SLAF ''Ekala'' is the
Sri Lanka Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF; ; ) is the air force, air arm and the youngest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. It was founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with the assistance of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The SLAF played a major r ...
station in
Ekala. It is the primary training centre for all
Sri Lanka Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF; ; ) is the air force, air arm and the youngest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. It was founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with the assistance of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The SLAF played a major r ...
specialist airmen trades, to this end the station is home to the Advanced & Specialized Trade Training School (A & S TTS). It is also the home of the office of Chief Recruiting Officer, who is responsible for recruiting Officers and others ranks to the SLAF.
The base was established by the
RAF and was later handed over to RCyAF. It was the first RCyAF detachment to come under hostile attack on the 5 April 1971 at the outset of the
JVP Insurrection. That same year an Electronics & telecommunications Maintenance Unit was opened at the base, responsible for installation and maintenance of airborne & ground radio systems, telecommunications & landline equipment, air traffic communications, radio navigational aids and other electronic apparatus in the RCyAF. It operatised on a three-pronged basis – Technical Wing, Administrative Squadron and Landline Flight. This Unit also trained personnel, and provided signals detachments at RCyAF formations. This was later shifted to
SLAF Ratmalana
Ratmalana International Airport (; ) (officially known as Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana and locally as Ratmalana Airport) , is the secondary international airport serving the city of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. It was the co ...
and renamed as Electronics & Telecommunications Wing. In 1993, the Advanced and Specialised Trade Training School was relocated to SLAF Ekala from
SLAF Katunayake
Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) (commonly known as Colombo International Airport, Colombo–Bandaranaike International Airport, and locally as Katunayake International Airport) (IATA: CMB, ICAO: VCBI) is the main international airport ...
.
References
SLAF Ekala
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ekala
Sri Lanka Air Force bases
Buildings and structures in Gampaha District
1952 establishments in Ceylon