Air Force and LTTE in first ever Air-to-Air combat

The Air Force operations room was busy from 3.30 a.m. onwards yesterday as it continued to communicate with the Vavuniya Air base because the Vavuniya Security Forces headquarters was subject to an artillery attack between 3.00 a.m. and 3.26 a.m. Vavuniya Air Force base officers who operate the radar had detected two LTTE Zlin 143 aircraft on their screens.

They had immediately informed Director Operations Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama, who in turn had informed the Commanding Officer of Squadron 5 which comprised F 7 fighter jets.

Early yesterday morning, as is normal routine, a young energetic pilot was seated in his F7 fighter jet cockpit. Pilots of F7 fighter jets are on standby, on the instructions of Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Goonetillake. Pilots are allocated for standby duty on a roster basis.

On receipt of information, the 5 Squadron Commanding Officer immediately relayed instructions to his pilot in the F7 fighter jet which took off at 3.34 a.m. from the Katunayake air base.

The pilot spotted one of the LTTE aircraft on his radar screen and gave chase. The Zlin aircraft pilot who appeared to be unaware at first that the Air Force jet was tracking him, tried his level best to escape but the F7 pilot locked his radar on the Zlin aircraft over the skies in Mullaitivu and pressed the button with his right hand fore finger to release a missile. He reportedly saw the LTTE aircraft hit by the missile and turn into a red and yellow fireball and fall to the ground around 3.55 a.m. said a senior Air Force official

Mission accomplished, he informed his commanding officer that the LTTE aircraft was destroyed. He had looked around to see whether there were any other aircraft before safely landing at the Katunayake air base. His commanding officer was there to welcome him.

This pilot created history, because this was the first time the Sri Lanka Air Force engaged an enemy in air combat. Air Force Commander Roshan Goonatillake called to congratulate the pilot on his achievement. (For security reasons, his name cannot be disclosed.)

The attempt by the LTTE aircraft to attack the radar system in Vavuniya was not successful though there was a simultaneous attack by the Black Tigers from the ground as well. A team of Black Tigers attempted to infiltrate the government held Vavuniya area to the south of the SLAF and Army base at Vavuniya from the jungles in the Eratperiyakulama area.

Two LTTE Air craft had dropped 4 bombs on Vavuniya SF headquarters. 2 bombs did not explode, but the other two exploded but, as a result of the explosion, there was no damage to equipment or soldiers said a Military spokesperson.

Black Tigers killed by Special Forces
The SLAF base and the Vavuniya SF HQ lies side by side and are divided only by a fence. When Black Tigers tried to infiltrate the base, they apparently were unaware they were moving closer towards a Special Forces (SF) camp situated in Vavuniya Security Forces headquarters. A soldier from the SF had spotted the LTTE cadres moving. He immediately reacted and alerted the rest of his colleagues. They fired at the LTTE cadres killing six of them on the spot, while four other cadres detonated their suicide jackets and killed themselves when they found they couldn’t achieve their objective.

As a result of intercepting this Black Tiger team, which apparently included artillery spotters, the Tigers could not direct their artillery fire at the Vavuniya air base radar system.

The Special Forces have now been deployed in the area, to hunt down any remaining Tigers, who managed to infiltrate the defence lines that night.

The LTTE cadres who were killed by the Special Forces wore military uniform. The LTTE attack on the Vavuniya air base was similar to the attack on the Anuradhapura air base, but this time, information gathered by Military Intelligence enabled Vavuniya Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya and the Air Force to take precautions and repulse the LTTE attack and save billions of rupees worth of equipment at the Vavuniya air base. LTTE main target was to destroy the radar system.

The LTTE attempt to conduct this attack was purely to build up the morale of its cadres and the Tamil diaspora. Prabhakaran knows very well if his cadres could not produce any fruitful results he would not get public support.

Around 3.15 a.m. last morning, the LTTE fired artillery from east of the A9 road at Puliyankulam to Security Forces Headquarters at Vavuniya. More than 25 shells fell in and around the base premises and an artillery duel continued for nearly two hours. The SL Army countered the LTTE artillery fire with fire from multi barrel rocket launchers and long range artillery guns stationed at multiple locations. As a result of LTTE artillery fire, 10 soldiers were killed and 15 others suffered injuries. One police constable was killed and eight others sustained injuries due to the artillery fire. Five Air Force personnel also suffered injuries.

Communication intercepts revealed that a Tiger artillery gun had been destroyed by Army artillery fire.

Air strikes to LTTE defence line
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has been frequently bombing LTTE positions in the Wanni for the past week. LTTE positions in Nachchikudah, Kilinochchi, Mankulam and Pooneryn have been hit during these aerial raids. The Air Force deployed its 5 Squadron F7 jets, 10 Squadron Kfirs and 12 Squadron MiG 27s with increased use of gunships of the 9th attack helicopter squadron.

Air attacks have increased at a time when the LTTE has shown willingness to engage in close quarter fighting against advancing troops. Battles in southern Kilinochchi in the last 10 days have seen the LTTE heavily deploying its experienced cadres to the front line.

On Monday, only the Air Force conducted four air strikes at 8.45 a.m., 1.25 p.m., 1.35 p.m. and 2.10 p.m. north of the Natchchikudah defence line. All the four air strikes targeted LTTE reinforcement cadres. The targets were given to pilots by ground Intelligence and Air Intelligence. A senior Air Force officer said pilots and ground troops confirmed the targets were accurately taken.

Army retaliation
As mentioned in my column on August 27, the SL Army was heading for the LTTE’s HSZ and I further said the path ahead was not lined with beds of roses, but with traps and mines and also possible counter attacks.

As mentioned last week, there was heavy fighting in Nachchikudah and Akkarayankulam in Kilinochchi district. The battle was long, lasting 48 hours and still the battle is continuing. Guns are not silent.

Air Force MI 24 helicopter gunships are hovering around and launching attacks on the LTTE defence line, which is an earth bund referred to by me last week, with a picture.

The SLA understands the difference between defence and offence. Having mastered the former with minimum success, it is now mastering the latter with great success.

Around 30 soldiers have been killed and 48 soldiers wounded in fighting at Nachchikudah, Vannerikulam and Akkarayankulam in the past few days. These are the true figures, said Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, while the pro-LTTE media exaggerated figures of Army dead and wounded.

LTTE suffer dead and wounded cadres
The LTTE lost more than 100 of its cadres due to direct fire from troops as well as from artillery fire. This was revealed by Military Intelligence when LTTE radio communications were intercepted. Among the dead cadres were three senior Tiger cadres.

When the battle erupted, LTTE cadres went to Kilinochchi Hospital and reportedly ordered civilian patients to leave the hospital and told doctors and medical staff to get ready for emergency treatment of wounded cadres. In one day, wounded LTTE cadres flooded the Kilinochchi Hospital, said a reliable source from Kilinochchi.

However, the pro-LTTE website and certain media did not mention any damage caused to the LTTE by the SL Army. Any reader with a reasonable intellect can make the correct deduction.

Army on offensive
Currently, the SLA has breached the Nachchikudah-Akkarayan LTTE FDL at six different locations. Any further breach would be extremely disadvantageous to the LTTE.

The counter attack of the LTTE comes as part of a last ditch effort to save its bastion. For many days, a mini-hell was created for the LTTE from Nachchikudah to Akkarayankulam by the Army and the Air Force.

SLA artillery batteries fire incessantly on this FDL, day and night. Each battery has 12 howitzers and gunnery crews operating continuously. In addition, MI-24 helicopter gunships, MiG 27 and Kfir jets and mobile multi-barrel rocket launchers are pounding the 28 km long FDL, day and night. As a result, several kilometres of the FDL have been destroyed and subsequently abandoned by the LTTE.

LTTE on defensive and ready for counter attack

The LTTE is facing a do-or-die situation. The fight is closer to home than before; therefore, the defence-in-depth strategy has to kick in sooner rather than later. This is not a surprise. It has certainly not surprised the Army. At the moment, the SL Army is battling with the LTTE at its doorstep to reach the Tiger stronghold. The Army has advanced 55 km and there is only another 12 km to go from Akkarayankulam west to Kilinochchi.

Let us analyse the ground realities. The LTTE must guard Pooneryn, Kilinonochi and Mulativu at all costs. If it loses Nachchikudah, it will lose Pooneryn. Two more offensive SLA Divisions, plus a mechanised infantry division are waiting to come south.

Pooneryn is also the buffer between Jaffna and Kilinochchi. It stands on the last remaining sea route to India, for immediate logistical needs such as medicines, fuel etc. It is also the base from which the Jaffna insurgency is maintained. All will be lost if Pooneryn is lost.

The Nachchikudah FDL is crucial and the LTTE knows it. Rather than risking its cadres’ lives to being flanked and a collapse from the rear by 8-12 man SLA teams spread throughout a large area, the Tigers have constructed a large trench-line forming a single FDL. The strategy is to increase safety in concentrated numbers. It is these numbers that the Army is also after. So, the LTTE has taken a gamble. How long can they gamble?

The Tigers have started constructing a new trench line from Thannimurippu (tank) north to Nayaru. A few weeks ago, the LTTE suddenly withdrew its troops and redeployed them several kilometres behind their original positions, in order to facilitate the construction of this trench.

The move comes with the realisation that any further progress by the SLA could spell disaster for the organisation.

The areas behind Nayaru and Thannimurippu are crucial for the Tigers in terms of access to sea and supplies and also to infiltrate the south by land and sea. The strategic Sea Tiger base at Alampili lies north of Nayaru.

LTTE shifted heavy guns

130 mm and 152mm. artillery guns reinforcements have been called in from Pooneryn, Muhamalai and Nagarkovil, respectively. The trench line has been divided among Thileepan of ‘Agnikeela’ fame, Bhanu the shamed Eastern Commander and Lakshman from Mannar.

Thileepan is in Nachchikudah in overall supervision due to his artillery training and Bhanu is at Vannerikulam, where he launched 18 counter attacks in one day from three different locations, but didn’t succeed.

The battle is crucial in the coming weeks. The Army is at the LTTE doorstep with heavy fighting expected at any time. A battle front officer said ‘we are ready to face any counter attack. And we are moving little by little to LTTE area while killing the enemy.”

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