India will provide a maritime surveillance aircraft Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Sri Lanka.
Media reports suggested that during the Defence Dialogue between India and Sri Lanka on January 9, 2018 in New Delhi, the Sri Lankan government had sought the possibility of obtaining two Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of Sri Lanka.
As a sequel to the request of Sri Lankan government, the Indian government has agreed to provide one Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Indian Naval Fleet on gratis basis for initial two years of the interim period since it would be required two years to manufacture new aircraft. Afterwards, the Indian Government expressed their assent to provide a brand new Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft free of charge. Subsequently, another brand new Dornier 228 will be inducted to Sri Lanka Air Force through mutually agreed terms and conditions between both countries, the SLAF said.
The aircraft will be officially handed over to Sri Lanka at a ceremony today (15) under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay.
The SLAF said the aircraft will be flown and maintained only by 15 SLAF crew who were specifically trained in India for a period of four months consist with pilots, observers, engineering officers and technicians along with the supervision by Indian technical team attached to SLAF comprising of engineering officers and technicians. The team would undertake comprehensive supervision of aircraft, airframe, Aircraft Support Equipment, Ground Support Equipment, relevant documents and would ascertain the serviceability of all the assets.
The SLAF stated that the Dornier aircraft will be specifically deployed to conduct Maritime and Coastal Surveillance Operations within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Search and Rescue Operations (SAR), Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) and Maritime Pollution Monitoring and Control within Sri Lankan Search and Rescue Region (SRR) to attain SLAF ultimate vision of “Ensuring the National Security through Effective Employment of Airpower” within Sri Lankan Airspace.
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