Sri Lankan Air Force

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Sri Lankan Air Force Ensign.

Sri Lankan Air Force Aircraft Marking

Aircraft Fin Flash

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF or SL Air Force) is the aerial defense division and the youngest of the Sri Lankan Tri Forces. Founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force, it relied on the British Royal Air Force for its earliest equipment, training, and leadership. The Air Force is playing a major role in the ongoing civil war ^{[citation needed]}. Although Sri Lanka is only a small island state, its Air Force is ranked as highly capable and outstanding ^{[citation needed]}. A force commander led the service and its operational headquarters were located in Ratmalana, south of Colombo.

In 1996 Sri Lankan Air Force acquired six Kfir C.2s and a single TC.2 from Israel and further more nine aircraft had been added to the inventory by in year 2005. This included four C.2s and four C.7s in 2001. Currently the SLAF operates two TC.2s, two C.7s and eight C.2s. The SLAF is using these Kfirs to attack against insurgent targets.

Currently the SLAF is equipped with modern Air craft including the IAI Kfir, MiG-27, F-7 Skybolt, K-8 Karakorum, Mi-24, Mi-17, Bell 212, Bell 206, Bell 412, Antonov 32, Harbin Y-12, Beechcraft 200, RQ-2 Pioneer and C-130 Hercules.

[edit] Attack on Civilian Targets

Sri Lanka Air force has carried out many attacks on civilian targets including schools and orphanages. Thee most recent is that the Sri Lankan Air force bombed Sencholai Orphanage, and tried to label it as an LTTE training camp [1], although SLMM could find no sign for any military installations [2].

But later, one of the injured girl was admitted to the Kandy Government hospital and the entire story was revealed. It was a basic military training camp they have conducted for few days and the children were taken forcibly. The claim from LTTE about the premise was changed few times as a "school", "orphanage" and a "day camp" etc. The injured and dead children were wearing some unusual clothing for an educational camp was visible on many photographs released.