It is reported that Sri Lanka plans to purchase four Israeli-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for 4.26 billion rupees, to be used for monitoring its maritime zone and providing assistance during natural disasters.

Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera told Parliament that the emergency purchase will be a government-to-government deal handled through BlueBird Aero Systems.

Israel Aerospace Industries holds a stake in the company.

The drones will be used to monitor Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone, an area of ocean covering 517,000 square kilometres.

They will track suspicious vessels, help search for missing fishermen and support operations during floods and cyclones.

Deputy Minister Jayasekera said the air force has to watch a huge stretch of sea and that flying ordinary aircraft on constant patrols costs too much.

He said unmanned systems were the cheaper option.

Two of the aircraft are ThunderB drones that can fly for up to 14 hours.

The others can stay in the air for up to 20 hours. All can take off vertically or from short strips of land.

The price includes training for operators and three years of maintenance.

Officials had first expected to receive only two drones, but the revised deal provides four.

The Deputy Minister said the government will not need extra money for the purchase.

He said it will use funds that had been set aside for maintaining air force helicopters and that no new allocation is being requested.

Parliament is scheduled to debate and approve Supplementary Estimate No. 8 of 2026, amounting to Rs. 4.26 billion, today (05).

Once parliament gives its approval, the Attorney General’s Department will review the agreement before it goes to the Cabinet.

The government hopes to sign it in December.

The Leader