Ten TH-57 “Sea Ranger” multi-role helicopters granted by the United States have arrived in Sri Lanka by sea and are undergoing configuration at the Sri Lanka Air Force base in Ratmalana, officials said on Tuesday.
The aircraft will be formally inducted into active service once inspections, acceptance procedures and test flights are completed. The newly acquired fleet is expected to play a vital role in modernising the Air Force’s aviation training programmes, particularly pilot development and overall flight readiness.
Beyond training, the helicopters will be deployed for humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), search and rescue (SAR) missions, and other public-service duties carried out by the SLAF. The TH-57 — a military variant of the Bell 206 — has historically served as the primary rotary-wing trainer for the US Navy and Marine Corps.
The handover marks a notable step in US–Sri Lanka security cooperation, coming as Western Province Governor and Presidential Investment Envoy Hanif Yusoof meets US Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg in Washington on the economic track of the same bilateral relationship, and as Sri Lanka deepens parallel defence engagement with regional partners including Pakistan.
The new fleet adds airlift and training capacity at a time when the SLAF has been progressively absorbing post-Cyclone Ditwah HADR roles and supporting Northern and Kandy Line rail-restoration logistics under the broader civil-military assistance framework.
Source: NewsFirst.
