No. 9 Squadron SLAF

No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron
Active	November 1995 - to present day
Branch	Sri Lanka Air Force
Role	Close Air Support
Station	SLAF Hingurakgoda
Equipment	Mil Mi-24, Mil Mi-35
Engagements	Sri Lankan Civil War
Commanders
Acting Commanding Officer	Wing Commander Deshapriya Silva
Notable commanders	Group Captain Jagath Rodrigo- the first Commanding Officer Wing Commander Thilina Kaluarachchi- Instructor Pilot

No. 9 "Attack Helicopter" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the air force's fleet of Attack Helicopter of Mil Mi-24s & Mil Mi-35s from SLAF Hingurakgoda for Close Air Support. The squadron is tasked with close air support/battlefield air interdiction, air interdiction, maritime air operations, armed escort missions and air defence operations.

In March 2009, the squadron was presented with the President’s Colours.^[1]

History

The squadron was formed on November 24, 1995 at the SLAF Base Hingurakgoda with three leased Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters with . At its formation the squadron had five pilots, 26 engineering crew. In 1996 the leased aircraft were returned and new ones were bought. In 2000 Mi-35Ps were added to the fleet. The Squadron currently operates a mix of Mi-24/-35P and Mi-24V/-35 versions. They have recently been upgraded with modern Israeli FLIR and electronic warfare systems. Five were upgraded to intercept aircraft by adding radar, fully functional helmet mounted target tracking systems, and AAMs. Seven Mi-24 has been lost to LTTE MANPADs& anti aircraft guns, and another two lost in attacks on airbases, with one heavily damaged but later returned to service.

In March 2009, the squadron was presented with the President’s Colours.^[1]

Aircraft operated

Year of introduction

• Mil Mi-24 - 1995
• Mil Mi-35 - 2000

Notable members

• Group Captain Jagath Rodrigo  † - Commanding Officer- 24.11.95 to 23.10.2000
• Wing Commander Thilina Kaluarachchi, WWV, RWP and bar, RSP and bar  † - Instructor Pilot, No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron
• Wing Commander MDAP Payoe RSP, Commanding Officer- 24.10.2000 to 13.12.2004
• Wing Commander RMPRS Dharmawardena RWP,RSP, Commanding Officer- 14.12.2004 to 26.12.2006
• Wing Commander HSS Thuyacontha- Commanding officer- 26.12.2006 to 22.09.2009
• Wing Commander IMYA Bandara RSP- Commanding Officer- 22.09.2009 to 06.07.2010

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Presentation of President's Colours to SLAF Formations^{[dead link]}

• Restructure of Flying Squadrons

External links

• Sri Lanka Air Force Base Hingurakgoda
• www.scramble.nl
• Ruling the sky
• Spirit of 'The Hinds'!