The Sri Lanka Army in another milestone raised its newest wing, named the 15th Drone Regiment of the Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) at the Army headquarters yesterday.

Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said the new wing helps to face the fast changing technological advancements and new challenges faced by the Army.

Sri Lanka Artillery Colonel Commandant and Kilinochchi Security Forces Commander, Major General Sampath Kotuwegoda traced the brief legend behind the birth of the Artillery Regiment as well as how the new Drone Regiment came into being.

The Army Commander highlighted the value and technical importance of a regiment of this nature in the Army, considering emerging soft operation trends in war scenarios, natural and man-made disasters, floods and other catastrophes, special emergency circumstances, chemical warfare, outbreak of community-infected epidemics, like COVID-19 etc, for example.

He also thanked all involved in this effort as the Army’s ‘Way Forward Strategy’ should go hand in hand with those technical innovations which are in vogue throughtout the world.

The new 15th Drone Regiment in the Sri Lanka Artillery equipped with high-tech cameras that enable operations within short and medium distances and quadcopters with observation cameras for surveillance purposes in military or non-military applications.

The incumbent Commander of the Army, wanted this exclusive wing be raised in order for it to engage in reconnaissance duties, gathering of sensitive information, etc with a view to further strengthening national security needs and its concerns in line with the Army’s ‘Way Forward Strategy 2020-2025’.

The birth of the new 15th Drone Regiment considering changing patterns in threat scenarios will provide a tactical platform for operational level surveillance, precision target acquisition, engagement, post-battle damage assessment capabilities and also to assist disaster mitigation and nation-building efforts.