- Joint SLAF-Navy effort to float sunk helicopter at Maduru Oya
- MOD to revisit stalled modernisation as economic recovery accelerates
- MOD will explore possibility of releasing summarised peacetime accident reports
The second crash of a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aircraft in less than two months, this time claiming the lives of six who were onboard, has returned the status of its fleet and safety back to the spotlight.
In March this year, an SLAF K-8 jet trainer crashed in Wariyapola. Last week, an SLAF Bell 212 helicopter from No. 7 Squadron crashed into the Maduru Oya Reservoir during a planned demonstration flight, which was to deploy a team of Special Forces (SF) personnel for an Army passing-out parade. Six of those on board, including four Army SF soldiers and the helicopter’s two Air Force regiment gunners, succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead after medical treatment.
According to the SLAF, a joint Navy-Air Force team has initiated the mission to recover the submerged Bell 212 airframe. “Specialised diving and recovery teams are being deployed to the crash site to ensure the safe retrieval of the aircraft for post-crash examination,” the SLAF said, adding that all six survivors were in stable condition.
Longstanding concerns about the status of the equipment used by the armed forces, especially the fleet of aircraft, many of which need overhaul, modernisation, or replacement, continue to be underscored with each safety incident. The lack of airworthy aircraft, resources, and funding to ensure the high-level training and skill retention needed to keep aircrew and ground crew competent and combat ready has also plagued the SLAF over the last decade.
Despite high expenditure on defence, Sri Lanka has largely failed to fund needed modernisation, replenishment, or to acquire newer, more capable platforms and training needed to keep its armed forces combat ready and well-equipped. Poor defence policy and governance of the defence establishment by consecutive governments since the end of the conflict in 2009 has seen many hard-earned competencies and skill sets erode from the Sri Lankan armed forces, with many professionals with decades of experience leaving the service over the last five years, creating gaps in institutional memory and expertise. All three branches of the armed forces have been struggling to pass on valuable and necessary skill sets to keep the new generation of soldiers, sailors, and aviators, and to ensure they are ‘fighting fit.’
What will the Government do?
When asked if the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would direct the SLAF to conduct a fleet-wide safety audit following the recent crashes, MOD Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha told The Sunday Morning that the MOD was undertaking a comprehensive reassessment of aviation safety and operational protocols, in close coordination with SLAF command.
He also expressed his deepest condolences to the families affected, adding that the ministry was fully committed to ensuring the highest standards of aviation safety and operational integrity.
Thuyacontha, no stranger to the SLAF Bell 212, having flown the type extensively during his time as a helicopter pilot in the Air Force, clocking over 6,000 hours in operational and combat flying, said: “The MOD maintains continuous oversight of SLAF safety protocol and audits. Given that SLAF already conducts extensive safety evaluations and that the MOD has unrestricted access to these reports at all times, a separate fleet-wide safety audit may not be deemed necessary. However, the MOD remains steadfast in its commitment to operational safety and will continue to review existing audit findings to address any emerging concerns in light of recent incidents.”
“In adherence to established procedures, individual boards of inquiry have been convened for each incident to conduct thorough investigations. Given the recurrence of such events within a short timeframe, we are carefully evaluating the necessity of a fleet-wide safety audit. This assessment would encompass critical areas such as aircraft maintenance practices, pilot training and proficiency standards, operational procedures, and risk management frameworks. Should preliminary findings indicate systemic concerns, the audit will be formally directed and implemented to reinforce the airworthiness and overall safety of all SLAF platforms (aircraft),” he added.
Issues with funding and modernisation
When asked about Government expenditure constraints and limitations in terms of modernising and overhauling most of the SLAF fleet, Thuyacontha acknowledged the challenges faced by the SLAF.
“We have not made any major purchases of new air assets since the end of war to replace our ageing fleet and due to the economic crisis, going for a fleet expansion or major overhauls will put a considerable amount of strain on our limited financial reserves at this juncture. Therefore, the SLAF operates under much strain to maintain its existing fleet while maintaining operations requirements,” he said.
“It is essential to modernise the current fleet in line with emerging technological advancements in order to address the new challenges facing the country. However, given the current economic situation, implementing such an upgrade is not feasible at this time. Nonetheless, as the economic recovery accelerates, we will be able to revisit and consider this initiative,” Thuyacontha stressed.
The SLAF fleet has been dwindling in number of airworthy aircrafts due to the State not providing adequate funding to maintain, overhaul, and update the fleet to ensure combat readiness and sustainability over the years. This situation has not been effectively addressed by successive governments from the post-conflict era.
One of the best examples are Russian-built Mi-17 helicopters of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Another longstanding workhorse of the SLAF, and a multi-role aircraft by all accounts, nearly 20 Mi-17s in the SLAF fleet remain grounded due to the inability to get them overhauled by the respective OMEs (equipment manufacturers) or licensed entities. Today only a handful are in airworthy condition, while another three are deployed on a UN mission in Africa.
In the 2009-2020 period, the lack of State funding to get them overhauled, and later the full-blown conflict between Russia and Ukraine, increased the challenges in getting the fleet airworthy again. It is learnt that a tug of war between competing private companies who have agreements with licensed maintenance plants in Eastern Europe has also contributed to stalling efforts to get the fleet overhauled and has driven up prices as competitors exploit market limitations to squeeze the State out of more taxpayer rupees for the task.
It is learnt that some companies have even taken matters before court to bar others from competing in tenders to overhaul the helicopters. Added to this, pressure from the United States regarding not dealing with Russian companies which are under sanctions does not help Sri Lanka to effectively sustain its fleet.
Similar issues impact other aircraft of the fleet, with the SLAF’s PT-6 trainer aircraft fleet also said to be largely grounded due to technical issues and the lack of spare parts from China. Many countries have begun to replace the PT-6 as the platform is ageing and as the pilot training curriculum advances with the evolution of airpower. However, Sri Lanka has not been able to fund the replacement of the training fleet to introduce a more modern and safer platform due to budget constraints and poor policy priorities since before 2009.
Poor policymaking and the lack of a national security and defence policy have cost Sri Lanka. Since 2009, multiple efforts to establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility with help from Russian helicopter manufacturers were never taken seriously or were scuttled. Had Sri Lanka invested in an MRO facility on the island, it could have serviced not only the local Mi-17 fleet but that of friendly countries in the region, which would have earned revenue and improved the island’s aviation industry. Unfortunately, the Government of the day decided to spend $ 50 million on overhauling and upgrading five Kfir fighter jets rather than investing one-third of this in establishing an MRO facility for helicopters in Sri Lanka.
The crashed ‘workhorse’
The Bell 212 helicopter, often called a ‘workhorse’ by those who have flown it in SLAF service since the 1980s, is a US-built twin-engine medium utility helicopter which has been produced in the thousands. Newer versions of the helicopter remain in production.
The aircraft that crashed at Maduru Oya was up to date on maintenance, the SLAF told The Sunday Morning, with Spokesperson Group Captain Eranda Geeganage stating: “The Bell 212 helicopter was inducted into the SLAF fleet in 1985 as a brand-new aircraft. The aircraft remained fully airworthy prior to the incident, with all mandatory servicing and inspections up to date.”
When asked about the progress of the inquiry board appointed by the Air Force Commander, Geeganage said that initial verbal statements had been obtained, with formal interviews to be conducted at the hospital as soon as medically appropriate. “The preliminary interim report is expected to be available within two to three weeks,” he added.
It is understood that the SLAF currently has around a dozen Bell 212 and Bell 412 helicopters in its inventory.
Need to improve training and inquiry procedure
Several retired SLAF officers The Sunday Morning spoke to pointed out that it was high time for the SLAF to establish a better-resourced, independent air safety compliance and investigation mechanism.
“Unfortunately, the sector remains under-resourced and is often not given the priority it should be given. Also, there should be a higher degree of independence for accountability to be better delivered,” a retired engineering officer with air crash investigation expertise said, speaking on terms of anonymity.
Another retired flyer questioned if the crew members who flew the mission had been experienced enough to be entrusted with it, adding that despite being well-maintained, the aircraft and engine being manufactured decades ago would affect the performance of the aircraft, thereby needing careful pre-mission planning and mission management to ensure operational efficiencies and safety.
“The inquiry will need to review the water survival training which this aircrew underwent and overwater flight guidelines we have for helicopter flights. There has also been a reduction in the number of flying hours which pilots get nowadays. Military aviation and the kind of flying we do is a perishable skill. You need to give pilots and aircrew a healthy number of flying hours to keep their skills sharp and also training opportunities to rehearse the kind of missions we are called on to fly. This includes specialised training in simulators, which we used to do overseas. Today, only a handful of pilots are qualified for night flying, with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs); it’s a difficult skill set to pass on and one that needs regular practice to stay current or capable of. Imagine if we are called for flood rescue at night or to evacuate a sick fisherman or sailor from a boat off the coast at night? Do we have the right aircraft, kit, and training to pull it off?” he questioned.
The Defence Secretary said the ministry recognised the necessity of strengthening aviation safety oversight in alignment with contemporary military and civil aviation standards.
“The SLAF currently maintains an internal Flight Safety Inspectorate responsible for monitoring, investigating, and enforcing safety compliance. However, given the evolving complexity of aviation operations and associated risks, a review of the SLAF’s safety governance framework is warranted. The MOD is assessing options to enhance the independence, technical capability, and resource allocation of air safety mechanisms within the SLAF. Consideration is also being given to incorporating independent subject matter expertise and leveraging international peer-review models to improve investigative processes,” he noted.
Lack of transparency?
Over the years, numerous aircraft crashes linked to the SLAF have been investigated by the force. However, these reports are often ‘sent’ to the MOD and none have been made public, nor are they accessible as public records.
In recent years, four air crashes were reported; a Y-12 light transport aircraft, two PT-6 primary training aircraft, and the K-8 jet trainer which crashed in March. There was also a reported ‘hard landing’ of an Air Force Bell 206 JetRanger used for pilot training and another ‘hard landing’ of an SLAF Mi-17 in service under United Nations colours in the Central African Republic.
These air crashes, which have happened in peacetime, should be properly investigated and the reports made public, like many foreign military organisations do. However, this is not a practice that has taken root in Sri Lanka, leaving the victims of the incidents without clarity as to what happened and leaving gaps in accountability. Ultimately, the taxpayer foots the bill and the SLAF’s reputation takes a hit when such crashes are not investigated in a transparent manner.
When asked why there was no public transparency regarding the outcomes of peacetime air crash investigation reports, Thuyacontha said: “We acknowledge public interest in transparency, particularly concerning incidents involving national assets and personnel. SLAF crash investigations are conducted with rigour by professional boards of inquiry and final reports are traditionally classified due to operational security, national defence considerations, and technical confidentiality.
“Nevertheless, we recognise the growing expectation for accountability and are actively reviewing disclosure policies. Where feasible, and without compromising national security interests, the ministry is exploring the possibility of releasing summarised findings and safety recommendations for peacetime incidents. Such a measure would enhance public trust while maintaining operational integrity.”
Thuyacontha said that the safety and security of the broader public and that of armed forces personnel remained a priority, adding that the MOD remained steadfast in enforcing the highest standards of military aviation safety, operational accountability, and responsible governance.