Advanced Light Helicopter of the Indian Navy arrives in Sri Lanka for a training session.

Indian Navy's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), arrived at SLAF base Katunayake for training of Sri Lanka Air Force Pilots and Sri Lanka Navy ships for shipborne helicopter operations on 23 March 2022.

The training is planned over a week to familiarise SLAF Pilots to the ALH and provide co-pilot experience as envisioned by the then Chief of Naval Staff, Adm Karambir Singh in 2019.

The training deployment is in line with the capacity building initiative of the Government of India amongst its neighbours as part of 'Neighbourhood First Policy'.  The engagement would also foster closer interoperability and seamless conduct of coordinated Maritime Operations.

An SAR demonstration was conducted by the visiting training team on 25 March 2022. The demo was attended by Air Cmde Lasitha Sumanaweera, SLAF Base Commander Katunayake, who was able to witness the diverse capability of the multi role helicopter. The training team is also scheduled to undertake extensive Deck Landing Practice onboard Sri Lanka Navy's Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel Sayurala over the week.