Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force

Chief of Staff of the Air Force has been the title of the second in command of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The post is held by a regular officer of the rank of Air Vice Marshal and is the second most senior position in the Air Force. Chief of Staff is charged with assisting the Air Force Commander in both operational and administrative aspects, functioning as the Acting Air Force Commander in his absences or incantation. Chief of Staff is assisted by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Incumbent
Air Vice Marshal RS Wickremeratne
Sri Lanka Air Force
TypeVery senior post
AbbreviationCOS
Reports toCommander of the Air Force
ResidenceColombo
SeatAir Force HQ
NominatorPresident of Sri Lanka
AppointerPresident of Sri Lanka
Term lengthNot fixed
Formation1949
DeputyDeputy Chief of Staff

List of chiefs of staff

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No Chief of staff Took office Left office Notes
Wing Commander A. E. Dale
Wing Commander Rohan Amerasekera May 1955 December 1960 Wing Commander Rohan Amerasekera was appointed as 3th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Group Captain Paddy Mendis December 1969 Wing Commander Paddy Mendis was appointed as 4th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Commodore Harry Goonatilake 13 October 1976 Air Commodore Harry Goonatilake was appointed as 5th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Commodore Dick Perera 30 April 1981 Air Commodore Walter Fernando was appointed as 6th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Vice Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Walter Fernando 1981 30 April 1985 Air Vice Marshal Walter Fernando was appointed as 7th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Terry Gunawardena 31 July 1990 Air Vice Marshal Terry Gunawardena was appointed as 8th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe 16 February 1994 Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe was appointed as 9th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Anslem Peiris
Air Vice Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody 5 March 1998 Air Vice Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody was appointed as 10th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera December 1998 15 July 2002 Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera was appointed as 11th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal WDRMJ Goonetileke 10 June 2006 Air Vice Marshal WDRMJ Goonetileke was appointed as 12th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama 2011 27 February 2011 Air Vice Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama was appointed as 13th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake 27 February 2011 27 February 2014 Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake was appointed as 14th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala 2014 14 June 2015 Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala was appointed as 15th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias 1 October 2016 28 May 2019 Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias was appointed as 17th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana 2019 1 November 2020 Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana was appointed as 18th Commander of the Air Force and promoted to Air Marshal.
Air Vice Marshal Prasanna Payoe 9 March 2021
Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa 12 September 2022 29 June 2023
Air Vice Marshal RS Wickremeratne 9 July 2023

References

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