Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe Appointed
as the 20th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force
January 28, 2025
Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe, WWV, RWP, RSP and Three bars, USP, Fndu (China), psc, qhi has been appointed as the new Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
President's Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake handed over the appointment letter yesterday (Jan 27) at the Presidential Secretariat and Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe joins history as the 20th Commander of SLAF.
A distinguished alumnus of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe joined the SLAF as an Officer Cadet through the 24th intake in 1991 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Pilot Branch in 1993. His initial flying training was conducted on the SF 260 Warrior aircraft, following which he underwent advanced fixed-wing training in the transport wing.
He later transitioned to rotary-wing operations, completing training on the Bell 206, Bell 212 and Bell 412 helicopters in 1993. Assigned to the Bell 212 utility helicopter squadron, he demonstrated exceptional skill, earning his captaincy and undertaking numerous utility flying missions in the Northern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka.
In 1998, Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe completed an instructional training course at SLAF Base Hingurakgoda, becoming an A2-rated helicopter instructor certified by the Central Flying School of the Royal Air Force. With over 7,000 helicopter flying hours, he is also a qualified Instrument Rating Examiner and an expert in Night Vision Goggle (NVG) helicopter operations.
His professional development includes graduating from the prestigious Staff Course at Air University, United States Air Force in Alabama and earning the distinguished title of "ndc" from the National Defence College in China. He further served as the Defence Attaché to the Sri Lanka High Commission in Pakistan in 2011.
Throughout his illustrious career, Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe has held several pivotal appointments, including Officer Commanding Training and Operations in multiple flying squadrons and commanding the No. 4, 6, and 7 helicopter squadrons. He served as Base Commander of SLAF Bases in Anuradhapura and Hingurakgoda, Senior Director of Staff at Sri Lanka's National Defence College and Commandant of the SLAF Academy in China Bay. He also acted as Air Commander for the Eastern Air Command.
In 2022, he held the roles of Director Training and Director Air Operations before being elevated to Director General Training, Director General Air Operations and Director General Planning. His extensive leadership and operational experience culminated in his appointment as the Commander of the SLAF.
Air Vice Marshal Edirisinghe’s valor and exemplary service have been recognized with several prestigious military decorations, including the "Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya," "Rana Wickrama Padakkama," "Rana Sura Padakkama" (on three occasions) and the "Uttama Seva Padakkama."
He is married to Mrs. Krishanthi Edirisinghe, who has been a steadfast support throughout his remarkable journey.
