DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE SLAF WAS APPOINTED
1:23pm on Wednesday 2nd April 2025
Air Vice Marshal Manoaj Keppetipola was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force, with effect from today (02 April 2025). The Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, officially handed over the letter of appointment to Air Vice Marshal Manoaj Keppetipola at the Air Force Headquarters today and conveyed his best wishes to the newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an Officer Cadet of the 8th Intake of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana on 03rd November 1990.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola successfully completed Basic Combat Training, Basic Administration and Advanced Administration from the Ground Combat and Recruit Training Unit at Diyatalawa in 1992. He read for his undergraduate studies in Bachelor of Arts in Defence Studies at the Kotelawala Defence University and secured a second-class upper pass whilst becoming the “Best Overall Student in Non-Technical Stream” and assumed duties as a Commissioned Officer in the Branch of Administrative on 14 November 1992.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola, in his pursuit of profession of Arms, attended No. 4 Junior Command course at Staff College in the year 2002 and followed No. 202 Junior Command and Staff Course at the Air Force Administrative College, Coimbatore, India in 2001. He attended Course No. 5 at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Sapugakanda in 2011. In 2002 he was assigned as the Director Academic Studies (DAS) at the SLAF Academy China-bay and completed successful 4 years, as a Directing Staff – Air at the DSCSC Sapugakanda from 2014 to 2017. He was selected to follow the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University, Islamabad Pakistan in 2020. He secured “NSWC” and was eligible to use the post-nominal credential “ndc”. He served as the inaugural Air-Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College of Sri Lanka.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an Officer Cadet of the 8th Intake of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana on 03rd November 1990.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola successfully completed Basic Combat Training, Basic Administration and Advanced Administration from the Ground Combat and Recruit Training Unit at Diyatalawa in 1992. He read for his undergraduate studies in Bachelor of Arts in Defence Studies at the Kotelawala Defence University and secured a second-class upper pass whilst becoming the “Best Overall Student in Non-Technical Stream” and assumed duties as a Commissioned Officer in the Branch of Administrative on 14 November 1992.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola, in his pursuit of profession of Arms, attended No. 4 Junior Command course at Staff College in the year 2002 and followed No. 202 Junior Command and Staff Course at the Air Force Administrative College, Coimbatore, India in 2001. He attended Course No. 5 at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Sapugakanda in 2011. In 2002 he was assigned as the Director Academic Studies (DAS) at the SLAF Academy China-bay and completed successful 4 years, as a Directing Staff – Air at the DSCSC Sapugakanda from 2014 to 2017. He was selected to follow the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University, Islamabad Pakistan in 2020. He secured “NSWC” and was eligible to use the post-nominal credential “ndc”. He served as the inaugural Air-Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College of Sri Lanka.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola, in his pursuit of professional excellence, holds a National Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Personnel Management and a Certified HR Auditor too. He holds a master’s in business administration from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Jayewardenepura, Masters in Defence Studies from the University of Kelaniya and Masters in National Security and War Studies from National Defence University Islamabad, Pakistan. and currently reading for his PhD from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Jayewardenepura.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola, has indulged in all three pillars that “Complete Officer” needs to master, i.e. Command, Staff and Training. He has handled staff appointments of Staff Officer-Discip 1, Staff Officer Command P1, Staff Officer Command Organization at the Air Force HQ. Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola has performed duties as the DAS, DS-Air and inaugural Air-SDS and commanded Air Force station Weerawila from 2019-2020 during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic period, including the 1st Covid19 breakout, adding fair weight to all three pillars.
As a visiting lecturer, his knowledge is shared at the National Defence College, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, University of Colombo, Kelaniya and Sri Jayewardenepura. He is a Chartered Fellow member of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and a Fellow member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development and won the National HR Excellence Award in Training and Development in the year 2012. In recognition of his distinguished and exceptional commitment towards the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola was commended by the Commander of the Air Force in 2010 being a Wing Commander.
Subsequently, he held the appointment of Deputy Director Administration in 2022-23, the Director General Administration in 2023-25 before assuming the duties as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola, has indulged in all three pillars that “Complete Officer” needs to master, i.e. Command, Staff and Training. He has handled staff appointments of Staff Officer-Discip 1, Staff Officer Command P1, Staff Officer Command Organization at the Air Force HQ. Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola has performed duties as the DAS, DS-Air and inaugural Air-SDS and commanded Air Force station Weerawila from 2019-2020 during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic period, including the 1st Covid19 breakout, adding fair weight to all three pillars.
As a visiting lecturer, his knowledge is shared at the National Defence College, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, University of Colombo, Kelaniya and Sri Jayewardenepura. He is a Chartered Fellow member of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and a Fellow member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development and won the National HR Excellence Award in Training and Development in the year 2012. In recognition of his distinguished and exceptional commitment towards the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Keppetipola was commended by the Commander of the Air Force in 2010 being a Wing Commander.
Subsequently, he held the appointment of Deputy Director Administration in 2022-23, the Director General Administration in 2023-25 before assuming the duties as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
