AIR VICE MARSHAL DILSHAN WASAGE BIDS ADIEU TO THE SRI LANKA AIR FORCE
2:10pm on Monday 8th August 2022
Air Vice Marshal Dilshan Wasage USP, MSc (Def Stu) in Mgt, Pg Dip (IR) bid adieu to the Sri Lanka Air Force today (08 August 2022) after 35 years of dedicated service to the nation. At the time of his retirement, he held the appointment of Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force Station Colombo.
Air Vice Marshal Wasage made an official farewell call on the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana at his office today. The Commander commended him for his dedicated long years of service rendered to the nation and to the Sri Lanka Air Force in particular. The Commander also emphasized that he was one of the key stakeholder during the time of need of our motherland and his illustrious career will remain etched in the annals of the SLAF. The Commander and the Air Vice Marshal Wasage exchanged mementos to mark the occasion. After which, he was accorded a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by the SLAF Colour Wing before he departed Air Force Headquarters for the last time.
Air Vice Marshal Dilshan Wasage joined the Sri Lanka Air Force on 06th July 1987 to the 18th Intake as an Officer Cadet and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Regiment Branch in the year 1989. During his training period he has successfully completed the Basic Combat Training and Branch Training at SLAF Combat Training School Diyatalawa, Basic Administration at SLAF Base Katunayake. After completion of training in the year 1989 he was deployed to perform operational duties as a Regiment Officer at No.01 Flight Commander SLAF Base Ratmalana. He performed Special Operations duties at SLAF Station Ampara and also in SLAF Base Anuradapura.
Further, he extended his services to the SLAF as a Helicopter Pilot having undergone Basic and Advanced Flying Training in India. Initially, he was assigned to perform Flying Duties at No. 07 Helicopter Squadron SLAF Base Hingurakgoda since 1996 to 2001 which was the period SLAF has engaged with Flying Operations in the peak of the conflict situation and has earned 1600 flying hours to his credit as an operational pilot. He has mastered in Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) field and is a qualified UAV instructor who has earned more than 1500 flying hours. He attended various professional courses including Basic Staff Course in Pakistan, Internal Pilot - Searcher Mk-II Transition Course in Israel, Swimming Instructors Competency Course at Naval and Maritime Academy Trincomalee, UAV Internal Pilot Instructor Course in Israel, International Intelligence Application Officers Course in the United States, Master of Science (Defence Studies) in Management at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Senior Command and Staff Course in Air War College Pakistan and Advanced Security Cooperation Course in United States in the year 2014.
Air Vice Marshal Wasage commanded No 111 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron SLAF Base Vavuniya in the year 2002. Further, he designed and established the Battle Management Command Centre at Air Force Headquarters to transfer real time images of Unmanned Arial Vehicles and Beechcraft through the network to enable C4ISR capabilities (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) during the peak of humanitarian operations which was facilitated strategic level political and military leaders to take crucial decisions and held the respective appointment of Staff Officer Battle Management Command Centre at Directorate of Air Operations. He has mastered in Intelligence Operations and performed duties as the Air Intelligence Officer, Command Intelligence Officer and finally as the Director Air Intelligence in Air Force Headquarters Colombo. Air Vice Marshal Wasage Commanded the SLAF establishments at Station Weerawila and Station Bandaranaike International Airport Katunayake and later at the Sri Lanka Air Force Station Colombo.
Air Vice Marshal Wasage made an official farewell call on the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana at his office today. The Commander commended him for his dedicated long years of service rendered to the nation and to the Sri Lanka Air Force in particular. The Commander also emphasized that he was one of the key stakeholder during the time of need of our motherland and his illustrious career will remain etched in the annals of the SLAF. The Commander and the Air Vice Marshal Wasage exchanged mementos to mark the occasion. After which, he was accorded a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by the SLAF Colour Wing before he departed Air Force Headquarters for the last time.
Air Vice Marshal Dilshan Wasage joined the Sri Lanka Air Force on 06th July 1987 to the 18th Intake as an Officer Cadet and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Regiment Branch in the year 1989. During his training period he has successfully completed the Basic Combat Training and Branch Training at SLAF Combat Training School Diyatalawa, Basic Administration at SLAF Base Katunayake. After completion of training in the year 1989 he was deployed to perform operational duties as a Regiment Officer at No.01 Flight Commander SLAF Base Ratmalana. He performed Special Operations duties at SLAF Station Ampara and also in SLAF Base Anuradapura.
Further, he extended his services to the SLAF as a Helicopter Pilot having undergone Basic and Advanced Flying Training in India. Initially, he was assigned to perform Flying Duties at No. 07 Helicopter Squadron SLAF Base Hingurakgoda since 1996 to 2001 which was the period SLAF has engaged with Flying Operations in the peak of the conflict situation and has earned 1600 flying hours to his credit as an operational pilot. He has mastered in Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) field and is a qualified UAV instructor who has earned more than 1500 flying hours. He attended various professional courses including Basic Staff Course in Pakistan, Internal Pilot - Searcher Mk-II Transition Course in Israel, Swimming Instructors Competency Course at Naval and Maritime Academy Trincomalee, UAV Internal Pilot Instructor Course in Israel, International Intelligence Application Officers Course in the United States, Master of Science (Defence Studies) in Management at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Senior Command and Staff Course in Air War College Pakistan and Advanced Security Cooperation Course in United States in the year 2014.
Air Vice Marshal Wasage commanded No 111 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron SLAF Base Vavuniya in the year 2002. Further, he designed and established the Battle Management Command Centre at Air Force Headquarters to transfer real time images of Unmanned Arial Vehicles and Beechcraft through the network to enable C4ISR capabilities (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) during the peak of humanitarian operations which was facilitated strategic level political and military leaders to take crucial decisions and held the respective appointment of Staff Officer Battle Management Command Centre at Directorate of Air Operations. He has mastered in Intelligence Operations and performed duties as the Air Intelligence Officer, Command Intelligence Officer and finally as the Director Air Intelligence in Air Force Headquarters Colombo. Air Vice Marshal Wasage Commanded the SLAF establishments at Station Weerawila and Station Bandaranaike International Airport Katunayake and later at the Sri Lanka Air Force Station Colombo.
For his distinguish and exemplary service he has been awarded with Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) and the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal and Clasp in additional to the campaign and operational service medals.
