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No. 4 Squadron SLAF
No. 4 (VVIP/VIP) Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Bell 412/412EP/212/206JR from SLAF Ratmalana for VVIP/VIP Air transport. History Established on January 15, 1971 as No. 4 Helicopter Squadron with Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters. With role of VIP transport, reconnaissance, cargo transport, air/sea and jungle rescue. In 1983 the squadron permanently positioned several Bell 212 and Bell Jet Ranger helicopters at SLAF Palaly, in support of the Army in Jaffna. These were used both for troop transport and ground attack. In 1987 the Squadron was upgraded to an Air Wing as the No. 4 Helicopter Wing. They played a major role during the Vadamarachchi Operation in 1987, deploying Commandos behind enemy lines. In 1990 a helicopter of the squadron took part in the daring Operation Eagle, in which it flew into the besieged Jaffna Fort re-supply and casualty evacuation. The following year the squadron provided air cover for the besieged Sil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First Battle Of Elephant Pass
The First Battle of Elephant Pass (Codenamed Operation ''Aakaya Kadal Veli'', which means 'Air-Sea-Plain' by LTTE) was a battle fought in July 1991 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base of Elephant Pass, which was of strategic importance as it linked the northern mainland known as Wanni with the Jaffna Peninsula. The battle was fought between troops of the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, commonly known as LTTE. Battle On July 10, 1991, the LTTE launched a massive attack at Elephant Pass. The battle was, up until that time, the most violent and bloody confrontation that ever took place between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army. The LTTE had previously surrounded the base and blocked off routes north and south so no reinforcements could come in. Also, at the beginning of July, the LTTE moved anti-aircraft guns close to the base so no helicopters could bring in supplies. Thus the 800 troops of the 6th Battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Defence College, India
The National Defence College, located in New Delhi, is the defence service training institute and highest seat of strategic learning for officers of the Defence Service and the Civil Services. This is a very prestigious course attended only by a few hand-picked defence officers of One-Star rank and civil servants of the rank of Joint secretary to the Government of India. Each year, approximately 25 officers from friendly foreign countries like the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, UAE and others attend the course. This college provides strategic leadership to the Government of India in national and international security matters and also acts as a think tank on defence matters and holds a very important position in shaping up the Indian defence outlook. History After India's independence in 1947, senior officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force attended the Imperial Defence College (IDC) in the United Kingdom be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uttama Seva Padakkama
The Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP, Eminent Service Medal) (Sinhala language, Sinhala: උත්තම සේවා පදක්කම ''uṭṭama sēvā padakkama'') is presented to all ranks of the regular forces of the Military of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan military for: Award process The decoration is awarded at the National Day parade by the President of Sri Lanka, President after a recommendation and review process. Recipients can use the List of post-nominal letters#Sri Lanka, post-nominal letters "USP". References External linksSri Lanka Army {{Military awards and decorations of Sri Lan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gagan Bulathsinghala
Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala (also known as Gagan Pulasthi Bulathsinghala) RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MPhil (Def & Strat), MSc (Def Stud) in Mgt, FIM(SL) National Defence College, India, psc is a retired air officer and a former commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. He has also held the position of Chief of the Air Staff and after his retirement on 12 September 2016, was appointed the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Afghanistan, a position he holds currently. Early life and education Gagan was born in Colombo on 12 September 1961. His father was Bulathsinghalage Percy Marcus Perera who was a lawyer and a former flight lieutenant in the Royal Ceylon Air Force. His mother was Dona Beatrice Perera. He received his entire education from Nalanda College, Colombo. While at school he did many extra curricular activities such as cadeting, ruby and being a member of many school societies. He was involved in publishing the college's monthly newspaper, ''Nalanda''. Some of his contempor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rana Sura Padakkama
Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP, Combat Excellence Medal) ( Sinhala: රණ ශූර පදක්කම ''rana śūra padakkama'') is awarded to servicepersons of all ranks of the regular and volunteer forces of the Military of Sri Lanka for individual acts of bravery and otherwise distinguished conduct in the face of the enemy during active deployment. Bars could be awarded for further acts of gallantry meriting the award for a second and third time, denoted by a star in the ribbon bar for each additional award. Award process The decoration is awarded at the National Day parade by the President after a recommendation and review process initiated by service commanders. Recipients can use the post-nominal letters " RSP". Notable decorated personnel *Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka *Major-General Wasantha Perera * Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe * Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda * Admiral Jayanath Colombage *Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa *Lieutenant General Parami Kulatunga *Air ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rana Wickrama Padakkama
The Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP, Combat Gallantry Medal) ( Sinhala: රණ වික්රම පදක්කම) is awarded to Sri Lankan military service personnel serving in both the regular- and volunteer forces as a reward for: Bars could be awarded for further acts of gallantry meriting the award for a second and third time, denoted by a star in the ribbon bar for each additional award. The award is the only one to have been awarded to a military animal in Sri Lanka. Award process A formal recommendation is made by service commanders, and the decoration is awarded by the President following a review process. Recipients are eligible to the use of the post-nominal letters "RWP". Notable decorated personnel *Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka *Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonatilake *Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody *Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa * Vice Admiral Travis Sinniah *Major general Ananda Hamangoda *Major general Sarath Munasinghe *Major general ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kapila Jayampathy
Air Chief Marshal Kapila Veedhiya Bandara Jayampathy WWV, RWP, RSP MSc (Intl Rel), MSc (Def & Strat) is the 16th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. After his retirement he is now appointed as Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia. Early life and education Kapila received his education at Nalanda College Colombo and is a graduate of PLA National Defense University in Defence Studies. He is the first SLAF officer to be nominated and appointed to the National Defense University of China, where he graduated with distinction and a fellowship. He was presented with Nalanda Keerthi Sri award by Nalanda College in 2016. Military career Kapila joined Sri Lanka Air Force on 5 March 1982 as an Officer cadet and was commissioned as a Pilot officer in General Duties branch of No. 4 Squadron SLAF in 1985. Kapila is a Qualified Helicopter Instructor (QHI) with an exceptional A-2 Instructor grading to his credit and a VVIP Pilot. He was the Commanding Officer of the No. 7 Squadr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bell 412EP
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. Design and development Development began in the late 1970s with two Bell 212s being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four-blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two-blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981 with deliveries commencing in the same month. The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version featuring larger fuel capacity, higher takeoff weight and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production. The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system. In 2013 Bell introduced the 412EPI which inclu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurocopter Dauphin
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS365 Dauphin (''Dolphin''), also formerly known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters. It was originally developed and manufactured by French firm Aérospatiale, which was merged into the multinational Eurocopter company during the 1990s. Since entering production in 1975, the type has been in continuous production for more than 40 years. The intended successor to the Dauphin is the Airbus Helicopters H160, which entered operational service in 2021. The Dauphin 2 shares many similarities with the Aérospatiale SA 360, a commercially unsuccessful single-engine helicopter; however the twin-engine Dauphin 2 did meet with customer demand and has been operated by a wide variety of civil and military operators. Since the type's introduction in the 1970s, several major variations and specialised versions of the Dauphin 2 have been developed and entered product ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in 1988, along with all Bell commercial helicopter production after that plant opened in 1986. The 212 was marketed to civilian operators and has up to a 15-seat capacity, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo-carrying configuration the 212 has an internal capacity of 220 ft3 (6.23 m3). An external load of up to 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) can be carried. Development Based on the stretched fuselage Bell 205, the Bell 212 was originally developed for the Canadian Forces as the ''CUH-1N'' and later redesignated as the '' CH-135''. The Canadian Forces took delivery of 50 starting in May 1971. At the same time the United States military services ordered 294 Bell 212s under the designation UH-1N. By 1971, the Bell 21 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colours, Standards And Guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours (or colors), standards, flags, or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago. The Roman Empire also made battle Vexillum, standards a part of their vast armies. It was formalized in the armies of Europe in the High Middle Ages, with standards being emblazoned with the commander's coat of arms. General use As armies became trained and adopted set formations, each regiment's ability to keep its formation was potentially critical to its, and therefore its army's, success. In the chaos of battle, not least due to the amount of dust and smoke on a battlefield, soldiers needed to be able to determine where their regiment was. Regimental flags are generally awarded to a regiment by a head of state during a ceremony. They were therefore treated with reverence as they represented the honour and traditi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
