Sri Lanka Air Force C-130 Hercules airlifted 10799 kg of urgent aircraft spares, machinery, medical and essential cargo to both SLAF Aviation Missions in the South Sudan (UNMISS) and Central African Republic (MINUSCA) early morning on 20th March 2016 and returned on the night of 24 Mar 2016.

SLAF C-130 Captained by Wing Commander Amitha Jayamaha, made its refuelling stops in Male, Seychelles, Nairobi and Entebbe. This marks a historic and very successful resupply mission for the both Sri Lankan Aviation Contingents deployed in United Nations Missions in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and South Sudan (UNMISS). This mission proved the efficacy of SLAF C 130 for speedy resupplying capability of helicopter spare parts, machinery, essential goods and medical supplies for SLAF Aviation Units and SL Army UN deployments in the African Continent.

This mission further demonstrated the SLAF’s resupply ability to cater future demand and assure the sustenance of UN peacekeeping operations undertaken by Sri Lanka Armed forces and capability to execute Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions within and outside the country.  It is also pertinent to mention that, Sri Lankan Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions flew by SLAF C 130 are praiseworthy during 2 two earthquake incidents in Pakistan, 2 two earthquake incidents in Nepal and Maldivian water purification crisis in December 2014.