The tiger air attack over the Katunayake military base today took everyone by surprise. LTTE used one or two light fixed wing aircraft to drop bombs on SLAF's main base at Katunayake where fighter squadrons are based on. Although no fighter jets were damaged, tigers were able to score 'propaganda points' which boosted the morale of their fighters and Eelam Diaspora alike . This unexpected development has opened a whole new front in the undeclared Eelam war 4.
The attack has not only worried the Srilankan government but has sent warning signals through the Indian authorities as well. IAF has deployed several civilian and military radars along the southern coast in the wake of these new developments. Their main concern is that the Microlights which the tigers posses have a range of 1000Km thus making several major Indian cities vulnerable to LTTE air attacks. An Indian nuclear reactor is also said to be located in an area within 1000KM range from Killinochchi.
The aircraft (or aircrafts) which took part in the operation has not been shot down. The fate of these crafts is still unknown. Did they land in Wanni? Were they ditched to the sea? Are they hidden somewhere close to Colombo for later use? There are too many unanswered questions.
SLAF now has a mission to accomplish. Somewhere in the north Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have built a functional runway. They may even have more functional aircraft. SLAF need to find the rebel airbase. Once they find it, Jet bomber fleet will take revenge.
I still think its unlikely that they ditched at sea or elsewhere cos they have so few aircraft they wouldn't want to waste em. Unless they had some way to recover them and take them back to the Vanni.
ReplyDeleteI doubt India has any reason to be worried (and I don't think they are really) cos there is no way the LTTE will even contemplate attacking Indian targets. That pretty much will be their doom.
And this is a good analysis from '05 about the LTTE air wing
http://www.ipcs.org/whatsNewArticle1.jsp?action=showView&kValue=1733&status=article&mod=b
With so much warnings, you gotta wonder what our guys have been doing for the last few years, especially if the STF did warn the airforce that they spotted 2 aircraft flying over Vavuniya, giving the SLAF at least an hour's head's up.
Yes those questions need to be anwsered. and soon. With one hr. warning our boys should have been able to much better.
ReplyDeleteBut as always com through Chain of Command and Orders given and carried out takes a good deal of time in SL, dont it?
Indian radars ? hmmmm ! Why not Chinese od Israeli gear ? Anyone ?
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