On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its founding, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) presented the entire range of its equipment in March this year at a seven-day exhibition with flying displays at Ratmalana transport base near the capital Colombo.
Primarily intended as an interceptor and equipped with PL-5 missiles (front) for this role, the F-7GS can also use bombs and unguided rockets against ground targets.
For self-defence, the SLAF's Bell 212s are equipped with two side-mounted machine guns.
Future SLAF pilots begin their training with 50 flying hours on the Cessna 150.
The Chinese light transport Y-12II is the workhorse of the SLAF.
With a more powerful engine, additional hardpoints and the Elta EL/M-2021B radar, the Kfir C.7 is considerably more capable than the C.2 introduced first.
Thanks to good engine power, more advanced aerobatics are also possible with the PT-6.
The Bell 206 is the SLAF's training helicopter. It is also used for VIP transport.
Besides their military tasks, the Bell 212s (and the Mi-17s) are also used as fire-fighting helicopters.
F-7BS and F-7GS in a flypast. From this perspective, the double-delta wings of the latest F-7 variant can be seen clearly.
Like the Mi-24s, the Sri Lankan MiG-27s came from Ukraine. Initially they were also flown by Ukrainian pilots, but in the meantime enough local aircrew are available.
Mi-24 variants have been in service in Sri Lanka since 1995. Some aircraft were recently overhauled at LOM Praha in the Czech Republic.
The SLAF has two C-130 Hercules from Royal Air Force stocks. The extensive self-protection equipment is striking, among others on the nose and on the main landing gear fairings.
The exhibition marking the SLAF's 60th anniversary took place at Ratmalana air base, the domestic airport of the capital Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment, responsible for guarding and defending the airfields, has, among other things, Bofors L40/70 anti-aircraft guns.
Although overhauled in Pakistan in 2004, the SLAF's two FT-5s were not put back into service afterwards. Their tasks have been taken over by K-8 and FT-7BS.
On the robust PT-6, student pilots learn among other things the basics of aerobatics.
Besides their primary role as advanced trainers, the K-8s can also be used against ground targets. The weapons for this include a gun pod, bombs and unguided rockets.
The SLAF has several variants of the Mi-17. Retrofitted self-protection systems can be seen on the nose armour and rear fuselage of this Mi-171.
A modern low-level radar system could also be seen at the exhibition.
Special forces were dropped from the Mi-171 with its rear doors removed.
An-32 at its home base Ratmalana. Thanks to its high engine power, the Ukrainian transport is ideally suited to operations in Sri Lanka's tropical climate.
The daily flying programme ended with an impressive demonstration of a tactical air landing.
Equipped with unguided rockets and bombs, the MiG-27s primarily attack area targets.
The SLAF's Mi-24/35s were procured from Ukraine. The deliveries included both aircraft with machine guns (Mi-24V) and with cannon (Mi-35P – pictured).
Mixed formation of F-7BS (centre and front) and F-7GS. Noticeable on the F-7BS are the retrofitted flare dispensers under the tail. On the F-7GS these devices are integrated into the ventral fin as standard.
