Australia to gift aircraft to enhance Sri Lanka’s aerial maritime surveillance

A former Royal Australian Air Force Beechcraft KA350 King Air aircraft will be gifted to the Sri Lankan Government by the Australian Government, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

A former Royal Australian Air Force Beechcraft KA350 King Air aircraft will be gifted to the Sri Lankan Government by the Australian Government, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

Accordingly, the twin-engine turboprop aircraft will be given to the island nation to be used to enhance Sri Lanka’s sovereign aerial maritime surveillance capability, it said.

Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens met President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday (May 12), and handed over a letter from Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Clare O’Neil, formally offering the gift.

“This gift will strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to protect its maritime security. It is a further demonstration of pour close collaboration in combatting transnational crime”, he said in a Twitter statement.