Thursday, July 5, 2007

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18 comments:

  1. Hi all,

    There are some standard topics (ex: Sinhalese history - Vijaya vs Ravana, Buddhism - worshipping gods right or wrong, Politics - Federal or Unitary, etc.)on which you can argue but probably none will gain any thing.

    Many of you guys wasted a lot of time on such things here. I think every one here knows well how good is LTTE in their internet propaganda. Rather than wasting your time on arguing such useless things please do some thing as you can against LTTE propaganda in the net. I know very little obout IT but I am sure some of you are IT experts. Please think about this.

    ___________________________________

    LTTE air tigers are very quite so far. Are they planning some thing different this time? Any ideas?

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  2. LTTE building war ship. Check ; http://www.lakbimanews.lk/

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  3. CCC, It can be a troop/vehicle carrier at best. Its too easy a target for the gunships, planes and FACs.

    If earlier reports that planes was summugled through the ship looks like a possibility from the size.

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  4. Despite the wet blankets put on to the zeppelin idea in the previous post, I think this is technology that we can afford to look in to. It was suggested with cost in mind.

    When Lankapura talks about infrared cameras detecting piraba, there is a similar avenue that can be tried where suppose, you attack some LTTE base the terrorists manage to flee. In this case would it not be possible to use IR devices to track down those who are escaping and radiating nice IR due to the heat they will be emanating because of the high physical activity (i.e. running away) they would be involved in. It could even be possible to track them to other rat holes.

    Be mindful I am not talking about Lockheed type high cost project.

    But these things should be tried out or at least brain stormed out. Things written here about the zeppelins potential was pretty much guess work. That's why some proper studies should be done and assess the feasibility of these.

    With this I will try to stop talking about the zeppelin and move on to other topics.

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  5. I highly doubt that "farah" will be converted into a military asset by ltte... retrofitting a vessel of that size is no easy job and it'll be a sitting duck for any form of aerial attack by SLAF...
    Probably ltte is scavenging the ship for parts and whatever usable material they can get out of it...

    Anyone knows why slaf didn't take out this ship so ltte won't be able to benefit even a bit from it???

    is gosl expecting ltte to hand the ship back to jordanians??
    won't the screws get damaged when the ship is beached the way it is and can ltte undertake such abig repair without dry dock facilities etc...

    the ship's hull can provide good source of steel plates i suppose of very good thickness... good for armour plating ordinary vehicles???

    So many questions :)
    hope slaf can bomb this into smitherines so ltte won't get much out of it :)

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  6. Hello Ranil:I am not trying to dismiss your idea again but can the tigers convert it to a "suicide boat" and use it for just one job of blowing up several FAVs? while another ship smuggles arms into Slanka.

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  7. How about using it as a platform to bring in several suicide boats?

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  8. July 5, 2007: Unable to muster much battlefield manpower, the LTTE is relying more on terrorism and diplomacy. LTTE leaders are pressuring Tamil politicians in southern India (where Tamils have a large presence) to support Tamils in Sri Lanka. In other words, the LTTE wants India to stop cooperating with the Sri Lankan navy in stopping LTTE arms shipments. Today, the LTTE made a big deal out of honoring the 322 suicide bombers who have died so far. Some 75 percent of these "martyrs" were killed at sea, while trying to smuggle arms in, or while attacking navy ships. In the past year, 61 LTTE suicide bombers were used. Meanwhile, the LTTE is applying more pressure to Tamils in Sri Lanka. This includes the resumption of conscripting teenagers for combat duty. In the last five months, 300 LTTE fighters have been killed in the east. Even more have surrendered, and thousands have simply gone back to being civilians. The war in the north is more one of terrorism and artillery bombardments. But soon, the army and air force will be able to shift forces from the east to the north. This will mean a major campaign against the LTTE, in the north, where they have always been strongest.





    July 4, 2007: The government believes they have destroyed organized LTTE resistance in the east. Government control of the region is being restored, town by town and district by district. Elections are to be held in the east, although there is fear that Colonel Karuna, the leader of the breakaway LTTE faction in the east, might try to force voters to support him as provincial governor. Many Tamils in the east favor a less militant leader than Karuna.





    July 3, 2007: Police arrested a former air force officer, an airman and four police officers, and charged them with kidnapping Tamils in and around the capital. The Tamils were held for ransom. At least 140 Tamils have been kidnapped in the last year.







    July 1, 2007: The army continues to sweep through LTTE base areas in the east. Weapons and ammo are being found, along with an underground hospital.





    June 29, 2007: Roadside bombs are being used more frequently by the LTTE, making road movement by civilians and security forces slower, and more dangerous. Troops captured an LTTE truck bomb, loaded with half a ton of explosives. The LTTE is also becoming more violent against civilians who will not cooperate. While the economy is still growing, the latest quarter was 6.1 percent higher than a year ago, it is slowing because of the resumption of the war.

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  9. Defencenet,

    If you want the above information removed please let me know. I thought this will help our readers..

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  10. tangara,
    You are welcome to share Defence news and info in this blog so there is no need to remove what you posted.

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  11. DefenceNet,
    Even earlier I asked this very question
    Near, thermal –infrared cameras, radar sensors, high optical sensors can be equipped to the high altitude jet or flight that would do the job of a military intelligence satellite and highly useful for the prevailing war kind situations
    Situations such as finding large terrorist movements, giving coordination for Arial bombing and artillery firing sites etc. these items could be cost several millions but the advantage is higher in comparison, we might be able to find the tech guys at our universities.
    Defence Net is it possible such a activity here or is it feasible?

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  12. patriot,
    At least one UAV in SLAF arsenal is equipped with Thermal sensors.

    When the LTTE launched their failed offensive to capture Jaffna last August, they shelled the Palaly runway. Planes were grounded. It was a UAV which detected the LTTE artillery position which shelled the runway. This was done using its thermal sensor. When target was identified, Kfir jets enagaged the target and no more artillery were directed from that location.

    In addition to that, several MiG27 sorties in the past have been run with the aid of laser designators; UAV used to laser designate the target and Mig used to drop the laser guided munition.

    As you said these are very expensive technologies and are rarely used.

    In Sl army intelligence role is mainly played by UAV footage, LRRP and MI units.

    In most advanced countries nowadays, Special Forces regiments are given access to portable UAVs which could be deployed on site. It's still a dream for countries like Srilanka which has limited defense budget.

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  13. Regarding the "Farah" folks, we cant bomb it due to Lloyd's of London laws against pirated property. GOSL have to be responsible for any compensation to Jordan due to law of the Sea issues with regards to Littoral waters. Ltte buggers know this darn well, so they have beached the Vessel claiming some nonsense only to strip it or build whatever the illegal work they wish to do.But, if you talk to maritime sources, ltte could be using the vessel for building all manner of Seatigers craft !Fellas cuz, these guys are terrorist not boy scouts."Farah" has generators,diecast machinary,electric motors,cranes and telecomm etc. loaded in there.So use your imagination !

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  14. From Hindustan Times;

    The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), which battled the LTTE in North-East Sri Lanka from July 1987 to March 1990, did conduct operations in the Thoppigala jungles, but made no attempt to occupy the area because it had no strategic significance, a former area commander, Maj Gen Ashok Mehta told Hindustan Times on Thursday.

    Gen Mehta's remarks are significant in the context of a claim by the Sri Lankan Defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, on Wednesday, that the IPKF could not occupy Thoppigala even though it had deployed 20,000 troops.

    "Thoppigala was a vast jungle area which did not lie on any major line of communication. It was basically a hide out for the LTTE. It had hospitals, prisons and training camps. I have personally led operations to destroy these facilities. But we always came back to base, as there was no need to occupy the area. There was nothing to occupy!" Gen.Mehta, who led Indian troops in the Eastern districts of Batticaloa and Amparai, said.

    But this was contradicted by the LTTE's military spokesman, Rasaiah Ilanthirayan, who told an Australian radio station, that the IPKF had set up camps in Thoppigala.

    Cost of occupation

    Taking and retaining Thoppigala will be costly, both in men and material, independent military experts say. But since the Sri Lankan government is hell bent on militarily defeating the LTTE, it would go ahead regardless of the cost, they added.

    Ilanthirayan had told Tamilnet recently, that the Sri Lankan Army was walking into a "trap" as the LTTE's withdrawals were "strategic" in nature.

    He admitted that the Sri Lankan Army had entered the Thoppigala area, but maintained that only the future would be able to say if the government's assertions were well founded. As regards the LTTE's plans he said: "At the moment we can only say that we are recasting our plans for the East."

    Lankan army gung ho

    However, the Sri Lankan Army is gung ho about its achievements and prospects.

    "We have already taken 700 sq.km of Thoppigala, and have only about 7 to 8 km to go before the whole place is under our control," said Army spokesman, Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, on Thursday.

    But independent military observers say that the progress has been slow. There is stiff resistance by the LTTE and the terrain has been difficult. "If it is a walk over, why the did the Air Force pound the area on Wednesday and Thursday?" asked Iqbal Athas of The Sunday Times.

    However, no one disputes the claim that taking Thoppigala is only a matter of time, given the manpower and the weaponry with the Army. In contrast, there are only about 400 ill-equipped LTTE there.

    Political compulsions

    Observers feel that the need to take Thoppigala is political rather than military. The government's aim seems to be to take it by July 26, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa plans to celebrate the conquest of the entire East, covering a total of 5200 sq km, "something which has never happened before," as Brig.Samarasinghe said.

    There are plans to follow this up by holding "free and fair" local elections without the interference of LTTE terrorists and thus get the plaudits of the moderate Tamils.

    In July-end, Rajapaksa will be presenting the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party's plans for the country in the form of document, which is eagerly awaited because he is facing mounting challenges. There is a revolt in his party, albeit incipient. There is heightened activity of the opposition parties and increasing international censure for human rights violations.
    -----------------------------------
    It would be costly and risky to set up SLA camps in Thoppigala. If they come back eventually tigers will accupy the area later. So what SLA is going to do after clearing Thoppigala?

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  15. From Lakbima;(Interveiw with the army commandor)

    Question(lakbima): Has the LTTE strength changed after the Ceasefire Agreement?

    Answer (army Commandor): I think their strength has gone up by three times during that period. But unfortunately for them, Karuna broke away, which resulted in the loss of 3,000 to 4,000 cadres in the East. The LTTE was left with people in the North and another 2000 in the East. As a result of the Karuna split, LTTE manpower declined by one third.
    Though Prabhakaran benefited from the ceasefire, he could not use it to their maximum advantage. He later lost another 2000 cadres fighting the army.
    Therefore, what ever the advantage he had through the ceasefire agreement was reduced. But the arms he smuggled during the truce agreement remains a threat.
    What is the strength of the LTTE arsenal?
    They have smuggled a large number of artilleries. Artillery is the main problem, not the small arms. Artillery, I feel they have ten times more than what they had before the Ceasefire. According to what we hear, they have 80 pieces of 120 mm heavy mortars. About 20 pieces of 122 mm guns and another five 130 mm and 152 mm guns.
    That is what intelligence reports say. But doubts remain. We have never seen so much firing. So many guns have never fired at us.

    ---------------------------------------------
    The recent SLA stratergy was to send SF/LRRP guys to deep inside LTTE ares and get info of gun positions, leader movements etc and then attack using heavy whepons and SLA. This proved to be a success in the east. LTTE get little use of thier smuggled guns and ammo if the same stratergy is used for the north as well. But LTTE will come up with an counter stratergy for this soon, specially in the north. I think they try to use same way against SLA. Recent attacks in Omanthe signals this. Probably LTTE used same tecnique even earlier, I guess.

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  16. Hey guys,

    Last night i saw on TV a Chinese Type-81 122mm MBRL in action with the SLA in Thoppi.So not only do we have RM-70's and pakistani MBRL's but chinese ones too!

    DefenceNet.

    "In most advanced countries nowadays, Special Forces regiments are given access to portable UAVs which could be deployed on site. It's still a dream for countries like Srilanka which has limited defense budget"

    Low cost off the shelf TUAV would serve our boys well if they had them! I heard that the SLAF uses a few localy made UAVs.
    What can you tell us about them.
    As many would agree, we need to pump some money in to R&D, perhaps have a joint program with some other country to make things like UAVs.


    Thanks

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  17. "several MiG27 sorties in the past have been run with the aid of laser designators"

    Wooooooooooooooooow.......
    "laser guided"... thought this would only be a dream for us! Too bad we cant use this extensively due to our financial restrictions.

    Btw, just curious, is the SLAF capable of flying any of its UAVs in the night? Are they equipped with NV technology or any other tech that is needed for night activities? If so, can the MIGs and KFIRs take on such targets effectively in the night?

    Oh! Saw on TV Hon. Lt.Gen. Sarath Fonseka visiting Vanni HQ. Looks like they are planning something up in the north, ha! Are we close to opening up another front in the north since the east is almost complete now?

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  18. SLA received massive beating in the "captured" east lol


    SLA Major, 5 soldiers killed in Kudumpimalai

    [TamilNet, Friday, 06 July 2007, 08:51 GMT]
    A Sri Lanka Army Major and five soldiers were killed and seven wounded Friday morning in Kudumpimalai (Thoppikkal) jungle where SLA forces were confronting the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam, according to military sources in the Eastern city of Batticaloa. In the North, 3 soldiers were killed on Thursday when fighting erupted in Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border.

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