Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft donated by the US arrives in SL

At a ceremony held today at Sri Lanka’s Katunayake Air Base, US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, officially presented a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft donated by the United States to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). .

The event, attended by US Ambassador Julie Chung, Defense Department Secretary Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), and Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, marked the handover of this advanced aircraft – a symbol of the continued partnership between the US and Sri Lanka and a crucial step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s maritime security and sovereignty.

Equipped with advanced surveillance technology, the King Air will enhance Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters, counter maritime threats and secure vital trade routes in the Indian Ocean.

US Ambassador Julie Chung highlighted the importance of the King Air aircraft, highlighting it as a testament to the strong partnership between the US and Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s role in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region : “As partners, the United States shares Sri Lanka’s vision that security is a collective responsibility because our seas connect us. Maritime domain awareness is critical to securing Sri Lanka’s maritime trade routes, which are the lifeline of the economy. While the oceans are rich in economic opportunities, they are also vulnerable to significant threats – from illegal fishing to smuggling, human trafficking and other illegal, coercive and deceptive activities. I hope that this Beechcraft King Air will serve as a constant guardian of the peace and prosperity of your country, ever vigilant in defending what is rightfully yours.

Air Marshal Udeni RajapaksaCommander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, welcomed the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft as an important milestone in the long-standing partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States. “The introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft is one of the most important steps in increasing the Air Force’s maritime domain awareness capabilities,” he stated. “This underlines our enhanced focus on ensuring maritime security and broadening HADR capabilities in the Indian Ocean as a responsible country with key stakeholders. Further, this advanced ISR platform will be the latest addition to the ongoing efforts to advance collective security and interoperability to counter threats in the air and maritime domains and curb transnational crime in our region. We look forward to playing a greater role in regional maritime domain awareness, particularly in the areas of maritime surveillance, monitoring and patrols, while fulfilling our commitments to regional peace and security.”

Reaffirming the U.S. commitment to regional security and partnership with Sri Lanka, Admiral Steve Koehler said, “Today’s ceremony is about much more than one aircraft; it is about the commitment of our two countries to protect sovereignty and jointly address complex maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean. I look forward to strengthening our partnership and promoting a shared vision of peace and stability by upholding the rules-based international order.”

Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Building Partner Capacity program, the King Air was manufactured by Beechcraft Textron Aviation and completed in 2022, with maritime surveillance upgrades added in 2024. Sri Lankan Air Force personnel received specialized training in Kansas and Florida for the aircraft, and further training will be provided by US government personnel over the next three months. The King Air 360ER will undergo final preparations at Ratmalana Air Force Base before joining Maritime Patrol Squadron 3 in China Bay, Trincomalee.

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