Vavuniya Airport

Vavuniya Airport (Tamil: வவுனியா விமான நிலையம், romanized: Vavuṉiyā Vimāṉa Nilaiyam; Sinhala: වවුනියාව ගුවන්තොටුපළ, romanized: Vavuniyāva Guvantoṭupaḷa) (ICAO: VCCV) is an air force base and domestic airport in Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka.^[1][2] Located approximately 1.4 km (0.87 miles) south of the centre of Vavuniya, the airport is also known as SLAF Vavuniya. Originally built by the Royal Air Force during World War II, it was taken over by the Sri Lanka Air Force in 1978.

Vavuniya Airport வவுனியா விமான நிலையம் වවුනියාව ගුවන්තොටුපළ
SLAF Vavuniya crest
IATA: none ICAO: VCCV
Summary
Airport type	Military/Public
Owner	Government of Sri Lanka
Operator	Sri Lanka Air Force
Location	Vavuniya, Sri Lanka
Built	1942
In use	1942 - 1946, 1978 - present
Commander	P. D. K. T. Jyasinghe
Elevation AMSL	91 m / 299 ft
Coordinates	08°44′28.30″N 80°29′52.80″E
Map
VCCV Location in greater Vavuniya
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 1,524 5,000 Asphalt

History

During World War II the British Royal Air Force built an airfield in Vavuniya in northern Ceylon.^[3] A number of RAF squadrons (17, 22, 47, 60, 89, 132, 176, 217) and other units were stationed at the airfield during and immediately after the war.^[4] The airfield was also used by the Fleet Air Arm.^[5]

A Sri Lanka Air Force detachment moved onto the site on 1 August 1978.^[3][6] The airfield become one of the air force's air bases. The airport is part of a large military complex in Vavuniya that includes Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni.^[7]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
FitsAir	Charter: Colombo–Ratmalana[citation needed]
Helitours	Charter: Colombo–Ratmalana[citation needed]
SriLankan Airlines operated by Cinnamon Air	Charter: Colombo–Bandaranaike[citation needed]

Lodger squadrons

• No. 111 Air Surveillance Squadron
• No. 02 Air Defence Radar Squadron