Category: Defense
U.S. Transfers Beechcraft King Air 360ER to SL Air Force, Enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness & Security
At a ceremony held today at Sri Lanka Air Force Base Katunayake, U.S. Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, officially handed over a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, gifted by the United States, to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The event, attended by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of […]
U.S. Admiral to Visit Sri Lanka, Strengthening Bilateral Security Cooperation
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka is pleased to announce that Admiral Steve Koehler, a 4-star U.S. Navy Admiral and Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, will visit Sri Lanka on October 10, marking the highest-level U.S. military visit to the country since 2021. During the visit, Admiral Koehler will reaffirm the strong partnership between the […]
Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Sail Training Warship ‘PO LANG’ arrives in Colombo
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Sail Training Warship ‘PO LANG’ arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit yesteday morning (08). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions. ‘PO LANG’ is a 86-meter-long Sail Training Vessel crewed by 130 personnel including 35 Officer Cadets. […]
U.S. Embassy Announces Expected Arrival of Beechcraft King Air 360ER to Enhance SL’s Maritime Surveillance
The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, donated by the United States to the Sri Lanka Air Force, will arrive in Sri Lanka next week. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity program, this donation, which originated in 2019, is part of a long-term collaboration […]
Sri Lanka and France enter into an Agreement to establish a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral Agreement to establish a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka. The Agreement was signed by Secretary/ Ministry of Defence General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne and Chargé d’ Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of France in Colombo Marie-Noëlle Duris, at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo yesterday. The […]
Indo-Pacific Endeavour Begins In Sri Lanka
Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity, Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE), commences this week in Sri Lanka with a number of engagements on bilateral priorities. IPE supports the Australian Government’s focus on deepening our diplomatic and defence partnerships across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean, and reinforces Australia’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, founded […]
Montana National Guard, U.S. Pacific Air Forces & Sri Lanka Air Force to conduct joint military exercise
The Montana National Guard and U.S. Pacific Air Forces, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force and members of the Maldives National Defense Force, are conducting ‘Atlas Angel,’ a joint military exercise aimed at enhancing preparation and response to natural and man-made disasters. From August 5- 9, more than 70 U.S. personnel and two […]
United States and Sri Lankan Navies to Conduct Upcoming CARAT Sri Lanka 2024 Exercise in Trincomalee
From April 22-26 in Trincomalee, the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Sri Lanka Navy will partner for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka 2024 exercise. CARAT Sri Lanka will feature the expertise of the U.S. Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), a U.S. Marine Corps unit specialized in security and anti-terrorism for naval assets, engaging alongside […]
March 12 Movement Denounces Online Safety Bill Passage, Citing Constitutional Concerns
The March 12 Movement, a civic activist group in Sri Lanka, has strongly denounced the passage of the Online Safety Bill on January 24th, 2024, which they claim was done in an unlawful manner. The group reiterates that the Online Safety Bill poses a grave threat to the fundamental rights and democratic principles enshrined in […]
US blacklists Karannagoda for human rights violations; Sri Lanka regrets decision
The United States on Thursday banned former Sri Lankan Navy Commander and Governor of North Western Province Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and his family from entering the country over gross violation of human rights. “The United States is designating Wasantha Karannagoda, Governor of North Western Province in Sri Lanka, pursuant to Section 7031(c) […]
Minister does all these malicious acts to harass us & to protect one SDIG, says Ajith Rohana
Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) of the Southern Province Ajith Rohana says that he will not abide by the recent transfer order made by the Ministry of Public Security, as he is not bound to follow unlawful orders. In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the National Police Commission, he highlighted that […]
Change of govt can only be brought about through a parliamentary election, says President
President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the only way to bring about a change of government is through a parliamentary election and not through street protests, stating that the latter is not a viable option for the parliament. The President emphasized that a nation can become anarchic due to an economic collapse and urged everyone to […]