New Commander appointed to Sri Lanka Air Force

Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe has been appointed as the new Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

The appointment is effective from 29 January 2025.

The incumbent Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksha, is slated to retire from the service on January 29.

Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe, born on 20 June 1970 in Kandy, is a proud product of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy. He joined the Sri Lanka Air Force through 24th intake as an Officer Cadet in 1991 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Pilot Branch in 1993. 

He completed his Flying Training on SF 260 Warrior and was posted to the transport wing for fixed wing advanced training. Due to lack of pilots in the rotary wing, he was posted to the rotary wing and completed his training on Bell 206/212/412 in the year 1993. 

He was operationally cleared to fly helicopters and was posted to Bell 212 utility helicopter squadron for flying duties. He earned his captaincy as a well performed pilot and involved in Utility flying in North and East of the country.

Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe followed Instructional Training Course at SLAF Base Hingurakgoda and became a Qualified Helicopter Instructor in the year 1998. He is an A2 rated Helicopter Instructor from the Central Flying School Royal Air Force who has gained over 3000 flying hours on helicopter instructional duties. 

In addition, he has accumulated total of more than 7000 flying hours on helicopters and is an Instrument Rating Examiner in the helicopter stream. He is qualified in Navigation operations and is an instructor of Night Vision Goggle (NVG) helicopter flying. 

He has graduated his Staff Course in Air University US Air Force, Alabama USA, also earned the distinguished title of ‘ndc’ National Defence College in China and he has exposure of other foreign trainings in countries such as Bangladesh, India and Singapore. Additionally, he held the appointment of Defence Attaché for the Sri Lanka High Commission in Pakistan in the year 2011.   

Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe was posted to the VIP/ VVIP Flying Squadron in 2003 as a VVIP pilot, flying Bell 412/412 EP. He has been entrusted with many key appointments as Officer Commanding Training and Operations in several Flying Squadrons and commanded No 4, 6 and 7 Helicopter Squadrons. 

He was appointed as Base Commander of SLAF Base Anuradhapura and Hingurakgoda. Also, he held the appointment of the Senior Directing Staff at newly formed National Defence College in Sri Lanka and later he was appointed as the Commandant of the Sri Lanka Air Force Academy China Bay along with the appointment of Acting Air Commander for Eastern Air Command. In 2022, Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe initially held the positions of Director Training and Director Air Operations within the SLAF. 

Subsequently, he was reappointed as the Director General Training and later assumed the responsibilities of Director General Air Operations before ultimately being appointed as the Director General Planning.

For acts of Valour and exemplary service, he has been awarded with "Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya", "Rana Wickrama Padakkama", and "Rana Sura Padakkama" on three occasions and "Uttama Seva Padakkama"