The purchase is being pursued through an arrangement between governments, according to Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara's parliamentary remarks reported by the Daily Mirror. The funding decision advances the proposal, while the timetable described in Sri Lankan reporting puts the contract signing further ahead.
What Parliament Approved
In its official announcement, Parliament said it had passed Supplementary Estimate No. 8 of 2026, allocating 4,261 million Sri Lankan rupees to the Air Force. That is approximately 4.3 billion rupees for establishing an unmanned aerial vehicle system.
Parliament linked the allocation to a changing operational environment and to disasters and adverse weather affecting the Bay of Bengal and surrounding regions. Its statement confirms the budget decision and the purpose of the money. Details of the planned Israeli purchase come from the deputy minister's remarks carried by Sri Lankan outlets.
Watching Vessels and Finding Fishermen
EconomyNext reported that Jayasekara outlined missions including tracking suspicious vessels, locating missing fishermen and assisting during floods and cyclones. The aircraft are also intended to monitor Sri Lanka's exclusive economic zone.
According to the outlet, the deputy minister told lawmakers that maintaining continuous surveillance over a large maritime area with conventional aircraft is expensive. The government wants to add unmanned systems to that task. This was the operational rationale he gave for the purchase, alongside the civilian requirements of rescue work and disaster response.
The Israeli Supplier Named in Reports
EconomyNext identified BlueBird Aero Systems as the company through which the purchase would be made. Daily FT also named BlueBird in its November 6 report. Both described a deal between governments involving the Israeli company.
BlueBird says on its own website that Israel Aerospace Industries acquired a 50% stake in late 2020. That corporate connection provides context for the different descriptions in the coverage: the Daily Mirror referred to a planned purchase from Israel Aerospace Industries, while EconomyNext and Daily FT specifically named BlueBird. Reporting from Sri Lanka supplies the details of the proposed arrangement; these are not terms announced by the company in a signed contract notice.
Aircraft, Training and Maintenance
Daily FT reported that the proposal includes two ThunderB aircraft with a stated endurance of up to 14 hours, alongside other aircraft capable of remaining airborne for up to 20 hours. Those are figures reported for the planned package, rather than results from operations in Sri Lanka.
The same report said the package includes training for pilots and operators and three years of maintenance support. Earlier discussions envisaged only two aircraft, while the revised arrangement provides for four. The reported amount therefore covers a procurement and support package, rather than aircraft alone.
Funding and the Remaining Steps
EconomyNext reported Jayasekara's explanation that the cost would be met by redirecting money allocated to Air Force helicopter maintenance under Financial Regulation 66. He said the purchase would require no additional state funding.
Parliament's announcement says the allocation can be paid from the Consolidated Fund, other government funds or government borrowing. That describes the budget authorization; the helicopter maintenance transfer is the funding route outlined by the deputy minister.
According to Daily FT, parliamentary approval is to be followed by a review of the agreement by the Attorney General's Department and then consideration by the Cabinet. The reported target is to sign in December. That is a goal for completing the agreement, not a delivery date for the Air Force's aircraft.
