SLAF hands over Mig-27 fighter aircraft to Moratuwa University

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) yesterday handed over a Mig-27 fighter aircraft which was removed from active service to the University of Moratuwa to promote the Aeronautical Engineering Degree program.

Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, officially handed over the aircraft to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa (UOM), Senior Professor Niranjan Gunawardana in order to strengthen the longstanding partnership between the Sri Lanka Air Force and the University of Moratuwa.

In addition, a formal Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Air Force Commander and Vice-Chancellor to further solidify the long standing partnership, the SLAF said.

During the handing over ceremony, the Commander highlighted that it was an honor to be able to donate a fighter aircraft that provided yeoman service to the nation, to the University to continue to serve the nation by being an invaluable educational aid for aspiring aeronautical engineers of the country.

Addressing the event, Vice-Chancellor (UOM) extended his gratitude to the Commander of the Air Force being the highest rank military officer to visit the University for such important donation to uplift the aeronautical engineering knowledge of young aviation engineers.

Director Aeronautical Engineering, Air Vice Marshal Dushyantha Ratnayake, Deputy Director Aeronautical, Engineering Air Commodore Ranjith Senanayake, Deputy Director General Engineering, Air Commodore Nihal Jayasinghe and Base Commander SLAF Base Ratmalana, Group Captain Asela Jayasekara were attended the ceremony.

On behalf of the University of Moratuwa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor Mahanama, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Senior Professor Nalin Wickramarachchi, Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Himan Punchihewa, as well as other academic and non-academic staff including Prof. Ruwan Gopura, Prof. Nirosh Jayaweera and Dr Saliya Jayasekara and students from the Aeronautical Engineering degree program were also attended the event.

Both parties agreed that they look forward towards continuing this partnership between the most sort after premier Engineering University in the country and Sri Lanka’s Guardians of the Skies, the SLAF, for decades to come, especially in the spheres of research and development such as the development of the “Lihiniya” Indigenous UAV System. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)