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    Joseph Carne-Ross

    Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force
    ශ්‍රී ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාපති
    since 29 January 2025
     Sri Lanka Air Force
    Member ofNational Security Council
    Reports toMinister of Defence
    ResidenceAir Force House, Colombo
    SeatAir Headquarters
    AppointerThe President
    Term lengthNot fixed
    Constituting instrumentAir Force Act, No. 41 of 1949
    Formation2 March 1951; 74 years ago (1951-03-02)
    as Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force
    First holderGroup Captain Graham Bladon (as Commander RCyAF)
    DeputyChief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force
    WebsiteOfficial website
    Sri Lanka Air Force
    Components
    General Information
    History
    Aircraft
    Leadership and ranks

    The Commander of the Air Force is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Commander of the Air Force is Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe. It is a position comparable to that of Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force acts as a deputy commander within the command structure.

    All serving air force commanders have been of the rank of air marshal, promoted to the honorary rank of air chief marshal on retirement.

    List of commanders

    No. Picture Commander Took office Left office Time in office Unit Ref.
    1
    Graham Bladon CBE
    		Bladon, GrahamAir Commodore
    Graham Bladon
    CBE
    (1899–1967)    		5 May 195024 October 19588 years, 172 days–[1]
    2
    John Barker CB, CBE, DFC
    		Barker, JohnAir Vice Marshal
    John Barker
    CB, CBE, DFC
    (1910–2004)    		24 October 195812 November 19624 years, 19 days–[1]
    3
    Rohan Amerasekera DFC & Bar
    		Amerasekera, RohanAir Vice Marshal
    Rohan Amerasekera
    DFC & Bar
    (1916–1974)    		12 November 196231 December 19708 years, 49 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    4
    Deshamanya Paddy Mendis
    		Mendis, PaddyAir Chief Marshal
    Deshamanya Paddy Mendis
    (1933–2022)    		1 January 19711 November 19765 years, 305 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF
    No. 5 Squadron SLAF    		[1]
    5
    Harry Goonatilake USP
    		Goonatilake, HarryAir Chief Marshal
    Harry Goonatilake
    USP
    (1929–2008)    		1 November 197630 April 19814 years, 180 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    6
    Dick Perera VSV
    		Perera, DickAir Chief Marshal
    Dick Perera
    VSV    		1 May 198130 April 19853 years, 364 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    7
    Walter Fernando VSV
    		Fernando, WalterAir Chief Marshal
    Walter Fernando
    VSV    		1 May 198531 July 19905 years, 91 daysNo. 4 Squadron SLAF[1]
    8
    Terry Gunawardena VSV
    		Gunawardena, TerryAir Chief Marshal
    Terry Gunawardena
    VSV    		1 August 199016 February 19943 years, 199 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    9
    Oliver Ranasinghe RWP, VSV, USP
    		Ranasinghe, OliverAir Chief Marshal
    Oliver Ranasinghe
    RWP, VSV, USP    		17 February 19945 March 19984 years, 16 daysNo. 5 Squadron SLAF[1]
    10
    Jayalath Weerakkody RWP, VSV, USP
    		Weerakkody, JayalathAir Chief Marshal
    Jayalath Weerakkody
    RWP, VSV, USP    		6 March 199815 July 20024 years, 131 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF
    No. 4 Squadron SLAF    		[1]
    11
    Donald Perera VSV, USP
    		Perera, DonaldAir Chief Marshal
    Donald Perera
    VSV, USP    		16 July 200211 June 20063 years, 330 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    12
    Roshan Goonetileke RWP, VSV, USP
    		Goonetileke, RoshanMarshal of the Air Force
    Roshan Goonetileke
    RWP, VSV, USP
    (born 1956)    		11 June 200627 February 20114 years, 261 daysNo. 4 Squadron SLAF[1]
    13
    Harsha Abeywickrama RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
    		Abeywickrama, HarshaAir Chief Marshal
    Harsha Abeywickrama
    RWP, RSP, VSV, USP    		27 February 201127 February 20143 years, 0 daysNo. 5 Squadron SLAF[1]
    14
    Kolitha Gunathilake RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
    		Gunathilake, KolithaAir Chief Marshal
    Kolitha Gunathilake
    RWP, RSP, VSV, USP    		27 February 201415 June 20151 year, 108 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF[1]
    15
    Gagan Bulathsinghala RWP, RSP, USP, VSV
    		Bulathsinghala, GaganAir Chief Marshal
    Gagan Bulathsinghala
    RWP, RSP, USP, VSV
    (born 1961)    		15 June 201512 September 20161 year, 89 daysNo. 4 Squadron SLAF[1]
    16
    Kapila Jayampathy WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
    		Jayampathy, KapilaAir Chief Marshal
    Kapila Jayampathy
    WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP    		13 September 201629 May 20192 years, 258 daysNo. 4 Squadron SLAF[1]
    17
    Sumangala Dias RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
    		Dias, SumangalaAir Chief Marshal
    Sumangala Dias
    RWP, RSP, VSV, USP    		30 May 20192 November 20201 year, 156 daysNo. 6 Squadron SLAF[1]
    18
    Sudarshana Pathirana WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
    		PATHIRANA, SudarshanaAir Chief Marshal
    Sudarshana Pathirana
    WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP    		2 November 202029 June 20232 years, 239 daysNo. 5 Squadron SLAF
    No. 10 Squadron SLAF    		–
    19
    Udeni Rajapaksa RWP, VSV, USP
    		Rajapaksa, UdeniAir Chief Marshal
    Udeni Rajapaksa
    RWP, VSV, USP    		30 June 202328 January 20251 year, 297 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF
    No. 8 Squadron SLAF
    20
    Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe WWV, RWP, RSP, USP
    		Edirisinghe, BanduAir Marshal
    Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe
    WWV, RWP, RSP, USP    		29 January 2025incumbent84 daysNo. 2 Squadron SLAF
    No. 8 Squadron SLAF    		–

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Past Commanders". airforce.lk. Sri Lanka Air Force. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
    Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_of_the_Air_Force_(Sri_Lanka)

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