Perera joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an officer cadet in the general duties pilot branch in the officer cadet intake 1 of the Air Force Academy, China Bay on 12 January 1972.

On completing his flying training he was commissioned as a pilot officer on 19 October 1973.

He was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 12 June 2006 with promotion to the rank of Air Chief Marshal, during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War and retired on 15 July 2009.

[2] Following is retirement as Chief of the Defence Staff, Perera was appointed Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Israel.

This biographical article about the military of Sri Lanka is a stub.