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LTTE attacks Katunayake
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:04 pm    Post subject: LTTE attacks Katunayake Reply with quote

The LTTE has carried out its first ever air attack on the Katunayake air base that adjoins Bandarnaike International. The two share a runway.
Form reports available, the LTTE has knocked off half the Lankan air force. Includes an Mi heliocpter and an Mig-27.

Flights have been diverted but operations have resumed.
A Sri Lankan Delhi-Colombo direct and an Air Sahara Chennai-Colombo flight returned to Chennai.

Trying to get pics of this LTTE aircraft --- looks a crude knock down kit but is loaded with bombs.

Should be another exclusive for this forum!!
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VABBy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ohh my parents are scheduled for colombo on this coming wednesday i hope everything is alright by then.... Shocked
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correcting the information.
The LTTE aircraft just flew over the airbase and dropped a few bombs,
No major damage.

The damage to the Sri Lankan airforce was in 2001. Nothing this time.

Also Cathay has suspended flights to Colombo.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What's most strange is how a fixed wing aircraft managed to bomb the airbase and then get away without even being shot at. Speaks volumes for the preparedness of the SLAF. Katunayake has been a red alert area ever since the first LTTE raid that almost wrecked the UL fleet. From what I hear CMB is now fully operational since this morning.

Cheers
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

VABBy wrote:
Ohh my parents are scheduled for colombo on this coming wednesday i hope everything is alright by then.... Shocked


I think they should be fine - Sri Lanka has been through this numerous times in the past, and are capable of getting back and running immediately.
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SriLanka-unrest-airport Tiger air raid blasts Sri Lanka’s balance sheet
by Mel Gunasekera

COLOMBO, March 26, 2007 (AFP)
The first ever air attack by Tamil Tiger rebels is a psychological setback to Sri Lanka’s military but could cause an even bigger blow to the island’s economy, analysts said Monday.
In the daring strike, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) used two light fixed-wing aircraft against the Katunayake airbase, the home of Sri Lanka’s supersonic jet fleet -- and managed to get away without a scratch.
Alastair Corera, the director of Orion Fund Management, said the operation had revived fears of more rebel strikes outside the embattled northern and eastern regions.
‘‘When there are no events (outside the northeast) people seem to underestimate the risks that prevail, and incidents like this remind us of the risks,’’ Corera said.
The attack, which killed at least three Sri Lankan air force men and wounded another 16, was a sequel to a suicide bombing of the same air base and the adjoining Bandaranaike international airport in July 2001.
After the 2001 attack insurance firms slapped war-risk surcharges on airlines flying in to the international airport and shipping lines calling at colombo -- traffic declined and the economy went into recession.
Earlier this month, Fitch Rating warned that Sri Lanka’s international credit assessment may take a further beating if the South Asian island failed to make tangible progress in settling its decades-long separatist conflict.
The latest attack may also scare away would-be holidaymakers and further compound problems for the hospitality industry, which suffered an 18 percent drop in trade last month.
‘‘It is bad, (but) it could have been worse if the airport was attacked,’’ Sri Lanka’s top tourism official Renton de Alwis said. ‘‘We hope our partners (tour operators) will be with us.’’
Sri Lankans are already feeling the pinch of stepped-up military action, with inflation exceeding 20 percent in January. The government also raised defence spending by a whopping 45 percent, to 1.3 billion dollars this year.
Private analysts fear the government may have to spend more on defence this year to replace the air assets taken out in Monday’s attack -- at least two military helicopters were reportedly destroyed.
Retired army brigadier general Vipul Boteju said the attack would boost morale in the LTTE, but do little to bring about a halt in hostilities.
‘‘We will not see a shift in military operations, but this is a huge psychological boost for Tiger cadres who have suffered several reversals in recent times,’’ Boteju said.
Defence columnist Namal Perera said the attack was loaded with symbolism.
‘‘For the first time we have a guerrilla group operating an airforce. This could be a first in the world,’’ Perera said. ‘‘This certainly adds a new dimension to the fighting. It also shows how difficult it is to fight them.’’
The LTTE released undated pictures of their air wing of seven men in light blue camouflage uniforms posing together with Tamil Tiger chieftain Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Diplomats said the Tigers may have been able to turn the tables on government troops with the attack, which could also help the rebels raise more money abroad from the expatriate Tamil community.
‘‘There was a sense of euphoria in Colombo that the Tigers were only a few weeks away from being wiped out,’’ a Western diplomat said, summing up the mood in the capital before Monday’s air assault.
Government forces had been taking large parts of territory previously held by the Tigers in the island’s east and the government has already vowed to flush them out of the coastal region.
Official figures show the military has lost at least 1,050 personnel killed since the latest round of fighting erupted in December 2005.
The two sides had agreed to a Norwegian-arranged truce in February 2002, but successive talks have broken down.
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is serious.
Civil Airlines could be targetted too.Is the Runway of this Aircraft base visible on Google earth.
regds
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The SLAF base at Katunayake shares the runway with Bandaranaike International Airport. It's basically part of the same complex. Honestly though, I don't see this being repeated, but it will definitely impact tourist numbers. Just today a colleague's parents who are over here for a visit from the UK have scrapped their plans to visit Sri Lanka next week.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=21668

Here is a link from Tamilnet giving more details and photos of the "LTTE air wing". Incidentally the man credited with starting them off was a student of HIET, Guindy, Chennai.

Cheers
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


What type.Zlin 142
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A former RAW expert says the air wing has been in existence for 9 years.

Also there has been large-scale damage to the Sri Lankan airforce which was why they couldn't pursue the planes.

Several Israeli Kfir planes and at least 2 helicopters given to Colombo vy by Pakistan have been destroyed, he says.

The LTTE avoided the international airport to avoid international outrage. Would have been easier though to destroy the airport especially with refuelling going on for the several international flights.


Just shows the audaciousness of the LTTE. A 600 km flight from the jungles straight to Colombo, drop and the bombs and head back --- all at night!!!! Sounds like a Biggles plot Shocked
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't know about RAW but friends in the forces in Colombo say that no SLAF planes were damaged. Even the Sri Lankan Govt denied any damage to fighters (attached is a report from the Daily News, Sri Lanka's leading newspaper).

http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/03/27/sec01.asp


Quote:
Separate probes into attack

No damage to fighter fleet :

Ranil Wijayapala

KATUNAYAKE: The Air Force and the Criminal Investigations Department yesterday launched two separate investigations into the pre-dawn LTTE attack on the Air Force Base in Katunayake, Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said yesterday.

Addressing the media yesterday in Colombo the Minister said a five member team headed by Air Force Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal P.B. Premachandra has been appointed to probe into the incident. Three Air Force personnel were killed and 16 others injured when three bombs were dropped from a light aircraft over the Katunayake Air Force Base around 12.45 am yesterday.

According to Air Force officials no harm has been caused to the fighter squadron of the Air Force in this attack. Operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport, which is located next to the Air Force Base came to halt for a few hours in the midst of uncertainty of what was happening at the Air Force Base.

Minister Yapa said the operations at the international airport returned to normal a few hours after the air attack on the adjoining Air Base. "There is no reason to panic since there is no damage to the international airport due to this attack," he added.

Minister Yapa said the committee appointed by the Air Force will come out with its preliminary report within the next few days after their initial investigations into the incident.

There was speculation that the air defence system had not effectively functioned to detect the light aircraft of the LTTE. However, the Minister said it has been confirmed that the Air Force had effectively foiled the LTTE air attack on the Air Force base preventing them from attacking the MiG and Kfir hangars at the Air Force base.


But it was an audacious attack and to get away without a scratch even more incredible.
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Then why didn't they scramble?

Colombo currently looking very stupid, so they wouldn't want to say anything more.


The RAW expert is B. Raman, who is an authority and has been consulted by the Indian Govt. on a variety of occasions. His inputs helped in bringing about some sort of a face-saving end to Kandahar.



An Assessment of the LTTE Air Strike
March 27, 2007 at 8:44 am · ~ Commentary

By B.Raman

The Sri Lankan Government has imposed a total black-out on the losses suffered by it from the conventional air strike launched by the Tamil Eelam Air Force (TAF) of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the air base of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) at Katunayake outside Colombo on March 26,2007. The air base is located adjoining the international airport. The black-out is meant to hamper any damage assessment by the media and other analysts - from Sri Lanka as well as outside. One has to,therefore, depend on source reports.

2. The only information which the Government has given out is that two helicopters were damaged. It has tried to create an impression as if there was no damage to its fighter aircraft. Source reports, on the other hand, indicate that the TAF air strike has severely damaged, if not destroyed, at least a half of the aircraft holdings of the SLAF. The truth will be known only if and when the SLAF resumes its operations in the Tamil areas. If the Government’s contention that there was no damage to its fighter aircraft is correct, then there would be no impact on its air operations in the Tamil areas. If the source reports’ contention is correct, one would see a marked decrease in the SLAF’s air operations in the days to come.

3. The TAF’s air strike was well-planned and equally well-executed. It was a night operation taking advantage of the weak capability of the SLAF for night operations. It was a precision attack, which carefully avoided causing any casualty or damage in the international airport, which could have roused international ire. There were no civilian casualties—-targeted or collateral. As a result, it would not be possible to characterise the attack as an act of terrorism. It was pure and simple a conventional air strike. The bombs targeted the hangar or hangars at the base inside which the aircraft of the SLAF are normally parked at night. Three SLAF personnel were killed and about 20 injured. It is not yet known whether they were the maintenance people or whether any of them were pilots. Maintenance casualties can be easily replaced, but not pilot casualties.

4.Some worrisome questions arise. Even professional pilots of a State Air Force need regular flying practice. You can’t just assemble or take out an aircraft from a hide-out and fly out on a bombing mission. Where were the TAF pilots doing their flying practice? How come the Air Force intelligence set-ups of Sri Lanka as well as India missed detecting these training flights of the TAF? One needs fuel for the aircraft. From the way the LTTE has been warning of more air attacks, it seems to have an adequate reserve of fuel. Where from it got the fuel? Hopefully, not from India. Since April last year, when the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse started using the SLAF, the latter has been claiming that it had repeatedly bombed the air strip of the TAF. When an air strip is bombed, it takes time to repair it. How did the LTTE manage to repair it without any problem? Or, does it have another air strip, which has not come to the notice of the Sri Lankan intelligence?

5. The air strike was a daring operation. The TAF aircraft were air-borne for a little over two hours.There was every danger of the aircraft being intercepted and destroyed by the SLAF. The fact that the LTTE leadership decided to face this risk speaks of a certain desperation behind the decision to launch the air strike. One could detect a similar desperation in its efforts to smuggle material required for improvised explosive devices (IEDS) from Tamil Nadu. Since November,2006, a number of consignments of ball bearings, aluminium and similar material intended for smuggling to the LTTE-controlled areas have been intercepted by the Tamil Nadu Police and the Coast Guard. “The Hindu” of March 24,2007, has reported that one of the arrested persons admitted during the interrogation that one consignment had managed to reach Sri Lanka. (see item titled ” Two Held in Iron Balls Seizure Case” on Page Eight). Two conclusions emerge: First, the LTTE is so desperate for replenishments from Tamil Nadu that it is prepared to face the risk of the arrest of some of its collaborators in Tamil Nadu. Second, if one consignment managed to avoid detection and interception and reach the LTTE, there is a strong possibility of more consignments having reached the LTTE. This reveals gaps in our counter-LTTE security measures.

6.This desperation has arisen from the LTTE’s fears that the Sri Lankan Armed Forces were planning to launch an offensive in the Northern Province after having ejected the LTTE from nearly 85 per cent of the total territory in the Eastern Province. If the SL Armed Forces score similar successes in the Northern Province, that could deal a severe blow to the LTTE’s political objectives. LTTE spokesmen have been repeatedly hinting that any offensive in the North would lead to a blood-bath in areas outside the Eastern and Northern Provinces.The Sri Lankan Armed Forces and their Foreign Office were treating these warnings casually as the dying gasp of the LTTE. Through its daring air strike, the LTTE has conveyed a credible message that it may be down, but not out. It still has a lot of daring, fight and innovative ability left in it.

7.The Sri Lankan Armed Forces would be stupid to over-estimate the significance of their successes in the Eastern Province and under-estimate the LTTE’s capabilities in the Northern Province. The successes in the Eastern Province were largely due to the role played by Karuna and his men, and the ruthless use of the SLAF and the heavy artillery of Pakistani origin. Karuna is a former commander of the LTTE from the Batticaloa District of the Eastern Province, who deserted from the LTTE in March 2004 due to differences with Prabakaran. The LTTE did not consider it necessary to use the TAF to prevent the set-backs in the Eastern Province. It is facing a serious shortage of anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition, but still has some, which have been kept in the reserve for use in the North and to prevent a decapitation strike against Prabakaran. The Sri Lankan Army will have to operate in the North without the support of Karuna and his men, who are detested there as Sinhalese quislings. Moreover, the LTTE’s soldiers will be fighting in their own area with which they are familiar. Any operations in the North will see the LTTE fighting ferociously—-possibly making full use of its air and anti-aircraft capability. It will hit out against the Sinhalese in the rest of Sri Lanka. It is not doing so presently due to fears of a backlash against the Tamils living in the Sinhalese majority areas, but a desperate LTTE will not be inhibited by such considerations.

8. The demonstrated air attack capability of the LTTE poses immediate, short, medium and long-term threats to Sri Lanka and medium and long-term threats to India. The first immediate threat is to the security of President Rajapakse and other VIPs. The ability to use an aircraft—either conventionally or through a suicide mission— will enable the LTTE to circumvent access control measures.Without effective access control, there is no effective VIP security. The second immediate threat is psychological—the negative impact on foreign tourists and investors. This impact will be enhanced if the TAF carries out attacks on economic targets.

9. The third immediate impact is also psychological on the minds of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Prabakaran is stated to be a voracious reader. He reads everything that is available on guerilla warfare, covert actions etc. A favourite quote of his from one of these books is:” Those, who dare, win”. It is said that this quote is exhibited in all training centres of the LTTE. The TAF dared on the morning of March 26 against tremendous odds. It succeeded. There was elation among the Sri Lankan Tamils all over the world. Many champagne bottles were broken by members of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora. An added reason for this elation is stated to be the fact that all the TAF pilots are from the diaspora. One could see a fresh flow of volunteers to join the LTTE from Sri Lanka itself as well as from the diaspora. And a fresh flow of funds.

10. To neutralise these psychological impacts, the the SLAF has to demonstrate quickly that its capability and morale have not been affected. Can it do so? It is very important.

11.The short, medium and long-term threats to Sri Lanka will arise if as a result of this demonstrated air capability of the TAF, the SLAF loses its present air superiority. If that happens, the SL Armed Forces and the LTTE will be more evenly matched on the ground than they are today. That means continuing bloodshed and the danger of Tamil Eelam becoming a reality one day.The statements of the close advisers of Rajapakse before the air raid including those of his Foreign Minister show considerable naivete. They seem to think the LTTE can be defeated militarily. The only instances in recent history where terrorist organisations have collapsed without achieving any of their stated objectives are those of the Khalistanis and of the Western ideological groups such as the German Red Army Faction. They collapsed or withered away because they had no support from the people for whose cause they claimed to be fighting. The LTTE has considerable support from the Sri Lankan Tamils—in Sri Lanka as well as abroad. Unless they are weaned away from the LTTE through appropriate political measures, a military victory is doubtful. Repeated bombing raids by the SLAF on Sri Lankan Tamils in order to intimidate them are not the way of winning over the Tamils. Barring the US, which has been heavily using air strikes against the Neo Taliban in Afghanistan and the terrorists and resistance-fighters in Iraq, without any significant success, and Israel, which did so in the Lebanon in July last year,no other country in the world uses air strikes for counter-insurgency operations in such a ruthless manner as the Rajapakse Government has been doing. At the least the US and Israel have been bombing foreign people in foreign territory, but the Rajapakse Government has been bombing from air its own people in its own territory.

12. There is no immediate security threat to India. The medium and long-term threats will arise from the likelihood of copy-cat terrorism and the LTTE one day using it against an Indian target. India has any number of terrorist and insurgent organisations active in different parts of the country. Some of them might be tempted to emulate the LTTE. Successful development and use of an independent air strike capability by a terrorist organisation is largely conditional on its having territorial control over the rural areas. Purely urban terrorist organisations would find it difficult to develop an independent air capability. In India, the Naxalites (Maoists) have effective control over large parts of rural areas. One has to be careful about them.

13. India is no stranger to air terrorism. The plane hijackings by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Khalistanis, the blowing-up of the Kanishka aircraft of Air India by the Babbar Khalsa of Canada and the clandestine air drop of weapons by a plane manned by a mercenary crew in Purulia were instances of air terrorism. In the early 1990s, a member of the Babbar Khalsa trained by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence had stated during his interrogation that the ISI had asked him to join the Mumbai Flyting Club, take a trainer aircraft up and crash it on the Bombay High Oil platform. Such instances of air terrorism can be prevented by effective physical security on the ground.

14. But when an insurgent or a terrorist organisation acquires an independent air strike capability, the task of countering it becomes much more difficult. Preventive intelligence is an effective way, but it totally failed in the case of the LTTE. It was able to hoodwink the intelligence agencies of many countries—including those of India, Sri Lanka and the European countries— get its pilots recruited from the diaspora and trained in foreign training institutions —like Al Qaeda did– and smuggle the aircraft in dismantled forms to the areas controlled by it.

15. The LTTE should not be allowed to retain its TAF. The matter should be taken up in the UN Security Council under Resolution 1373 and an ultimatum issued to the LTTE to surrender its planes to observers appointed by the UNSC. If it fails do so, the bank accounts of all members of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora suspected or known to be funding the LTTE should be frozen as a first step to make it see reason. If it continues to be defiant, other measures have to be considered like knocking them out. These measures have to be combined with pressure on the Rajapakse Government to initiate a political process towards a federal solution. Unilateral action only against the LTTE without simultaneous action against the Rajapakse Government or vice versa will prove counter-productive. [saag.org]

(The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. He is also associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies. E-mail:itschen36@gmail.com )
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Hindu, which has been strongly assocaited with the Sri Lankan civil war has also this to say:

LTTE Air Wing nine years old: Former RAW chief

India’s former Research and Analyst Wing (RAW) Head B. Raman yesterday said the LTTE Air Wing had been in existence for nine years “without the Sri Lankan intelligence having the least idea about its location and capability”.


Mr. Raman, who was also a former Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat of India, made this comment in an article posted on the South Asia Analysis group website yesterday, hours after the LTTE air attack on the Katunayake air base..


Mr. Raman said the LTTE had also stepped up its arms procurement efforts and managed to replenish its stocks of explosives.
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Sri Lankan Govt hasnt taken well ti B. Raman's comments where he has said that Colombo was not aware of the existence of the Tiger Airforce.

It now appears that the radar at Katunayake is a first generation one installed by India and is faulty.
The LTTE plane was detected by the Bandarnaike radar when it was 3 miles away.
Colombo has now summoned the Indian High Commission to register its displeasure at India not having installed tha radar properly. It is part of a package of 4 radars to be installed all around Colombo.
India has also been slack and not kept its word as there has been no news of the other 3 radars.

India had apparantly convinced Colombo that it would install the radars after Colombo wanted to go in for a sophisticated Chinese 3D radar.
India said it would have a "national security problem" if Colombo went in for the Chinese stuff as this would have meant Chinese personnel being posted in Colombo.

Expect diplomatic trouble now!!!
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

India is losing out diplomatically in this row and will continue to do so unless they do something active to support the SriLankan government, Heard also that Trincomalee harbour will soon be turned into a small American base.

Cheers
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's a very touchy issue, as any overt support to Colombo will create problems in Tamil Nadu.

As the present Indian government is beholden to the political forces in Tamil Nadu for its survival, it has to thread carefully.

Trincomallee as an American base has been a long standing issue between India and Colombo. But if it really happens, India clearly won;t be happy.
Chinese and then Americans prowling in the backyard will be a real irritant.
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himmat01
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I feel that the Sri Lankan Airforce is passing the buck by blaming the Indian radar for the air raid. LTTE a/c flew undetected for a very long distance before reaching Colombo. Sri Lankan AF must have had other radar stations between the north and Colombo. Were they all sleeping after enjoying the late night movie. Even the radar at Bandarnayke airport should have detected the a/c when they were miles away from Colombo. The AF should have been prepared for an air attack. It should not have taken more than 15 minutes to scramble a few fighters to intercept and shoot down these slow aircraft.

The Lanjkans even allowed them to return to their base without damage. I am sure Sri Lankan Air force has bases else where. They could have been alerted and they should have sent interceptors to shoot down the LTTE a/c.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to say this, but the SLAF is not known for their great skills and competence, niether is their army. What I find incredible is how the plane returned to base without even being pursued. What stops them from strafing the base now that they know where it is?

Cheers
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ABN397
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is a report on their earlier ground attack in 2001:

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2001/07/25/stories/01250001.htm

Readers of this group would note that two A330s and a A340 were destroyed, while a few other airliners were shot up but were returned to service.
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VABBy
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Btw guys Parents came back from a visit to Lanka in real gud mood. Quite a variety of reasons to that .

a) they got upgraded to biz class in the outbound legs.

b) They got biz lounge access while in bound

So yeah in the end it ws all kool
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shivendrashukla
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BigTom wrote:
Sorry to say this, but the SLAF is not known for their great skills and competence, niether is their army.
Cheers


That said being quite true, Radar's also have some limitations. If a plane flies beneath a certain level radar's simply cannot detect them. So i would assume that LTTE would have flown that sortie along the coast line and at a very low altitude to avoid being detected.

SL army is the most useless force in the world. LTTE is just a bunch of jokers and wouldn't have all this strength had the SL army twisted their arms. They really blew off.

Cheers
Shivendra
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himmat01
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LTTE does it again. This time it bombs oil installations and gets away again. Sri Lankan armed forces are really useless. They can't even shoot down slow moving vintage aircraft.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/29ltte.htm
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Airlines suspend Lanka flights after air strike
AFP
Sunday, April 29, 2007 18:13 IST

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1093707


***

Sri Lanka should now outsource its airforce operations to some other country!!! Wink

But the rumour is it is going to ask China or Pakistan for big time help and end up irritating India.


***
IA's flight to Colombo was turned back. Jet too suffered while Air India Express was cancelled.
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazing that they are not able to get those craft.
What equipment does the SL AF have in terms of Aircraft.
regds
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Current strike force consists of Israeli-made Kfirs and Russian-made Mig 27s in addition to MI 24 and MI 36 helicopter gunships, some reportedly crewed by Pakistani pilots. Still wonder how two light aircraft seem to be able to fly in and out of 'heavily guarded' air space in the capital and get away unscathed. SLAF is looking pretty woeful as of now
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paki pilots flying for SLAF.Are these Civilians or PAF.The IAF would be interested.
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karatecatman
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tigers exploit flaws in Lankan air defence


http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=55a4b20b-79b3-4a8a-acef-b438cad5994c&ParentID=aa0276c7-734f-4649-ab31-bb1c4bd6b8ad&&Headline=Tigers+exploit+flaws+in+Lankan+air+defence
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LTTE now claims to have shot down a MiG-27. Says it has crached into the sea.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

karatecatman wrote:
LTTE now claims to have shot down a MiG-27. Says it has crached into the sea.

Shocked Is it so easy to shoot down a MiG-27 even though it is of the SL Air Force ? Shocked
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COUGAR
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Avijeet: you will be surprised!

The afghans earned quite a reputation for shooting down Russain Migs with tier shoulder launched SAMs!
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the_380
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

But do these LTTE people have any such eqp ???? I mean they seem n\more powerful than the SL Air Force Shocked
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COUGAR
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah they definitley have more than that!

They have 4WD mounted anti-air SAm's for god sakes! Which is a lot lot more advanced than shoulder fired SAMs
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 3:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whats stops them from targetting Civillian Jets over the Area.This is Dangerous.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably the reason they haven't yet targeted civilian aircraft after their first raid in 2001 where they destroyed nearly half UL's fleet ,is because they are trying to walk a fine line between hitting SL targets and more general ones in which foreigners will be targeted. That will bring down the collective wrath of the West on them and even India may be forced to take a stand in the light of international condemnation.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HAWK21M wrote:
Paki pilots flying for SLAF.Are these Civilians or PAF.The IAF would be interested.


Of course this is denied by both Pak and SL, but there are unconfirmed reports of Pak airmen flying in SLAF. SL is taking aid from wherever it can get it, once they found that they couldn't get it from India.
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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can the SLAF take International help to locate these Aircraft usinmg modern technology equipment.
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The LTTE has exploited another weakness.
Colombo apparently faces severe power shortage and most places have generators. So when the Sri Lankan Govt cut off power to the capital during the world cup final and when the LTTE began the third air attack, everyone switched on the generators!!!!


The Sri Lankan cricket team is stranded. They were to fly on Emirates, which has pulled out of Colombo totally.


This is real Mad Max. Comedy and a tragedy.
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BigTom
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

HAWK21M wrote:
Can the SLAF take International help to locate these Aircraft usinmg modern technology equipment.


Sure they can and they would get it too. There's no way that a secret airstrip can remain so for long, with today's surveillance systems. Real comedy of errors in SL.

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HAWK21M
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the reason for locals switching on their Generators in case of power cut.Isn't there an Audio Air Raid warning blasted around that time.

regds
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