) yesterday (15) inducted the first-ever Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft gifted by India to its fleet in a ceremonious procession after it was officially handed over to President Ranil Wickremesinghe by High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay at the SLAF Base in Katunayake. The event was also attended by Secretary to Defence Ministry Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, and other dignitaries. In a tweet, the Indian High Commission said: “Like fruits of other areas of co-operation with India, the gift of Dornier to Sri Lanka Air Force is of relevance to Sri Lanka and a step to meet its requirements for maritime safety and security.” It is an example of India’s strength adding to the strength of its friends and neighbours, including those in the Indian Ocean region and the Bay of Bengal, such as Sri Lanka, the High Commission noted. Addressing the event, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay stated that the security of India and Sri Lanka is enhanced by mutual understanding, mutual trust, and co-operation. The gifting of a Dornier 228 is India’s latest contribution to this cause, he added. The Dornier 228 will be flown and maintained by a crew of 15 SLAF personnel who were specifically trained in India for a period of four months, consisting of pilots, observers, engineering officers, and technicians, along with the supervision by the Indian Government’s technical team attached to SLAF comprising engineering officers and technicians. The team would undertake comprehensive supervision of the aircraft, airframes, aircraft support equipment, ground support equipment, and relevant documents, and would ascertain the serviceability of all the assets. During the Defence Dialog between India and Sri Lanka on 9 January 2018, in New Delhi, the Sri Lankan Government sought the possibility of obtaining two Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of Sri Lanka. As a sequel to the request from Sri Lanka, India agreed to provide one Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol aircraft from the Indian Naval Fleet on gratis basis for the first two years of the interim period, since it would require two years to manufacture new aircraft. Afterwards, the Indian Government expressed their assent to provide a brand-new Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft free of charge. Subsequently, another brand-new Dornier 228 is to be inducted into the Sri Lanka Air Force through mutually agreed terms and conditions between both countries. The Indian Naval Dornier (INDO – 228) is a short take-off and landing (STOL), multi-role light transport aircraft with a turboprop twin-engine, produced since 1981.