SLAF ACADEMY CHINA BAY PROUDLY CELEBRATES 61ST ANNIVERSARY
3:46pm on Monday 4th April 2022
The SLAF Academy China Bay celebrated its 61st Anniversary yesterday (03 April 2022) under the leadership of present Commandant, Air Commodore AV Jayasekera. In line with this a tree planting program was arranged at the Marble Beach Resort premises followed by an environmental cleaning programme at picturesque Marble Beach with participation of all officers and other ranks under the patronage of Commandant, SLAF Academy China Bay.
The SLAF Academy was initially established by the British who had built a large airfield to house a permanent Air Base, Royal Air Force China Bay and a fuel storage including support facilities for the Royal Navy, HMS Highflyer Naval Base which was also based there. The protection of the deep-water natural harbour of Trincomalee was of great strategic importance to the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Between the late 1930’s and the early 1950’s a large number of military flying sorties was conducted in and from Ceylon as Sri Lanka was known at the time. These operations were mainly conducted by the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. China Bay is one of the airfields which was established during this period and used extensively by the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. The control of the China Bay airfield was taken over by the then Royal Ceylon Air Force in November 1957 thus the establishment of Royal Ceylon Air Force Base, China Bay. In 1972, with Sri Lanka becoming a republic, Royal Ceylon Air Force Base China Bay was renamed as Sri Lanka Air Force Base China Bay.
On 6th March 1976, the Flying Training Wing and the Ground Training Wing were established at China Bay and the Base was renamed as the Air Force Academy, China Bay. With the deterioration of the security situation in the country, the No 1 Flying Training Wing was shifted to SLAF Base Anuradhapura, while the Ground Training Wing was relocated to Katunayake. In 1988, the Academy was renamed as Sri Lanka Air Force Base, China Bay and it became a key forward Base for all operations conducted in the northern and eastern theaters until 2009.
With peace being established across the island and the No 1 Flying Training Wing returning to China Bay, Sri Lanka Air Force Base China Bay was renamed again as the Sri Lanka Air Force Academy China Bay on 01st January 2010.
In the present day context of the post conflict era, this Academy functions as the premier training establishment of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It houses around nine (09) lodger formations while conducting training in many disciplines.
- No 01 Flying Training Wing
- No 03 Maritime Squadron
- Ground Training Wing
- Junior Command and Staff College
- Non Commissioned Officers’ Management School
- No 24 Regiment Wing
- No 1 Leisure and Recreation Wing
- Academy Hospital
- No 6 Air Defence Radar Squadron
The SLAF Academy was initially established by the British who had built a large airfield to house a permanent Air Base, Royal Air Force China Bay and a fuel storage including support facilities for the Royal Navy, HMS Highflyer Naval Base which was also based there. The protection of the deep-water natural harbour of Trincomalee was of great strategic importance to the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Between the late 1930’s and the early 1950’s a large number of military flying sorties was conducted in and from Ceylon as Sri Lanka was known at the time. These operations were mainly conducted by the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. China Bay is one of the airfields which was established during this period and used extensively by the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. The control of the China Bay airfield was taken over by the then Royal Ceylon Air Force in November 1957 thus the establishment of Royal Ceylon Air Force Base, China Bay. In 1972, with Sri Lanka becoming a republic, Royal Ceylon Air Force Base China Bay was renamed as Sri Lanka Air Force Base China Bay.
On 6th March 1976, the Flying Training Wing and the Ground Training Wing were established at China Bay and the Base was renamed as the Air Force Academy, China Bay. With the deterioration of the security situation in the country, the No 1 Flying Training Wing was shifted to SLAF Base Anuradhapura, while the Ground Training Wing was relocated to Katunayake. In 1988, the Academy was renamed as Sri Lanka Air Force Base, China Bay and it became a key forward Base for all operations conducted in the northern and eastern theaters until 2009.
With peace being established across the island and the No 1 Flying Training Wing returning to China Bay, Sri Lanka Air Force Base China Bay was renamed again as the Sri Lanka Air Force Academy China Bay on 01st January 2010.
In the present day context of the post conflict era, this Academy functions as the premier training establishment of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It houses around nine (09) lodger formations while conducting training in many disciplines.
- No 01 Flying Training Wing
- No 03 Maritime Squadron
- Ground Training Wing
- Junior Command and Staff College
- Non Commissioned Officers’ Management School
- No 24 Regiment Wing
- No 1 Leisure and Recreation Wing
- Academy Hospital
- No 6 Air Defence Radar Squadron
