‘Together, we are not just discussing the future; we are shaping it with the formidable capabilities of our armed forces.’ - Defence Secretary
February 16, 2024‘Currently, we proudly stand with the strength of over 1800 military engineers, spanning diverse domains such as Civil, Mechanical, Electronic, Telecommunication, Marine, Aeronautical and many more. Our primary objective is to elevate the aspirations of our young military engineers. We aim to propel them to greater heights in the engineering realm by providing the necessary support and resources to attain chartered engineering qualifications.’
Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne made these remarks as the Chief Guest of the inaugural Military Engineering and Technology Conference organized by the College of Military Engineering and Technology Sri Lanka (CMETSL) at the Wave N' Lake Navy Banquet Hall in Welisara today (Feb 16).
Further speaking, the Defence Secretary emphasized the critical role of technology in shaping the future of military operations. He highlighted the need for a dynamic and adaptive defence strategy while stressing the importance of staying ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of military technology, which is paramount to national security.
During the proceedings of the day, several eminent retired senior tri-forces officers were presented with honorary CMETSL membership certificates by the Defence Secretary.
The conference was held under the theme “Engineering for the Future: Managing Modern Challenges in Military Technology and Engineering,” with the aim of fostering collaboration between the military and technology sectors providing a platform for discussions on cutting-edge advancements, security challenges and the role of innovation in modern defence.
President CMETSL and the Director General Engineering of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Rear Admiral Ravi Ranasinghe, made the welcome address while the keynote speech was delivered by the founder and CEO of WSO2 Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarna.
This inaugural conference of the CMETSL saw the convergence of military and technology expertise in the country and the resource personnel from key stakeholders in the military and technology sectors such as Maj. Gen. Tuan Fadyl Meedin (Retd), RAdm AV Abeyasena (Retd), Air Cmde Jayasiri Amarasena (Retd), Director General Electrical and Electronic Engineering of SLN RAdm Wiraj Leelarathna, Head of Information Security Dialog Axiata Plc Farash Samat and Strategic Adviser and Vice President of Huawei Technologies Lanka Pvt Ltd Indika De Zoysa who also presented their own conceptual research papers to the audience. The conference also provided a unique opportunity for attendees to engage in dialogue and exchange ideas on key issues facing the intersection of military and technology.
Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, Major General Renuka Rowel (Retd), Acting Additional Secretary (Defence) Harsha Vithanaarachchi, Additional Secretary (Defence Services) Jayantha Edirisinghe and Vice Chancellor of KDU RAdm Dhammika Kumara, Major General Harindra Peiris, Sri Lanka Army Chief of Staff were notable distinguished invitees present at the conference.
