Sunday, April 22, 2007

SLAF starts Combat Air Patrols

In the wake of Tamil Eelam Air Force threat (aka Vanpuliga), SLAF have stationed Combat Air Patrols (Sinhalese: Sangramika Guwan Mura Sanchara) to monitor the skies over Sri lankan soil. KfirC2/C7/TC2/MiG27 multirole jet fighters (now upgraded with night attack capabilities) will be used in these patrols. Keeping such Combat Air Patrols on station allows the SLAF to dynamically attack LTTE targets as they receive intelligence from ground based sources.

One such Air Patrol carried out a pre emptive strike on a key LTTE communications center in Puthukuduirippu, Mullaithivu 2 days ago. The attack completely destroyed the communications infrastructure at the site and caused the death of a senior LTTE leader; their international media coordinator.

In addition to this, LTTE's airstrip (located near Iranamadu Irrigation tank) too was attacked several times in last week. Ground based intelligence sources have confirmed that the runway was 'considerably' damaged due to recent airstrikes.

26 comments:

  1. way to go !!

    At lease we should continue these air patrols for a next 6-12 months until this all these mad terrorist dogs are killed .

    This may be a additional burden for poor SL economy to have this Air patrol for long term. but National security is the top most priority.

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  2. good.
    but what are the chances of actually intercepting terrorist aircrafts in air ? i think that would be pretty low. probably the only way to catch and destroy them is at their take off point or at the their intended target.

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  3. Air Patrols enables the capability to dynamically attack LTTE targets as they receive intelligence from ground based sources.That is the main objective,So intercepting terrorist aircrafts in air is an additional benifit,not the objective.You know LRRP's infiltrate the enemy lines & can give the coordinates of the targets real time,so SLAF can bang them.So air patrols can be very efficient,but it may not good for our economy due to high maintainance cost.

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  4. this would be an difficult task

    the cost of 1 hour of jet flight runs in to thousands of dollars and further overhaul

    1 hour of helicopter flight requires 8 hours of maintainance

    the tactics may need much better approaches

    we need to remember these, and be ready to deploy our forces with the best options.

    I think the 2d Radar and ground spotters with firebases with longer range MBRL with aircraft as backup support is better.

    LTTE's long range goal of using the plane is to take out the MBRL launchers, intel, and fixed wing ground aircraft before launching a powerful ground attack.

    the next attack will be highly coordinated with air, sea, ground troops.

    we must never forget be vigilant, for the price we pay is sure death!

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  5. gey guys

    Ikbal athas said in his weekly report that 6 members of our LRRP has gone missing. Does anybody know more details of this ?

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  6. It's good to hear that we have taken steps to counter the LTTE air threat. But for how long we can keep this up is my question. The way I see it, by installing 1 or 2 additional powerful radars at strategic locations should be enough to locate enemy air craft. As for bringing them down, may be we too can use SAMs and .50 anti air craft guns.

    Btw guys, don’t forget that we could have successfully brought down the LTTE air craft, had we properly acted upon the sightings reported by our security forces personnel, specially by the STF and the existing radar stations on that day!

    One more thing, there has been an article on the TamilNet under the heading "SLA deploys elite forces in Northern Front", any info. on this? Is this true or is the LTTE trying to justify a pending bloody attack on Jaffna?

    Even I read that article about the missing 8 SF personnel. If true, then it's very bad. Or are they maintaining radio silence? Hope so... :-(

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  7. I think LTTE goals are simple

    distraction, buildup, attack


    Their air planes will act as spotters

    we have risk to MBRLs' and other assets

    How do we counter this

    short range low altitude radar with long range high altitude radar at strategic locations (as suggested)

    ground spotters

    unconventional warfare with hitting the enemy until severe demoralization

    LTTE position south of NK in northern FDL is undesirable, they hold the low ground while we have the high ground.

    right now LTTE cant mount a coordinated attack because they have depleted squads

    but this is what they plan will conduct

    remember 1998-2001 period?

    LTTE first when attacking EP went after in this order

    a. sudden attack with Eastern tiger forces on SLA forces that made to kilinochchi...capturing long range weapons, SLA under CBK retreated to Jaffna from parathan, and to EP

    1. Destruction of Nargar Kovil radar stations that detected sea tiger movements, small garrisons that acted as spotting stations and docking bays for Navel IPCs
    --this removed advance warning capability and allowed larger forces to land

    2. Destruction of Firebases at Pallai that supported EP

    3. capturing smaller camps south of EP thus w/o fire bases they were exposed, and movement of forces north

    4.Water supply points for EP--they did this later to draw out forces south and set ambush points. -=CBK overlooked this by not repairing the water desalination equipment in time...in 1990 they held on with the desalination equipment for 1 1/2 years. Before Kobbakaduwa landed and helped bring disaster to prabhakaran

    5. capture of EP.
    ---

    now they will try to capture Jaffna under similar methods. we should think...what prevents LTTE from launching an attack?

    manpower shortage
    Sea tiger failures
    ammunition shortage
    SLA MBRL threat
    SLAF threat

    SLA MBRL, airforce is guarded well
    what is left is

    what is not protected and thus...LTTE will hope SLA will divert forces to protect those economic targets--this is where private security should come handy. where SLA may be the backbone private security will be the eyes and ears.

    good luck LTTE because you will need an exponential amount of it.

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  8. There is a posting in Tamilnet about another air raid by TAF in Palaly. Is this true?

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  9. Reuters has reported it too, but they're quoting entirely from TamilNet and the LTTE spokesman.

    Anyone have any further info on how true it is and if so what sort of damage was done?

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  10. Well, TN says it took place at 1.20am ! But, doesnt Palali AB have radars by now or AAA ? Geez man , how can this be happening again ? Any body ?

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  11. Another LTTE propaganda

    Attacking the palali air base using 2 aircrafts by the ltte is another bogus propaganda.
    I just phoned one of the air force pilots and he said they have fired some artillery rounds targeting palaly from the FDL in jaffna. Damages yet not known.

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  12. certainly no tiger aircraft’s involved. But some of the artillery they fired fell near the runway. But damages not yet known

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  13. Hi bro,
    Even firing arty rounds to Palali NOW from Pooneryn.....how can that happen ? With all the targeting by the SLAF ? You can knock out some guns ? Right ?

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  14. Hi bro,
    Even firing arty rounds to Palali NOW from Pooneryn.....how can that happen ? With all the targeting by the SLAF ? You can knock out some guns ? Right ?

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  15. Hasalaka it would be great if there really wasn't an air strike, but I guess it's hard to say just yet.

    NDTV has reported that 6 soldiers have been killed in an incident near Palaly.

    http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009674

    And Beau Sri I think its really hard to take out the artillary completely cos they keep moving them around.

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  16. Ah at last a statement from the MoD. Looks like it was another failed air attack. And again we've failed to take out their aircraft.

    And I thinks its completely the government's fault that the fag BBC and others initial publish extremely 1 sided reports. It's taken the ministry a full 8 hours to issue this statement.

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  17. Illegal.existence

    I 100% agree with u machnag. I don’t know what the hell is our media units doing? I took bloody 8h to release a statement. As a sri lankan living out of the country we have find the rite info for the people.

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  18. This is bad... :-( does not matter whether it's by LTTE air or LTTE artillery, the palaly air base and air strip should not be possible to attack. It's the life line for our forces over there. Judging by the delay of the authorities to release a statement, looks like the damage could be very high!

    What bothers me is how these LTTE planes managed to escape back to their bases again?????????? We need to take on these planes very soon... may be some good ground intel will help us to bomb their hangars.

    Btw guys! may be I'am being paranoid... but recent LTTE activities suggest that they are gearing up for a major attack to take over jaffna in a systematic and well cordinated offence. But one thing that keeps me calm is, I'm pretty sure our military top brasss must be drawing up battle plans to counter such threats!

    Hasalaka, no point talking about our whole media campaign... it just died along with our beloved late foreign minister :-(

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  19. In my humble opinion this government has lost all credibility. I am amazed that absolutely no reference has been made to the two mines found attached to the side of a ship that was unloading cement in Trinco. It is sheer luck that the mines didn’t go off. It is also sad to see that in the MOD web site they still blame Ranil for allowing these plans to come in. The military and the politicians backing the military have to get over this fact and find a solution to the problem. My buddies in the north did confirm that the LTTE air wing had indeed dropped bombs in the Palali area but not on the air field. Our Air force with their multi million dollar aircraft need more millions spent on upgrades before they can fly their aircraft at night. The LTTE on the other hand are probably flying aircraft that are not meant for the roles they are being used for and cost a few hundred thousand dollars each and seem to be making hay in the dark. Doesn’t speak much for the abilities of our pilots or the people who are holding them back. Just goes to show that where there is a will, there is a way.

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  20. YankeeDoodle,
    Is it only the LTTE that has a will?

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  21. From the conversation i had with a couple of friends i know in the SLAF (Both KFir drivers), Palaly airbase was attacked by 2 LTTE light aircraft which dropped 4 bombs.

    Thats all my people knew for certain at the time and it seems the 2 planes came in from the sea at very low level before climbing and droppoing the bombs at the base.

    As for our gallant anti-aircraft gunners, seems like they were caught with their pants down and didn't react quickly enough to open fire at the incomming aircraft. Only after the LTTE planes had dropped the bombs had our air defence opened fire with LMG and .50 Cal fire.

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  22. Indunil Sameera... Thanks for the info dude! I think I will go with that story... makes lot of sense...
    Cant just accept the fact that the LTTE managed to get away with it AGAIN though :-(

    We dont need all these high tech stuff to counter the LTTE air threat. Few .50 guns and being on high alert should be enough...

    Anyway, lets just hope that the damage is minimum and the LTTE gets a good response from our AF!

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  23. What happened to the RADAR this time along with combat air patrol? Did they at least tracked where these planes landed? Do we have any SAMs to shoot these down?

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  24. Seems the LTTE pilots flew a very low level approach. They flew under the radar cover. They only climbed just as they approached the bast to release their bombs. From the info i got there is little damage to the airbase.

    All 4 bombs exploded in or around the airbase buildings, none scoring any direct hits. I agree with puffy. No need for SAMs. All we need are some good light anti-aircraft weapons like 20mm cannon and 50 cal machine guns.

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  25. What exactly is night flying capability? Can an aircraft engineer enlighten us?

    How easily can it be acquired and does the airforce actually have it?

    On the lack of info by the government, (for example it took them 8 hours to issue a statement) I think what they are trying to do is suppress all info, in the hope that it does them no political damage. Only when it is impossibel to keep a lid on it do they finally come out with a statement.

    I read the Daily News very closely, and what that says about the government mentality is remarkable. Read the front page, page 3, editorial and the page opposite the editorial every day and you will see what i mean.

    What they don't realise is that when there is a lack of info, the rumour mill works overtime and the government loses all credibility once they belatedly confirm the rumour mills stories.

    Any decent government should let the truth be known, sometimes it may be painful, but better in the long run.

    However, incompetent governments would rather hide the facts in the hope uncomfortable things will remain hidden.

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