SRI LANKA CONCLUDES PACIFIC ANGEL - 2025, ADVANCING REGIONAL COOPERATION AND MEDICAL MODERNIZATION
Sri Lanka successfully concluded ‘Exercise Pacific Angel – 2025’ today (12 September 2025) at SLAF Base Katunayake, marking another milestone in regional defence cooperation. Held from 08 to 12 September 2025, the exercise brought together the United States Pacific Forces, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force, the Maldivian National Defence Force and the Bangladesh Air Force as key participants, with active contributions from the Sri Lanka Navy and Army. The exercise focused on enhancing capabilities in Search & Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
The exercise featured eight Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) covering Aircraft Maintenance, Search and Rescue, Jungle Survival, Aeromedical Patient Movement, Mass Casualty Response and Airlift Operations. Training conducted at SLAF Base Katunayake, SLAF Academy China Bay and the SLAF Regimental Training Centre Ampara provided participants with hands-on skills to enhance regional readiness and coordination.
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, highlighted the significance of the exercise: “Pacific Angel 25 is the largest multilateral exercise hosted in Sri Lanka this year, and we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Indo-Pacific partners. This exercise demonstrates how we prepare together for real-world challenges-from disaster response to humanitarian crises-and how cooperation strengthens our collective ability to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity across the region. What we build together today is a foundation for tomorrow’s shared security.”
Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), extended his deepest gratitude on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka to all participating Nations to the Exercise PACIFIC ANGEL – 25, which highlighted the vital contribution of regional Air Forces in enhancing humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities. Further, he mentioned that the exercise strengthens interoperability and knowledge-sharing among Indo-Pacific partners, while also reflecting the longstanding and cooperative relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka. He also said that such engagements provide an important platform to build resilience, strengthen mutual trust and contribute to the peace and stability of the region.
The Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, said: “The Sri Lanka Air Force is proud to co-host Pacific Angel 25, which provides an important platform to strengthen search and rescue and aviation operations while encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing among regional air forces. The exercise also deepens cooperation among Indo-Pacific partners in meeting humanitarian and security challenges together.”
The closing ceremony of Pacific Angel 2025 was graced by US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, Members of the Air Force Board of Management and senior officers representing the participating nations.
In parallel with the Pacific Angel 2025 exercise, the Akaragama Divisional Hospital in the Western Province underwent significant modernization under Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiatives, at a total cost of Rs. 40 million. The project, which also provided essential medical equipment valued at Rs. 8.8 million, was jointly carried out by the US Air Force and the Sri Lanka Air Force in collaboration with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Health, bringing long-term benefits to the local community. The symbolic completion of the first phase of this refurbishment was ceremonially marked on today (12 September 2025) under the patronage of the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, at the hospital premises.
The exercise featured eight Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) covering Aircraft Maintenance, Search and Rescue, Jungle Survival, Aeromedical Patient Movement, Mass Casualty Response and Airlift Operations. Training conducted at SLAF Base Katunayake, SLAF Academy China Bay and the SLAF Regimental Training Centre Ampara provided participants with hands-on skills to enhance regional readiness and coordination.
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, highlighted the significance of the exercise: “Pacific Angel 25 is the largest multilateral exercise hosted in Sri Lanka this year, and we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Indo-Pacific partners. This exercise demonstrates how we prepare together for real-world challenges-from disaster response to humanitarian crises-and how cooperation strengthens our collective ability to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity across the region. What we build together today is a foundation for tomorrow’s shared security.”
Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), extended his deepest gratitude on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka to all participating Nations to the Exercise PACIFIC ANGEL – 25, which highlighted the vital contribution of regional Air Forces in enhancing humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities. Further, he mentioned that the exercise strengthens interoperability and knowledge-sharing among Indo-Pacific partners, while also reflecting the longstanding and cooperative relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka. He also said that such engagements provide an important platform to build resilience, strengthen mutual trust and contribute to the peace and stability of the region.
The Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, said: “The Sri Lanka Air Force is proud to co-host Pacific Angel 25, which provides an important platform to strengthen search and rescue and aviation operations while encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing among regional air forces. The exercise also deepens cooperation among Indo-Pacific partners in meeting humanitarian and security challenges together.”
The closing ceremony of Pacific Angel 2025 was graced by US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, Members of the Air Force Board of Management and senior officers representing the participating nations.
In parallel with the Pacific Angel 2025 exercise, the Akaragama Divisional Hospital in the Western Province underwent significant modernization under Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiatives, at a total cost of Rs. 40 million. The project, which also provided essential medical equipment valued at Rs. 8.8 million, was jointly carried out by the US Air Force and the Sri Lanka Air Force in collaboration with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Health, bringing long-term benefits to the local community. The symbolic completion of the first phase of this refurbishment was ceremonially marked on today (12 September 2025) under the patronage of the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Julie Chung, at the hospital premises.
Pacific Angel 2025 Closing Ceremony
CIMIC initiative
