News
Air Force shoots down Dayasiri’s claim
By Rathindra Kuruwita
All aircraft used by the Air Force to train pilots were purchased in either the year 2001 or 2018, Air Force Spokesperson Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe told The Island, commenting on claims by SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera, alleging that the crashed PT-6 aircraft should have been in an aero museum.
“The aircraft was first manufactured in the late 1950s for the use of the Chinese air force. However, the planes that we use to train pilots were purchased in 2001 and 2018. This is a well-recognised basic pilot training aircraft. Countries like the United States, Australia, and South Africa use the plane for domestic operations including aero-acrobatics and adventure sports,” he said.
Wijesinghe said the aircraft was first purchased by the Air Force in 2001. Ten aircraft were purchased and all of them were manufactured in the year 2000.
“We bought two more in 2009, and they were manufactured in the same year.
We purchased another six in 2018, and they too were manufactured in the same year. We have 18 PT-6 aircraft, and only three have crashed in the last 22 years. These occurred in 2007, 2020, and this week. This is a plane that is widely used across the world. Sri Lankan air force has an aerial acrobatics team called Blue Eagles and they also use PT-6 planes we purchased in 2018,” he said.
The service life of these aircraft is 4000 flying hours, Wijesinghe said. The crashed aircraft had only been used for 857 hours and 22 minutes, he said. The plane was manufactured on 16 May 2018, and Sri Lanka has been using it since 17 October 2018, the Air Force spokesman said. The service life of the aircraft engine is 2,400 flying hours, and it is overhauled every 600 flying hours, he said.
“Even the planes we bought in 2001 have been used only for about 2,800 flying hours. There is no problem with the PT-6 aircraft. We do not buy ancient aircraft. According to government procurement procedures, we don’t even buy used aircraft, everything we buy is brand new,” he said.
Latest News
China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, stated that China is committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.
This statement was made during a meeting between President Anura Kumar Disanayake and Zhao Leji, which took place earlier today (16) as part of President Disanayake’s four-day official visit to China.
During the meeting, Chairman Zhao warmly welcomed President Disanayake, further emphasizing that working with Sri Lanka in a continuous and cooperative manner is a key expectation of the Chinese National People’s Congress.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake; Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong; and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Majintha Jayasinghe, were also present at the event.
Business
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
During President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s four-day state visit to China, Sri Lanka marked a significant milestone by securing the largest foreign direct investment to date. This significant achievement was formalized this morning (16) with the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy and Sinopec, a leading Chinese international petroleum corporation.
Under this $3.7 billion investment, a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels will be constructed in the Hambantota region. A substantial portion of the refinery’s output is planned for export, further enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area. Moreover, the benefits of this project are anticipated to positively impact the overall Sri Lankan population in the near future.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake and Director General of Government Information H. S. K. J. Bandara, alongside other dignitaries were present when the agreement was signed.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake extended an invitation to Chinese investors to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the nation’s stable governance and transparent economy.
He made these remarks as the keynote speaker at the “Investment Forum” held today (16), jointly organized by Chinese state and private enterprises.
The forum was a significant event during President Disanayake’s third day of his four-day state visit to China, undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prominent Chinese corporations, including China Tianying Inc. (CNTY), China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., China Communications Construction Company Ltd., China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC Group), Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd., China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Energy International Group Company Ltd., Guangzhou Public Transport Group and Huawei BYD Auto participated in the event.
President Disanayake also engaged in cordial discussions with the leadership of these corporations.
The forum was attended by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Majintha Jayasinghe, among others.
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China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
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