Black Drongo celebrate 31st Anniversary of Glory

“Black Drongos” celebrate 31st Anniversary of Glory on February 1, 2022. On February 1,1991, four F 7 BS fighters, one FT 7 B trainer and two FT 5 trainers arrived in Sri Lanka and this gave birth to the No. 5 Fighter Squadron. Squadron Leader HD Abeywickrema was appointed as its first Commanding Officer. The present Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana was also a founder member of the No .5 Fighter Squadron. 

Then Sqdn. Leader P. Gunasinghe, Flight Lt. SK Pathirana, Flight Lt. IJI Wijetilleke and Flight. Lt. S Hendawitharane were initial pilots in SLAF history to break the speed of sound and be considered as the pioneers of the supersonic fighter age. The squadron’s initial operations commenced from SLAF Base Katunayake, but was soon shifted to SLAF China Bay in 1994 as measure of reducing the response time and to act promptly for operational requirements. However, due to security concerns it was later re-shifted to its home Base at Katunayake in 1996.