No. 6 Squadron SLAF

No. 6 Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Mil Mi-17s from SLAF Anuradhapura for troop transport.

No. 6 Helicopter Squadron
SLAF Mi17 of No. 6th squadron during Fire exercise
Active	1993 - to present day
Branch	Sri Lanka Air Force
Role	Air transport
Station	SLAF Anuradhapura
Equipment	Mil Mi-171, Mi-171SH, Mi-171E
Engagements	Sri Lankan Civil War United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad United Nations Mission in South Sudan
Commanders
Current commander	Wing Commander Kalinga Maheepala

History

The squadron was formed on March 15, 1993 SLAF Katunayake with the arrival of Mil Mi-17s. It was later moved to SLAF Vavuniya on April 29, 1993. The unit is tasked with the air movement of the Air Mobile Brigade of the Sri Lanka Army.

In 2014, Sri Lanka Air Force deployed an aviation unit, No. 62 Helicopter Flight under the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, with three Mi-17 helicopters from the No. 6 Helicopter Squadron along with 122 personnel consisting pilots, engineers and other supporting staff.^[1] This was followed by a deployment to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.^[2]

In March 2021, the squadron was presented with the President’s Colours by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.^[3][4]

Aircraft operated

Year of introduction

• 

  Two Mi-17 helicopters

  Mil Mi-17 - 1993

Notable members

• Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala
• Air Chief Marshal Kapila Jayampathy
• Air Chief Marshal Sumangala Dias
• Air Vice Marshal Kapila Wanigasooriya