Sumangalian Uditha De Silva of Sri Lanka Air Force has been recently promoted to the rank of Group Captain

Sumangalian (98 batch) Uditha De Silva of Sri Lanka Air Force has been recently promoted to the rank of Group Captain. Uditha joined Sri Lanka Air Force on 09 th February 2001 as an Officer Cadet and later he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 9th July 2002. Uditha underwent training on basic combat training at Combat Training School Diyathalawa, basic flying training, and advanced flying training at No 1 Flying Training Wing at SLAF Base Anuradhapura. Subsequently, he was selected to fly helicopters and successfully completed his basic and advanced helicopter flying training at No 7 Helicopter Squadron, SLAF Base Hingurakgoda and later deployed as an operational pilot at No 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron, SLAF Base Hingurakgoda and VVIP rated pilot at No 4 Helicopter Squadron and No 6 Helicopter Squadron. He has flown and rated in PT 06, K8, Bell 206 Jet Ranger, Bell 212, Bell 412, Bell 412 EP, MI 17 and MI 24 Helicopters.

During the war on terror, his commitment towards motherland as an operational pilot in the face of the enemy was remarkable.

During his illustrious Air Force career spanning over more than two decades, Uditha has undergone several local and overseas training courses such as Junior Command & Staff Course and Defense Service Command Staff Course, Sea Survival Course in Pakistan, Flight Safety Officers course in Bangladesh, Flight Safety Maintenance and administration Course in India, International Flight Safety Officers course in Australia, Regional Security Studies Course in USA and Oil Spill Response course in Hawaii. In addition to that, he completed his Masters in Defense and Strategic Studies at Sir John Kotelawala Defense University.

Uditha De Silva was entrusted with many responsible appointments such as Directing Staff at JC&SC SLAF Academy China bay, Staff Officer Air Operations II at AFHQ and Officer Commanding of No 6I Flight at SLAF Base Rathmalana. He also served for United Nations as a Staff Officer Air Operation in 2015 and Chief Operation Officer in 2021 at Central African Republic. Presently he is holding the position of Commanding Officer of No 6 Helicopter Squadron at SLAF Base Anuradhapura.

As a helicopter pilot, he has logged more than 3000 flying hours in both Bell and MI Helicopters and he has been awarded with Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) two times for the act of bravery, which he had displayed during time of war in the face of the enemy.

He is a life member of SSCOBA and contributed in numerous ways to both SSCOBA and the Alma Mater.

SSCOBA wishes Group Captain Udita De Silva all the very best in his future endeavours.