Air Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Air Tigers was the air
-wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), who used it against the Government of Sri Lanka
. Though the existence of the Air Tigers had been the subject of speculation for many years, the existence of the wing was only revealed after an attack in March 2007, during Eelam War IV
.
The LTTE credits the formation of the Air Tigers air-wing to Colonel Shankar, alias Vythialingam Sornalingam, a diploma graduate of Hartley College
in Point Pedro
. He has an Engineering Diploma in Aeronautics
from Hindustan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu
, India
.
On November 27–28, 1998, Tamilnet
reported the LTTE-operated Voice Of Tiger radio station had claimed “Aircraft of the Air Tiger wing of the Liberation Tigers [had] sprinkled flowers over the cemeteries of the slain LTTE cadres in Mulliyawalai,” during the annual Heroes Day celebrations. Earlier in the month, the web based news agency reported (November 19, 1998) an unidentified aircraft allegedly belonging to the LTTE had been spotted in the Thondamanaaru region in Jaffna
by Sri Lankan Navy
officials. The report said it was also believed the Tigers had built an airstrip in the Mullaitivu army base after it was overrun by the LTTE in 1996.
On November 27, 1998 Tamilnet reported Deputy Minister for Defence Anuruddha Ratwatte had scoffed at speculation that the LTTE has acquired aircraft, claiming the reports were part of an LTTE strategy of psychological warfare
. Three days later, the news service reported unconfirmed reports of a Tiger helicopter being sighted in the Batticalloa‐Amparai region. The report also said The Sunday Times
Military analyst Iqbal Athas had reported military intelligence UAVs had taken images of the LTTE helicopters and Mulativu airstrip. The Sunday Times Situation Report said (November 1, 1998) “Senior SLAF officials suspect the helicopter on ground to be similar to R44
Astro — a small, light, four-seat, piston-engined civilian helicopter produced by the Robinson Helicopter
Company since 1992. Sri Lankan newspapers corroborated discovery of an R44 Astro http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2005/3/1212.html and also suggested that Australian LTTE contacts had facilitated the purchase of two Australian-made AirBorne microlight aircraft. The Singapore
based Asian Tribune
e-newspaper claimed (July 28, 2006) the LTTE had acquired two Czech-built Zlin Z‐143
's, according to eyewitnesses in Eliranpuram, Pudukudiyiruppu and Meerukandi, who also claim to have frequently seen the Cessna Skymaster
s flying overhead for several months. The report also said it was believed the acquisition had been made between April and July 2006.
Similarly, news of LTTE airstrips in the north had made periodic appearances in the southern Sri Lanka media, including a May 28, 2005 admission by the Norwegian‐led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
of having sighted an airstrip in the Iranamadu area, in northern Sri Lanka. The new air strip was reportedly located near the ruins of another Tiger air strip that was abandoned due to air force bombing in the late 1990s. On March 16, 2007 the Daily Mirror
defence analyst Sunil Jayasiri reported military intelligence had revealed the LTTE had constructed yet another airstrip in the South East of Pudukiduiruppu area in the East. “The Pudukiduiruppu airstrip is 1,250 metres long and therefore even a Hercules C-130 aircraft could land with a full load of cargo”, the report said. The Sri Lankan Government alleged that the aircraft have been shipped with foreign aid. That year, Air Tigers smuggled ten unassembled Czech fighter jets onto their bases.
reported that “at least one unidentified aircraft” had flown over the Sri Lankan military base at Palali
, firing “rockets” at government forces. “Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire being directed from the base stopped after the attack…,” the report said. When contacted by the Tamilnet to comment on the reported aerial attack the LTTE military spokesman Irasaiah Ilanthirayan alias Marshall was reported to have said “we will use our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in an all out defensive measure to protect our people and homeland.” The report was openly dismissed by the Colombo administration as blatant Tiger propaganda.
Military analyst Iqbal Athas said “Air Force officials flatly denied the claim,” adding a Bell 212 helicopter was damaged due to artillery fire, but Athas claimed personal communications with military sources had suggests the possibility of an unidentified aircraft.
A few weeks before the alleged aerial attack on Palali, the web based news agency published a series of ‘edited’ images taken during the July 5 Black Tiger celebration, at an undisclosed location in the Tiger held Wanni region. Significantly one of the images showed the tiger leader flanked by a number of Black Tiger ‘suicide’ cadre in the foreground against the backdrop of a somewhat crudely painted fixed wing military aircraft, with symbolically ambiguous flames emanating from the cockpit.
s and newly acquired MiG
jets which had been bombing targets in LTTE-controlled territory. The base is located near Bandaranaike International Airport
, which had been attacked
by the Tigers in July 2001. The LTTE are also the only internationally-recognised terrorist group to field aircraft.
At present the Sri Lankan Air Force's 10 Fighter Ground Attack Squadron operates ten Kfir
Multirole Fighters (2 TC2/ 6 C2 / 2 C7). In addition 5 Jet squadron employs four Mig27M Fighter‐Bombers, with three more grounded pending maintenance; and four F‐7 Skybolts. Both the 5 Jet squadron and 10 Fighter Ground Attack Squadron is based at the Katunayake air base and are believed to have been the target of the LTTE’s symbolic attack.
However, a few days later on the early morning of April 29, while the nation was watching the Cricket World Cup Final
, a Tiger aircraft bombed two fuel storage facilities outside Colombo. Chaos followed and electricity in the capital was shut off for nearly an hour. There were no casualties and minimal damage. The security forces were unable to bring down the aircraft prompting much criticism from the public and opposition political parties.
Although the government played down the attack, Shell's Sri Lankan country director, Hassan Madan told the AFP "There was big damage to our fire-fighting facility and we estimate it will cost us in excess of 75m rupees ($700,000) to put things back" http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Philippines+%26+South+Asia&month=May2007&file=World_News2007051394716.xml http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?newsID=1230562775&no_view=1&SEARCH_TERM=33.
airbase at Anuradhapura, about 212 kilometres (131.7 mi) north of the capital, Colombo
.
The assault started at around 3:20 am, with LTTE ground forces attacking the airbase and overrunning key positions, including an anti-aircraft position, before the Air Tiger's ultra lights dropped bombs on government positions. A total of 14 Sri Lankan Air Force personnel and 20 Tigers were killed.
Government Defense Authorities claimed that they had sent Air Force interceptors to engage the Tiger aircraft, but they were unable to do so as it had already flown back before they reached the area.
on August 26, 2008. At least four SLN sailors were killed and more than 35 wounded in the air strike, which inflicted heavy damage on the SLN base, according to the LTTE. The aircraft safely returned to their base after carrying out their mission.
, in northern Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, an LTTE attack on the military base was launched, intended to destroy the India
-provided INDRA-II
Radar that the Sri Lankan government was using to detect the LTTE planes. Eleven soldiers and a policemen were killed along with eleven Tigers; two Indian technicians were wounded.
After the raid, the military claimed a Sri Lankan air force plane shot down the LTTE craft, but the LTTE denied it; no proof from either side was given.
LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
, on October 31, conferred Awards of Valour for the Tiger commandos who excelled in their performance in the operation against the Vanni Headquarters, as well as on the Tiger pilots and operators who took part in consecutive and successful attacks against targets in the south and the bases of the Sri Lankan military. The Air Tiger pilots who had participated in three consecutive successful air attacks received the Warriors Award of Tamil Eelam
(Thamizheezha Ma'ravar Viruthu), while Kiddu artillery formation received special awards for their performance in this specific attack.
style attack aimed at SLAF Colombo
- the Sri Lankan Air Force Headquarters on Sir Chittampalam Gardiner Street - and the SLAF hangar
s at SLAF Katunayake adjoining the International Airport in Katunayake. Both of the planes were shot down with one of the planes crashing into the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) opposite the Sri Lankan Air Force Headquarters, starting a fire which resulted in the building sustaining minor damage. The Trans Asia Hotel, which is adjacent, was also damaged though slightly. The Air Force claimed that a plane crashed into the IRD building when the pilot lost control due to anti-aircraft fire. The second aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire close to Bandaranaike International Airport
; much of the plane was found intact with the body of the pilot and explosives inside.
Two persons (two pilots) were killed and 58 were injured including two airmen of the SLAF.
have reported the capture of seven airfields used by the Tigers. Of these, three have been used as emergency landing strips, while two had been a frequently-used airfield with two hangars. On February 20, 2009 the government's predictions were proved wrong when two LTTE aircraft attacked the capital. The LTTE lost both of the Zlín Z 43
aircraft and two Air Tiger pilots during the attack. According to military analysts, there are no aircraft left in the Air Tiger fleet, although the LTTE have claimed that they have three aircraft remaining. On May 18, 2009, The Sri Lankan army defeated the LTTE and regained control over the entire island. Several missions were carried out by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers and none of the three aircraft which the tigers claimed to have kept were found.
The Sri Lanka Air Force has stated that its has plans to develop the two captured LTTE air fields in Iranamadu
and Mullaittivu into operational SLAF air bases.
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
-wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE), who used it against the Government of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Though the existence of the Air Tigers had been the subject of speculation for many years, the existence of the wing was only revealed after an attack in March 2007, during Eelam War IV
Eelam War IV
Eelam War IV is the name given to the fourth phase of armed conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries . Renewed hostilities began on the July 26, 2006 when Sri Lanka Air...
.
Early reports of the Air Tigers
Hartley College
Hartley College is a boys private school in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1838 by British Methodist missionaries. The school is named after Wesleyan priest and missionary Rev. Hartley.-History:...
in Point Pedro
Point Pedro
Point Pedro is the northernmost town of the island of Sri Lanka. The agriculturally active area around Point Pedro with fertile calcic red latosols is known for its cotton production. The eastern coast of Point Pedro is a 3-mile-broad beach with huge sand dunes up to 100 feet height, extending...
. He has an Engineering Diploma in Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
from Hindustan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
On November 27–28, 1998, Tamilnet
Tamilnet
TamilNet is a news website that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War...
reported the LTTE-operated Voice Of Tiger radio station had claimed “Aircraft of the Air Tiger wing of the Liberation Tigers [had] sprinkled flowers over the cemeteries of the slain LTTE cadres in Mulliyawalai,” during the annual Heroes Day celebrations. Earlier in the month, the web based news agency reported (November 19, 1998) an unidentified aircraft allegedly belonging to the LTTE had been spotted in the Thondamanaaru region in Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
by Sri Lankan Navy
Sri Lankan Navy
-The Beginning and World War II:In January 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer under ordinance No I of 1937. On 31 August 1939 at the out set of World War II, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties...
officials. The report said it was also believed the Tigers had built an airstrip in the Mullaitivu army base after it was overrun by the LTTE in 1996.
| Type of Aircraft | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Micro Light Aircraft | 2 |
| ZLIN 143 Zlín Z 43 |-See also:-External links:* *... |
5 |
| Helicopter Helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally... s |
2 |
| Unmanned aerial vehicle Unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity... s |
2 |
On November 27, 1998 Tamilnet reported Deputy Minister for Defence Anuruddha Ratwatte had scoffed at speculation that the LTTE has acquired aircraft, claiming the reports were part of an LTTE strategy of psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
. Three days later, the news service reported unconfirmed reports of a Tiger helicopter being sighted in the Batticalloa‐Amparai region. The report also said The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
The Sunday Times is a popular Sri Lankan Sunday broadsheet initially published by now defunct Times Group until the early 1980s, when it was taken over by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd...
Military analyst Iqbal Athas had reported military intelligence UAVs had taken images of the LTTE helicopters and Mulativu airstrip. The Sunday Times Situation Report said (November 1, 1998) “Senior SLAF officials suspect the helicopter on ground to be similar to R44
Robinson R44
|-See also:-External links:* * * * * *...
Astro — a small, light, four-seat, piston-engined civilian helicopter produced by the Robinson Helicopter
Robinson Helicopter
The Robinson Helicopter Company, based at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California, is the largest manufacturer of civil helicopters in North America.-History:...
Company since 1992. Sri Lankan newspapers corroborated discovery of an R44 Astro http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2005/3/1212.html and also suggested that Australian LTTE contacts had facilitated the purchase of two Australian-made AirBorne microlight aircraft. The Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
based Asian Tribune
Asian Tribune
The Asian Tribune is an online newspaper that provides news and editorial on the current affairs of Asia, with a special emphasis on South Asia but mostly concentrates its news on the current Civil conflict in Sri Lanka....
e-newspaper claimed (July 28, 2006) the LTTE had acquired two Czech-built Zlin Z‐143
Zlín Z 43
|-See also:-External links:* *...
's, according to eyewitnesses in Eliranpuram, Pudukudiyiruppu and Meerukandi, who also claim to have frequently seen the Cessna Skymaster
Cessna Skymaster
The Cessna Skymaster is a United States twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a push-pull configuration. Its engines are mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extend aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal...
s flying overhead for several months. The report also said it was believed the acquisition had been made between April and July 2006.
Similarly, news of LTTE airstrips in the north had made periodic appearances in the southern Sri Lanka media, including a May 28, 2005 admission by the Norwegian‐led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was established on 22 February 2002 under the terms of a ceasefire agreement signed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as a body that would monitor the ceasefire and enquire into reported violations of the ceasefire agreement...
of having sighted an airstrip in the Iranamadu area, in northern Sri Lanka. The new air strip was reportedly located near the ruins of another Tiger air strip that was abandoned due to air force bombing in the late 1990s. On March 16, 2007 the Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
The Daily Mirror is a daily English-language newspaper published in Colombo, Sri Lanka, by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Its Sunday counterpart is the Sunday Times.Its sister newspaper on financial issues is the Daily FT.-Traffic:...
defence analyst Sunil Jayasiri reported military intelligence had revealed the LTTE had constructed yet another airstrip in the South East of Pudukiduiruppu area in the East. “The Pudukiduiruppu airstrip is 1,250 metres long and therefore even a Hercules C-130 aircraft could land with a full load of cargo”, the report said. The Sri Lankan Government alleged that the aircraft have been shipped with foreign aid. That year, Air Tigers smuggled ten unassembled Czech fighter jets onto their bases.
Alleged air attack on Palali
On August 11, 2006, quoting unidentified sources in Jaffna, TamilnetTamilnet
TamilNet is a news website that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War...
reported that “at least one unidentified aircraft” had flown over the Sri Lankan military base at Palali
Palali
Palali is a small town in the North Sri Lankan city of Jaffna. It has an important airport. Both military and small civilian aircraft land there...
, firing “rockets” at government forces. “Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire being directed from the base stopped after the attack…,” the report said. When contacted by the Tamilnet to comment on the reported aerial attack the LTTE military spokesman Irasaiah Ilanthirayan alias Marshall was reported to have said “we will use our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in an all out defensive measure to protect our people and homeland.” The report was openly dismissed by the Colombo administration as blatant Tiger propaganda.
Military analyst Iqbal Athas said “Air Force officials flatly denied the claim,” adding a Bell 212 helicopter was damaged due to artillery fire, but Athas claimed personal communications with military sources had suggests the possibility of an unidentified aircraft.
A few weeks before the alleged aerial attack on Palali, the web based news agency published a series of ‘edited’ images taken during the July 5 Black Tiger celebration, at an undisclosed location in the Tiger held Wanni region. Significantly one of the images showed the tiger leader flanked by a number of Black Tiger ‘suicide’ cadre in the foreground against the backdrop of a somewhat crudely painted fixed wing military aircraft, with symbolically ambiguous flames emanating from the cockpit.
Katunayake Air Force Base attack
The first LTTE air attack happened in March 2007. Two LTTE Z Lin Z 143 aircraft penetrated the out defences of the Katunayake Air force base north of Colombo on Monday, March 26, 2007, killing three air force officials and wounding 16–17 others. It was believed the attack was targeted at the IAI KfirIAI Kfir
The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir is an Israeli-built all-weather, multirole combat aircraft based on a modified Dassault Mirage 5 airframe, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-made version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine.-Background:...
s and newly acquired MiG
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
jets which had been bombing targets in LTTE-controlled territory. The base is located near Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
, which had been attacked
Bandaranaike Airport attack
The Bandaranaike Airport attack was an assault by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Bandaranaike International Airport, on July 24, 2001...
by the Tigers in July 2001. The LTTE are also the only internationally-recognised terrorist group to field aircraft.
At present the Sri Lankan Air Force's 10 Fighter Ground Attack Squadron operates ten Kfir
KFIR
KFIR is a radio station licensed to Sweet Home, Oregon, USA, the station serves the Willamette Valley. Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Salem, Sweet Home. News/Talk with Dennis Miller, Glenn Beck, Lars Larson, & Coast to Coast weekdays. The station is currently owned by Radio Fiesta Network,...
Multirole Fighters (2 TC2/ 6 C2 / 2 C7). In addition 5 Jet squadron employs four Mig27M Fighter‐Bombers, with three more grounded pending maintenance; and four F‐7 Skybolts. Both the 5 Jet squadron and 10 Fighter Ground Attack Squadron is based at the Katunayake air base and are believed to have been the target of the LTTE’s symbolic attack.
Palali raid
On April 23, the Air Tigers conducted its bombs on a nearby military bunker, killing six soldiers.Colombo raids
On April 26, Sri Lanka’s air defenses in Colombo fired into the sky following reports that unidentified aircraft had been spotted on radar. No attack was reported.However, a few days later on the early morning of April 29, while the nation was watching the Cricket World Cup Final
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
, a Tiger aircraft bombed two fuel storage facilities outside Colombo. Chaos followed and electricity in the capital was shut off for nearly an hour. There were no casualties and minimal damage. The security forces were unable to bring down the aircraft prompting much criticism from the public and opposition political parties.
Although the government played down the attack, Shell's Sri Lankan country director, Hassan Madan told the AFP "There was big damage to our fire-fighting facility and we estimate it will cost us in excess of 75m rupees ($700,000) to put things back" http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Philippines+%26+South+Asia&month=May2007&file=World_News2007051394716.xml http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?newsID=1230562775&no_view=1&SEARCH_TERM=33.
Anuradhapura attack
On October 22, 2007, Air Tiger's launched a pre-dawn combined arms assault on a SLAFSLAF
SLAF may refer to*The Sri Lanka Armed Forces, the combined military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka**The Sri Lanka Air Force, a subset of the above....
airbase at Anuradhapura, about 212 kilometres (131.7 mi) north of the capital, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
The assault started at around 3:20 am, with LTTE ground forces attacking the airbase and overrunning key positions, including an anti-aircraft position, before the Air Tiger's ultra lights dropped bombs on government positions. A total of 14 Sri Lankan Air Force personnel and 20 Tigers were killed.
Weli Oya Attack
On April 27, 2008, at approximately 1.45am, a least two Air Tiger aircraft dropped three bombs on military installations near the army forward defense lines in Weli Oya. No damage was caused.Government Defense Authorities claimed that they had sent Air Force interceptors to engage the Tiger aircraft, but they were unable to do so as it had already flown back before they reached the area.
Strike on Trincomalee harbour
The Sri Lanka Navy confirmed that at least one LTTE plane dropped bombs on the naval base at TrincomaleeTrincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
on August 26, 2008. At least four SLN sailors were killed and more than 35 wounded in the air strike, which inflicted heavy damage on the SLN base, according to the LTTE. The aircraft safely returned to their base after carrying out their mission.
Vavuniya attack
On September 9, 2008, during heavy fighting in the north, an Air Tigers aircraft dropped bombs at a military base in VavuniyaVavuniya
Vavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
, in northern Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, an LTTE attack on the military base was launched, intended to destroy the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
-provided INDRA-II
Indian Doppler Radar
The Indian Doppler Radar series of 2D radars were developed by India's DRDO for the Army and Air Force. The INDRA-I is a mobile surveillance radar for low level target detection while the INDRA-II is for ground controlled interception of targets....
Radar that the Sri Lankan government was using to detect the LTTE planes. Eleven soldiers and a policemen were killed along with eleven Tigers; two Indian technicians were wounded.
After the raid, the military claimed a Sri Lankan air force plane shot down the LTTE craft, but the LTTE denied it; no proof from either side was given.
LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka...
, on October 31, conferred Awards of Valour for the Tiger commandos who excelled in their performance in the operation against the Vanni Headquarters, as well as on the Tiger pilots and operators who took part in consecutive and successful attacks against targets in the south and the bases of the Sri Lankan military. The Air Tiger pilots who had participated in three consecutive successful air attacks received the Warriors Award of Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
(Thamizheezha Ma'ravar Viruthu), while Kiddu artillery formation received special awards for their performance in this specific attack.
Mannar and Colombo strikes
Tiger aircraft struck again on October 28. One air raid happened at the Thaladi army camp in Mannar, and another occurred against the Kelanitissa near the capital, Colombo. The Sri Lankan government said there had been no major damage at either location, but that two of the turbines hit at the power plant would take six months to renovate.Suicide Air Raid on Colombo
On February 20, 2009 the LTTE launched a KamikazeKamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
style attack aimed at SLAF Colombo
SLAF Colombo
SLAF Colombo is the Sri Lanka Air Force headquarters in Colombo. In this capacity it has the offices of the Commander of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, the Board of Management and Board of Directors of the Sri Lanka Air Force...
- the Sri Lankan Air Force Headquarters on Sir Chittampalam Gardiner Street - and the SLAF hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s at SLAF Katunayake adjoining the International Airport in Katunayake. Both of the planes were shot down with one of the planes crashing into the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) opposite the Sri Lankan Air Force Headquarters, starting a fire which resulted in the building sustaining minor damage. The Trans Asia Hotel, which is adjacent, was also damaged though slightly. The Air Force claimed that a plane crashed into the IRD building when the pilot lost control due to anti-aircraft fire. The second aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire close to Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
; much of the plane was found intact with the body of the pilot and explosives inside.
Two persons (two pilots) were killed and 58 were injured including two airmen of the SLAF.
Demise
In their military offensive in the north of the country the Sri Lanka Armed ForcesSri Lanka Armed Forces
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, the Sri Lanka Air Force which comes under preview of the Ministry of Defence...
have reported the capture of seven airfields used by the Tigers. Of these, three have been used as emergency landing strips, while two had been a frequently-used airfield with two hangars. On February 20, 2009 the government's predictions were proved wrong when two LTTE aircraft attacked the capital. The LTTE lost both of the Zlín Z 43
Zlín Z 43
|-See also:-External links:* *...
aircraft and two Air Tiger pilots during the attack. According to military analysts, there are no aircraft left in the Air Tiger fleet, although the LTTE have claimed that they have three aircraft remaining. On May 18, 2009, The Sri Lankan army defeated the LTTE and regained control over the entire island. Several missions were carried out by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers and none of the three aircraft which the tigers claimed to have kept were found.
The Sri Lanka Air Force has stated that its has plans to develop the two captured LTTE air fields in Iranamadu
Iranamadu
Iranamadu is a village in Kilinochchi District, Sri Lanka. It consist a lake that provides water to the paddy fields in the region. Sri Lankan Army claimed in early 2009 that they captured an Air Tiger Airstrip in the area.- External links :...
and Mullaittivu into operational SLAF air bases.
External links
- Tamilnet: Tiger aircraft rockets Palaly base, curfew in Jaffna.
- LTTE leader pays homage to Black Tigers.
- Tiger Air Wing participates in celebrations — VoT.
- Tigers confirm Air Wing.
- Sunday Times Situation Report. November 1, 1998.
- Sunday Times Situation Report. August 13, 2006.
- Air capabilities of global terror groups and non-formal states.