Sri Lanka Air Force celebrates 75th anniversary with air display and exhibition

The exhibition and air display organised to mark the 75th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force was inaugurated yesterday afternoon (March 06) at the Sri Lanka Air Force Base in Ratmalana, under the patronage of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who arrived at the Air Force Base, was accorded a Guard of Honour.

The President, who attended the special air show, also took the opportunity to visit the exhibition stalls.

The President penned a special note in the visitors’ book at the Air Force Museum. To mark the occasion, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, presented a memento to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The exhibition and air display have been organised with the aim of sharing the 75 years of distinguished service of the Sri Lanka Air Force with the public. The exhibition features a number of educational booths highlighting aeronautics and aviation technology.

Visitors will have the opportunity to view Sri Lanka Air Force aircraft up close and learn about their technical features. Separate booths representing the various professions within the Air Force have been established, and the exhibition also includes a number of Sri Lanka Air Force aircraft as well as civilian aircraft.

The event will also feature aerial displays by Air Force helicopters, transport aircraft and jets, night-time drone displays, Air Force canine demonstrations, rescue operations conducted by Air Force Special Operations units, a firefighting demonstration, parachute and drill displays, Angampora martial arts demonstrations and a variety of cultural performances.

The exhibition and air display will be open to the public until March 08, 2026, daily from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Gunatilake, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya, along with senior security officials and a number of distinguished guests, were present at the event.