The President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe as the next Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, with effect from 29 January.

Informed sources at the Ministry of Defence told The Morning that Edirisinghe has also been elevated to the rank of Air Marshal by the President.

Edirisinghe, an accomplished war-time helicopter pilot was the Director General of Planning of the Air Force Board of Management when appointed by the President. Edirisinghe will take over duties as the 20th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Edirisinghe has accumulated over 7000 flying hours over his 34 years of service with the SLAF and is a qualified flight instructor and an instrument rating examiner. He is also an alumina of the Air University of the US Air Force, in Alabama, and the National Defence College in China.

It is also learnt that outgoing SLAF commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa has been elevated to the rank of Air Chief Marshal by the President.