The United States today formally transferred ten American-made TH-57 Sea Ranger (Bell 206) helicopters to the Sri Lanka Air Force, delivering a major boost to the country's helicopter training program, search-and-rescue capabilities, and the security of its air and maritime domains 

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kevin Schneider, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapur presided over the event at Ratmalana Air Force Base. 

The Texas-built helicopters — transferred under the U.S. Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program — were previously flown by the U.S. Navy for pilot training and utility missions. They will now serve as the backbone of a modernized Sri Lanka Air Force training fleet, while also bolstering Sri Lanka's capacity to respond to humanitarian crises and secure its maritime domain. The Sri Lanka Air Force's proven experience operating Bell helicopter platforms made these aircraft a natural fit — and with the TH-57 fleet in active U.S. Navy service as recently as last year, they arrive mission-ready.   

“These American-made aircraft will help modernize Sri Lanka's air capabilities and train the next generation of aviators. Most importantly, they stand as a powerful symbol of our steadfast partnership," General Schneider said. 

Assistant Secretary Kapur said: "This transfer is what a real partnership looks like —showcasing clear results and benefits for both parties. These American-made helicopters give the Sri Lanka Air Force the speed and reach to protect their people, defend their sovereignty, and secure their airspace and waters.”

“Sri Lanka sits astride some of the world's busiest shipping lanes — lanes that carry two-thirds of the world's oil and a third of global container traffic. When Sri Lanka's maritime domain is safer, those lanes stay open, commerce flows freely, and the Indian Ocean remains a highway for prosperity — not a theater for coercion. That matters directly to the United States." 

The transfer ceremony featured remarks, a static display, and a flying demonstration of the aircraft, with U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Jayne Howell, Deputy Minister of Defense Major General K. P. Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), Secretary of Defense Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd.), Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, Air Vice Marshal Lasitha Sumanaweera, Defense Attaché Lt. Col. Matthew House, and officials from the U.S. Embassy in attendance.