Sri Lanka Army

The Sri Lankan Army (SLA)  is the oldest and largest of the Sri lanka Armed Foeces. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic ain 1972. In 2010, the Army had approximately 200,000 regular personnel, between 20,000 and 40,000 reserve (volunteer) personnel  and 18,000 National Guardsmen and comprises 13 operational divisions, one air-mobile brigade, one commando brigade, one special forces brigade, one independent armored brigade, three mechanized infantry brigades and over 40 infantry  brigades. From the 1980s to 2009, the army was engaged in the Sri lanka Civil war. 

The professional head of the Sri Lanka Army is the Commander of the Army, currently General Shavendra Silva. The Commander in chief of the Sri Lankan Military is the President of Sri lanka ,  who heads the National Security council  through the Minnistry of Defence,  which is the highest level of military command charged with formulating, executing defence policy and procurements for the armed forces. However, operations of the Sri Lanka Army are coordinated by the Joint Operations Command, with other two armed forces.

History

British Ceylon period

First Prime Minister of Independent Sri Lanka D.S.Senanayake visiting the 1st battalion of the CLI at the Echelon Square and watching volunteers being trained to handle light machine guns 

Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers

The second phase in the employment of non-British personnel commenced in 1881 after the enactment of an ordinance designed to authorise the creation of a Volunteer Corps in the island. It was designated the Ceylon Light Infantry volunteers (CLIV). This move compensated for the disbandment of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment in 1874. The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was originally administered as a single unit. However, over the years various sections of the volunteers grew large enough to become independent from their parent unit. The different units that emerged from the Volunteer Force were the

• Cadet Battalion ceylon light infantry
• Ceylon Artillery volunteers 
• ceylon Engineers 
• Ceylon Mounted Infantry ( CMI)
•  ceylon planters Rifle Corps (CPRC).
• Ceylon supply & Transport corps 
•  ceylon volunteers Medical corps

Ceylon Defence Force

Main article: Ceylon defence force 

In 1910 the name of the military was formally changed to the ceylon defence force (CDF). It continued to grow throughout the early period of the 20th century. The CDF saw active service when a contingent of the Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI) in 1900, and a contingent of the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps (CPRC) in 1902, took part in theSecond Boer war in south Africa.  Their services were recognised by the presentation in 1902 of a Colour to the CMI, and a presentation in 1904 of a banner  to the CPRC. In 1922, the CDF was honoured by the presentation of the King's and Regimental colours to the ceylon light infantry (CLI).

During the Fist world war, many volunteers from the Defence Force travelled toGreat britain   and joined the British army , and many of them were killed in action. One of them mentioned by sir Arthur conn Doyle was private  Jacotine of the CLI, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys , and who continued to fight for 20 minutes before he was killed.

In 1939, the CDF was mobilised and an enormous expansion took place which required the raising of new units such as the ceylon signal corps , Auxiliary Territorial service (ceylon )and also the  colombo town guard,  which had been previously disbanded, but was later re-formed to meet military requirements. During the Second world war, Britain assumed direct control over the Armed Forces of Ceylon.

Formations

Main article: List of  current sri lanka army formations 

Army Headquarters Formations 

• Independent Brigade HQ
• Commander Security Unit

SLAVF Headquarters 1 corps

• Reserve Strike Force
  • based at Inamaluw 
• Special Operations Force
  • Commando Brigade
    
  • Special Forces Brigade

Army Training Command

Logistic Command

Specialist Formations

• Engineer Division
• Armored Brigade
• Artillery Brigade  
• Signals Brigade
• Corps of Agriculture and Livestock