US gifts advanced aircraft to strengthen SL’s maritime security

Beechcraft King Air 360ER receives water salute at official handover ceremony to the Sri Lanka Air Force

US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler and Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa sign the ceremonial handover document as US Ambassador Julie Chung looks on 

US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, Commander, US Pacific Fleet yesterday officially handed over a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, gifted by the United States, to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). 

The event, attended by US Ambassador Julie Chung, Defence Ministry Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd.), and Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, marked the handover of this advanced aircraft — a symbol of the enduring US-Sri Lanka partnership and a crucial step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s maritime security and sovereignty. Equipped with cutting-edge surveillance technology, the King Air will strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters, counter maritime threats, and secure vital trade routes in the Indian Ocean.

US Ambassador Julie Chung emphasised the importance of the King Air aircraft, highlighting it as a testament to the strong US-Sri Lanka partnership and Sri Lanka’s role in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region: “As partners, the United States shares Sri Lanka’s vision that security is a collective responsibility, as our seas connect us. Maritime domain awareness is crucial to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s maritime trade routes, which are the lifeblood of its economy. While the oceans are rich in economic opportunities, they are also vulnerable to significant threats — from illegal fishing to smuggling, human trafficking, and other illegal, coercive, and deceitful activities. It is my hope that this Beechcraft King Air will serve as a constant guardian of your nation’s peace and prosperity, always vigilant in defending what is rightfully yours.”

Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa welcomed the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft as a significant milestone of the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States. “The induction of the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft is one of the instrumental steps in augmenting the Air Force’s airpower for maritime domain awareness,” he stated. “This substantiates our enhanced focus on ensuring maritime security and broadening HADR capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region as a responsible and key stakeholder nation. Further, this advanced ISR platform will be the latest addition to the ongoing efforts of fostering collective security and interoperability to face the threats in the air and maritime domains and curb transnational crime in our region. We look forward to playing a greater role in the regional maritime domain awareness, particularly in maritime surveillance, monitoring and patrolling whilst fulfilling our obligations to regional peace and security.”

Admiral Steve Koehler reaffirmed US commitment to regional security and partnership with Sri Lanka, stating: “Today’s ceremony is about much more than one aircraft, it’s about our two nation’s commitment to protecting sovereignty and addressing complex maritime challenges together in the Indian Ocean. I look forward to strengthening our partnership and advancing a shared vision for peace and stability by upholding the rules based international order.”

The King Air, funded by the US Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity program, was manufactured by Beechcraft Textron Aviation and completed in 2022, with maritime surveillance upgrades added in 2024. Sri Lanka Air Force personnel received specialised training in Kansas and Florida to operate the aircraft, and further training will be conducted by US Government personnel over the next three months. The King Air 360ER will undergo final preparations at the Ratmalana Air Force Base before joining Maritime Patrol Squadron 3 in China Bay, Trincomalee.