The Sri Lanka Air Force on Thursday (11) successfully carried out the first test flight of its upgraded Kfir C12 fighter aircraft at SLAF Base Katunayake, marking the transition of the modernisation programme from ground-based validation to full airborne evaluation, NewsFirst reported.
The sortie was executed after all required ground-based assessments had been successfully completed, officials said. Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) and Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe witnessed the flight alongside senior SLAF officers and representatives of the upgrade initiative.
The modernisation programme is being implemented in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It covers four Kfir C2/C7 fighter aircraft and one TC2 trainer aircraft, all being upgraded to the advanced Kfir C12 standard. The enhancements include extensive structural refurbishment, integration of advanced avionics and mission systems, and a modern glass-cockpit configuration. SLAF said the upgrades are expected to significantly improve situational awareness, navigation, communication and precision-strike capabilities, with enhanced mission-planning and debriefing systems to reduce pilot workload during complex operations.
Known within the SLAF as the “Lion Cub,” the Kfir has been a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s air defence since entering service in 1996. It is operated by the No. 10 Fighter Squadron based at Katunayake and played a significant role during humanitarian operations that concluded in 2009. Originally developed and manufactured in Israel during the 1970s, the Kfir platform has shown what SLAF described as “remarkable longevity and adaptability.”
SLAF said its technical personnel worked closely with IAI specialists throughout system integration, testing, validation and long-term maintenance planning, with the collaboration designed to also strengthen local technical expertise. With improved air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, the upgraded Kfir C12 is being positioned as a multirole platform able to respond to evolving operational demands.
The successful test flight is the most concrete progress milestone in the IAI upgrade programme since it was announced and follows the recent US grant of TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters to the SLAF.
Sources: SLAF Upgraded Kfir Successfully Completes First Test Flight — NewsFirst, June 11.
