The 10 TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters donated by the United States to Sri Lanka have now been dispatched, marking a significant development in bilateral cooperation.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, Mahinda Samarasinghe, confirmed the development in a post shared on his official Facebook page.
According to the statement, the 10 helicopters departed from Port Mobile, Alabama, USA, on March 15. They are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on May 24 this year.
These operational aircraft are a military variant of the Bell 206B-3 Jet Ranger and are scheduled to be delivered to the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The addition of these helicopters, alongside existing Bell 206 models, is expected to enhance the Air Force’s critical general mission capabilities. These include advanced pilot training, disaster response operations, as well as search and rescue missions.
Ambassador Samarasinghe further noted that the helicopters have undergone significant upgrades. He emphasized that this donation reflects the long-standing partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka, and reinforces their shared commitment to regional security and humanitarian assistance.
A delegation from the Sri Lanka Air Force visited the United States in January to inspect the helicopters prior to dispatch.
Sri Lanka has also expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the United States for this valuable contribution, the Ambassador added.
