The role of the corps is the procurement, receipt, storage, accounting, maintenance, control, issue and disposal of ordnance stores.

The Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army Ordnance became a Corps on 14 October 1949.

With the raising of Ceylon Army in 1949, munitions of the Royal Ordnance were accepted and stacked in government storerooms.

Sri Lanka Corps of Ordnance was officially established as a Unit on 29 March 1950 with 2 Commissioned Officers, 2 Warrant Officers, 1 Staff Sergeant, and 3 Sergeants under the direction of Major B G Brecher.

As the responsibilities assigned to them were growing, the first ordnance depot was established as part Sri Lanka Electrical Mechanical Engineering Corp.