NO 3 MARITIME SQUADRON CELEBRATES 3RD ANNIVERSARY
8:19pm on Tuesday 11th January 2022
The No 3 Maritime Squadron celebrates its 3rd anniversary today (11 January 2022) after the re-establishment of the Squadron at SLAF Academy China Bay.
The customary working parade was reviewed by the Officer Commanding Operations, Squadron Leader MAU Manikarachchi. The celebration of the day held adhering to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines with the participation of all ranks of the Squadron.
No 3 Maritime Squadron was originally inaugurated in 1965 and history of the Squadron indicates that in December 1971, it was refurbished as a fully-fledged operational flying formation at SLAF Base China Bay by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Noor Rahim under the guidance of then Commander of the Air Force, Air Vice Marshal PH Mendis. The Squadron logo featured the “Red-wattled Lapwing (Kirala),” to indicate the role of the Squadron of providing early warning.
Initially, aircraft fleet was equipped with the De Havilland Dove and entrusted with dawn to dusk reconnaissance patrols of the Eastern Coast from Point Pedro to Galle as a deterrent to possible arms smuggling, a need felt during the 1971 insurgency.
The Squadron shifted to SLAF Base Katunayake with the addition of the Cessna 337 aircraft and again relocated at SLAF Base China Bay in the year 1988 to conduct surveillance operations against the LTTE. On this occasion, the Squadron is proud to recall the tremendous service rendered by the present Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana in achieving operational goals of the Squadron.
As of today, maritime surveillance began to be felt ever strongly in the Indian Ocean Region the squadron was re-established on 11 January 2019 at SLAF Academy China Bay. At present it is equipped with a Beech King Air B-200 aircraft. The No 3 Maritime Squadron is undertaking maritime, ground surveillance and reconnaissance missions in order to safeguard the sovereignty of our motherland Sri Lanka.
The customary working parade was reviewed by the Officer Commanding Operations, Squadron Leader MAU Manikarachchi. The celebration of the day held adhering to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines with the participation of all ranks of the Squadron.
No 3 Maritime Squadron was originally inaugurated in 1965 and history of the Squadron indicates that in December 1971, it was refurbished as a fully-fledged operational flying formation at SLAF Base China Bay by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Noor Rahim under the guidance of then Commander of the Air Force, Air Vice Marshal PH Mendis. The Squadron logo featured the “Red-wattled Lapwing (Kirala),” to indicate the role of the Squadron of providing early warning.
Initially, aircraft fleet was equipped with the De Havilland Dove and entrusted with dawn to dusk reconnaissance patrols of the Eastern Coast from Point Pedro to Galle as a deterrent to possible arms smuggling, a need felt during the 1971 insurgency.
The Squadron shifted to SLAF Base Katunayake with the addition of the Cessna 337 aircraft and again relocated at SLAF Base China Bay in the year 1988 to conduct surveillance operations against the LTTE. On this occasion, the Squadron is proud to recall the tremendous service rendered by the present Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana in achieving operational goals of the Squadron.
As of today, maritime surveillance began to be felt ever strongly in the Indian Ocean Region the squadron was re-established on 11 January 2019 at SLAF Academy China Bay. At present it is equipped with a Beech King Air B-200 aircraft. The No 3 Maritime Squadron is undertaking maritime, ground surveillance and reconnaissance missions in order to safeguard the sovereignty of our motherland Sri Lanka.
