Colombo: Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe, WWV, RWP, RSP and Three bars, USP, Fndu (China), psc, qhi has been appointed as the new Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. President’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake handed over the appointment letter yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, marking Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe’s historic appointment as the 20th Commander of the SLAF.
According to Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka, Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe, an alumnus of St. Sylvester’s College in Kandy, joined the SLAF as an Officer Cadet through the 24th intake in 1991 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Pilot Branch in 1993. His initial training involved flying the SF 260 Warrior aircraft, followed by advanced fixed-wing training in the transport wing. He transitioned to rotary-wing operations, training on Bell 206, Bell 212, and Bell 412 helicopters.
Assigned to the Bell 212 utility helicopter squadron, Edirisinghe undertook numerous missions in the Northern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka. In 1998, he completed an instructional training course at SLAF Base Hingurakgoda, becoming an A2-rated helicopter instructor, certified by the Central Flying School of the Royal Air Force. With over 7,000 helicopter flying hours, he is also a qualified Instrument Rating Examiner and an expert in Night Vision Goggle helicopter operations.
His professional development includes graduating from Air University, United States Air Force in Alabama, and earning the title “ndc” from the National Defence College in China. He served as the Defence Attach© to the Sri Lanka High Commission in Pakistan in 2011.
Throughout his career, Edirisinghe held pivotal roles, including Officer Commanding Training and Operations, commanding various helicopter squadrons, and serving as Base Commander of SLAF Bases in Anuradhapura and Hingurakgoda. He also served as Senior Director of Staff at Sri Lanka’s National Defence College and Commandant of the SLAF Academy in China Bay, among other roles.
In 2022, Edirisinghe served as Director Training and Director Air Operations, later becoming Director General Training, Director General Air Operations, and Director General Planning. His extensive leadership and operational experience led to his appointment as the Commander of the SLAF.
Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe’s service has been recognized with military decorations, including the “Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya,” “Rana Wickrama Padakkama,” “Rana Sura Padakkama” (on three occasions), and the “Uttama Seva Padakkama.” He is married to Mrs. Krishanthi Edirisinghe, who has supported him throughout his career.