Sri Lanka
108-675: Operation Liberation also known as the Vadamarachchi Operation was the military offensive carried out by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May and June 1987 to recapture the territory of Vadamarachchi in the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) . At the time it was the largest combined services operation undertaken by the armed forces deploying multiple brigade-size formation, becoming
216-677: A Type 86 armoured recovery vehicle which were assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment replacing the British armoured cars. That year the SLAC introduced main battle tanks with the formation of its first tank regiment , the 4th Armoured Regiment at Clappenburg in Trincomalee equipped with T-55A medium tanks and T 55 ARVs brought down from the Czechoslovakia. In 1992, SLAC deployed twenty Type 86 infantry fighting vehicles . The two T-55A tanks of
324-605: A Czech T 54 AVLB bridge-layer . Many of the SLAC units deployed in the Operation Riviresa in 1995 and became the first units enter Jaffna. The 6th Regiment was raised in January 1997 and was initially deployed in an infantry role. In 1998, thirty three BTR-80 APCs and BTR-80 A IFVs were added to the 'A' vehicle fleet shared between the 1st, 3rd, 6th recce regiments and were used in Operation Jayasikurui . In May 1998,
432-709: A Stalwart. On 15 December 1988, the Armoured Brigade was formed under the command of Brigadier Y. Balaretnarajah who became the first Armoured Brigade Commander bring under it the 1st, 3rd Reconnaissance Regiments and the ACTC. Its expansion was limited since the Government of Sri Lanka face difficulties in precuring spares and new military equipment from its traditional suppliers in the United Kingdom and Singapore due to pressure from Western countries. The US government approved
540-466: A budget of 229.9 billion rupees ($ 2.1 billion) in 2012, the largest of any government ministry. In early 2011, as food prices soared, the Army bought vegetables from farmers and then sold them to the public at below market prices. Some of the vegetables came from military farms. The Army also runs a travel agency called Air Travel Services (Pvt) Ltd selling air-tickets and foreign package holidays. In
648-501: A conventional war taking place in the northern and eastern provinces of the island and LTTE attacks in other parts of the country, which included several largescale suicide bombings . The Sri Lankan Army began deploying full divisions in offensive operations and the Navy and Air Force increased their inventories to support the Army. In 2002, a new Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) was established with Norwegian mediation and peace talks began. The SLMM
756-713: A member of the Advisory Committee and offered a peacekeeping contingent. First peacekeeping deployment of the island's armed forces took place in 1960, when Ceylon held the Commonwealth Seat as a Non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . Six peacekeepers were dispatch to the United Nations Operation in the Congo which was the first major peacekeeping operation undertaken by
864-611: A paper drafted by the Committee was inadvertently made public, concerns were raised that the Committee's recommendations for restructuring Higher Defence Organisation might be constitutionally flawed in relation to the role of the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Although the work of the Committee thereafter proceeded apace, the DRC itself became a political football amidst
972-741: A regular military. The Army Act No. 17 of 1949 was passed by Parliament on 11 April 1949 and formalized in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 10028 of 10 October 1949. This marked the creation of the Ceylon Army , and the CDF and the CRNVR were disbanded to make way for a regular navy. On 9 December 1950 the Royal Ceylon Navy (RCyN) was established. Finally, in 1951 the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF)
1080-486: A series, with one killing eight sappers. The sappers cleared a path across the minefield although under fire from LTTE bunkers, allowing the 1 Gajaba Regiment to move forward by the afternoon. 2nd Brigade had by now become active with forays from the camps in Valikamam and Jaffna fort, with two groups of commandos landing from the sea. To the south, a force advanced from Elephant Pass to Iyakachchi and then to Sornampattu, with
1188-547: A stand. The advance was halted here; Capt. Navaratne was hit by a rifle grenade. However, mortar fire from Thondamanaru broke the resistance and the troops captured Achchuveli. The pressure from the Indian government mounted. The Indian government cracked down on LTTE operations in India in November 1986, but had requested the Sri Lankan government not to carry out any major offensives against
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#17328806225561296-657: A terrorist organisation by the Sri Lanka. This led to India intervening by entering Sri Lankan air space to carry out food drops. Shortly afterward the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord was signed and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was sent to Sri Lanka to establish peace. The military was redistricted to its bases but was soon involved in another insurrection by the JVP in the south of the island from 1987 to 1989. In
1404-600: A third squadron. When Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972, the CAC became the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps. Following the insurrection, the regiment deployed a saber squadron to provide security for the Criminal Justice Commission from 1973 to 1976. A forth squadron was raised in 1974. The first volunteer ( reserve ) unit of the SLAC, the 2nd (Volunteer) Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps was formed in 1979 under
1512-512: A whale and dolphin watching service for tourists. The Navy also provides a canal-boat service in Colombo from Wellawatta to Nawala , a boat service to Adam's Bridge for tourists and a vegetable shop. Helitours is the commercial arm of the Air Force established in the 1970s. It was inactive during the civil war but after its end the business has started functioning again, taking advantage of
1620-451: Is involved in everything from large-scale property developments to the running of roadside cafes. The military has built roads, bridges, houses and stadiums. The Urban Development Authority, which spends hundreds billions of rupees a year, was taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 2010. A year later the ministry was renamed Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. The ministry will have
1728-653: Is responsible for the management of the forces, while the planning and execution of combined operations is the responsibility of the Joint Operations Command (JOC). The JOC is headed by the Chief of the Defence Staff who is the most senior officer in the Armed Forces and is an appointment that can be held by a General , Admiral , or Air Chief Marshal . The three services have their own respective professional chiefs:
1836-626: Is responsible for the production of armoured vehicles and other equipment to the armed forces and have produced several MRAP-type vehicles such as the Unibuffel. Naval Boat Building Yard (NBBY) of the Navy is responsible for the production of small boats such as the Cedric and Wave Rider classes alongside other private companies such as Solas Marine Lanka while the Colombo Dockyard supplies larger vessels. Centre for Research & Development (CRD)
1944-848: Is the Ambassador to Indonesia; Major General Udaya Perera is the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia; Major General Jagath Dias is the Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and the Vatican; Major General Shavendra Silva is the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN; Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda is the Ambassador to Japan; Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe is the High Commissioner to Australia; Major General Amal Karunasekara
2052-644: Is the Research and Development organisation of the Ministry of Defence and has developed UAVs, electronic warfare equipment, weapon systems, various simulators and network-centric warfare systems for the military. The tri-forces have their own R&D organisations with the Army Research Analysis Projection & Development Branch (RAP&D) of the Sri Lanka Army, Research and Development Unit of
2160-606: Is the aerial defense division and the youngest of the Sri Lankan Tri Forces. Founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force, it relied on the British Royal Air Force for its earliest equipment, training, and leadership. The Air Force played a major role in the war against Tamil separatists. Although Sri Lanka is only a small island state, its Air Force has proven highly capable and efficient. In recent times
2268-716: Is the chargé d'affaires in Eritrea; Major General G. A. Chandrasiri is the Governor of Northern Province; Mohan Wijewickrema s the Governor of Eastern Province; Rohan Daluwatte is the Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority; and Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya and Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke are board members of the Water's Edge Complex. Sri Lanka Armoured Corps The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) provides
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#17328806225562376-649: Is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army , the Sri Lanka Navy , and the Sri Lanka Air Force ; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The three services have around 346,700 active personnel; conscription has never been imposed in Sri Lanka. As of 2021 it is the 14th largest military in the world, with 1.46% of
2484-529: The 1st Gajaba Battalion (commanded by Lt. Col. Sathis Jayasundara and Maj. Gotabaya Rajapaksa ); and the 3rd Brigade under the command of Brig. Denzil Kobbekaduwa , consisting of the 3rd Sri Lanka Light Infantry (commanded by Lt. Col. Naradha Wickramarathne and Maj. Sarath Fonseka ) and the 3rd Gajaba Battalion was tasked with the main push into the Vadamarachchi, with elements of engineering units attached. Each brigade had 1500-2000 troops. The 1st Brigade
2592-722: The Aluth Oya massacre , killing 127 civilians, including children and women. This was followed four days later by a massive car bomb blast near the central bus stand in Pettah , Colombo , which resulted in 113 deaths of civilians. The army began probing attacks days prior to the main operation, while air attacks targeted militants in Valikamam following the Pettah bomb blast. On 18 May the army made several forays from its camps in Palai, Thondamanaru, Kurumbasiddy, Kattuvan and Navatkiuli. In one of these forays
2700-708: The Commander of the Army , the Commander of the Navy and the Commander of the Air Force , who have much autonomy. Ceylon's first involvement in United Nations peacekeeping took place in 1957 in the wake of the Suez Crisis as the United Nations General Assembly moved to form an Advisory Committee to plan the deployment of what was going to be the United Nations Emergency Force . Ceylon was
2808-553: The Commander of the Sri Lankan Army . Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Vijaya Wimalaratne , who gained fame in the offensive as its field commanders, went on to lead several more successful offensives until both were killed on August 8, 1992, while making preparations for an operation to recapture the Jaffna Peninsula . Some of the senior officers who participated in the offensive remained in the army, while others left, disillusioned by
2916-612: The Hambantota Cricket Stadium , the Navy Pallekele Cricket Stadium and the Air Force Premadasa Stadium . Many senior military commanders have been appointed to senior positions in the diplomatic and civil services: Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody is the High Commissioner to Pakistan; Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera is the Ambassador to Israel; Major General Nanda Mallawaarachchi
3024-517: The President of Sri Lanka , is nominally the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces . The National Security Council , chaired by the President is the authority charged with formulating and executing defence policy for the nation. The highest level of military headquarters is the Ministry of Defence , since 1978 except for a few rare occasions the President retained the portfolio defence, thus being
3132-519: The Queen's Dragoons Guards received four British Ferret unturreted scout cars along with twenty BSA M20 with side cars that were armed with Bren light machine gun . The squadron expanded its number of personal and increased its training. In 1957, the squadron moved to Ampara on flood relief duties and in December moved to Rock House Army Camp in Colombo, which became its regimental headquarters. In 1958,
3240-515: The United Kingdom , Israel , the United States , India , and South Africa . Referring to the overseas military training given to Sri Lanka, the U.S. government's contribution at a higher level. The Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) programs helping to standardizing and strengthening the country's military greatly. Although much of
3348-768: The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Sri Lanka has sent staff officers to serve in the UN Headquarters in New York. The Institute of Peacekeeping Support Operations Training Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL) was established to train UN peacekeepers in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of Sri Lanka's three armed services. Established as the Royal Ceylon Army in 1949, it
Vadamarachchi Operation - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-410: The 4th Armoured Regiment captured by the LTTE in the Battle of Pooneryn in November 1993. One of these destroyed by the air force and the other was re-captured at the end of the war. The 5th Regiment raised in 1994 as an infantry role and converted to an armored role as the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment with the arrival of Russian sixteen BMP-1 IFVs, followed by Chinese thirty Type 63 II APCs and
3564-408: The 7th Battalion, Sri Lanka National Guard was transferred as the SLAC as the 7th (Volunteer) Regiment in an infantry role. In 1999, the 8th Regiment was raised as a reinforcement regiment in an infantry role. In 1998 the SLAC was presented with the President's Standard in recognition of the service it has rendered. In 2000, Czech T-55 AM II MBTs , BMP-2 , BMP-3 IFVs were added followed by
3672-535: The Army) awards campaign medals for personnel that have taken part in successful, notable and high-risk operations: the first of these was the Vadamarachchi Operation Medal in 1983, while the latest (the Northern and Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medals ) were awarded in 2010, following the conclusion of the Eelam War. Since the end of the civil war in May 2009 Sri Lanka's 300,000 strong military has increased its non-military activities, leading to accusations of militarisation and even military rule. The military
3780-499: The BMP-2 command vehicles in 2002. The regiments underwent reorganizing with new equipment, the 4th Armoured Regiment was reorganized in 2001 with three squadrons of T-55 AM II; 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment received one squadron of T-55A and the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment phased out its old British AFVs and was fully equipped with BTR 80s and BTR 80A. With the hostilities resuming in 2006, SLAC units deployed in offensive operations on all fronts. Its 4th Armoured Regiment lost six tanks in
3888-569: The Ceylon Armoured Corps. The 1st Recce Regiment was deployed on several occasions in the 1950s and 1960s on flood relief and internal security operations. It was deployed for counter-insurgency operations in Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Ranatunga during the 1971 Insurrection against the JVP . In 1971, the regiment received twelve British Alvis Saladin armoured cars in May and ten Soviet BTR-152 armored personnel carriers (APCs) in November to supplement its counter-insurgency operations with
3996-479: The Indo-Sri Lankan accord. Two officers who served as field officers in the operation, Sarath Fonseka and Gotabaya Rajapaksa , would play a major role as the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and Defence Secretary in the later stages of the civil war in which the LTTE was completely defeated militarily. The Jaffna peninsula itself was completely captured in the successful Operation Riviresa in 1996. Sri Lankan Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces
4104-478: The Kokilai army camp in the first militant attack on an army encampment and received the first field promotion in the army. The navy attempted a landing on the coast of Valvettithurai with limited success. A bridgehead was established but could not be expanded due to heavy resistance, with the use of technicals mounting .50-cal. machine guns and 40 mm grenade launchers. On 28 May the army managed to capture Udupiddy and Valvettithurai. The troops found bunkers in
4212-412: The LTTE being blamed for using civilians as a human buffer. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights accused the Sri Lankan Armed Forces of committing widespread and often extremely brutal sexual violence against both Tamil females and males alike in a report in 2015. The posture of the military has been defensive due to the nature of the strategic threats to Sri Lanka. In
4320-400: The LTTE. At the start of the second phase, Sri Lankan listening posts intercepted LTTE communications urgently requesting their cadres in Tamil Nadu to request help to save them from complete destruction from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu . On pressure from the state government of Tamil Nadu, the Indian government demanded the cessation of the offensive, claiming it would end the suffering of
4428-442: The Minister of Defence. The ministry and the armed forces have been controlled during these periods by either a Minister of State , Deputy Minister for defence, and recently by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Prior to 1978 the Prime Minister held the portfolio of Minister of Defence and External Affairs, and was supported by a Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and External Affairs. The Ministry of Defence
Vadamarachchi Operation - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-458: The Naval Headquarters in Colombo . Established in 1950 as the Royal Ceylon Navy it was renamed as the Sri Lanka Navy in 1972. In recent years it had played a key role it the Sri Lankan civil war , conducting deep sea , coastal & inshore patrols, amphibious and supply operations. The navy has its own elite naval special forces unit, the Special Boat Squadron and Navy Marines . The Sri Lanka Air Force with approximately 28,700 personal
4644-422: The Prime Minister established the Defence Review Committee (DRC) which formulated extensive recommendations that encapsulate force modernization as well as the restructuring of command and control in ways that would make the army more responsive to civil control. The first task of the Committee was to assess the Higher Defence Organisation, given the decision by the President to relinquish the defense portfolio. When
4752-461: The Sri Lanka Air Force; 22 tons of what were claimed to be humanitarian relief supplies were dropped in the Jaffna area on June 4 in Operation Poomalai , in what was termed a violation of territorial sovereignty by Sri Lanka. With the prospect of Indian intervention made clear by Operation Poomalai, President Jayewardene ordered a halt to the offensive and the second phase of the operation was abandoned. Indian forces landed in Sri Lanka on July 29 with
4860-455: The Sri Lanka Navy and the Research and Development Wing of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The highest military decoration awarded by the tri-forces is the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya , awarded to all regular and volunteer officers and service personnel who display extraordinary individual bravery in combat; thus far, all PWVs have been posthumous. A related award is the Uththama Pooja Pranama Padakkama , an exclusively posthumous decoration awarded to
4968-495: The Sri Lankan Armed Forces were engaged in offensives on all fronts, with heavy fighting around Kilinochchi (where the LTTE had its headquarters) and close to Mullaitivu . In early 2009 the Armed Forces recaptured in quick succession Kilinochchi and the strategically important Elephant Pass . Thus establishing a land route to the government controlled Jaffna Peninsula which had been supplied by sea and air for over 10 years after its recapture in 1995. Shortly thereafter Mullaitivu
5076-438: The Sri Lankan government to accept the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord . Following the onset of the Sri Lankan Civil War , formally marked by the ambush of Sri Lanka Army patrol Four Four Bravo on 23 July 1983, the conflict escalated in the northern and eastern parts of the island. By 1987 the army found itself restricted to its fortified bases in the Palaly , Point Pedro and the old Dutch fort of Jaffna . The LTTE, which had become
5184-426: The Sri Lankan population actively serving. Sri Lanka has a military history going back to more than 2000 years. The roots of the modern Sri Lankan military lead back to the colonial era when the Portuguese , Dutch and British established local militias to support their wars against the local Kingdoms. The British created the Ceylon Rifle Regiment during the Kandyan wars . Although it had natives in its ranks, it
5292-417: The United Nations peacekeeping operations. The Sri Lankan Navy with approximately 48,000 personal is the key maritime division of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defence force of Sri Lanka. It conducts maritime operations at sea for the defence of the Sri Lankan nation and its interests. The professional head of the navy is the Commander of the navy , who exercises his command from
5400-508: The United Nations. This was followed by a second contingent in 1961. The Sri Lanka restarted contributing to UN peacekeeping missions with the deployment of an infantry battalion for the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in 2004, deploying over 16,292 personal between 2004 and 2017. Sri Lankan peacekeepers have been embroiled in a child sex ring scandal in Haiti, with at least 134 soldiers being accused of sexually abusing nine children from 2004 to 2007. MINUSTAH
5508-405: The Valikamam North High Security Zone where the residents were forcibly expelled in the early 1990s and have not been allowed to resettle despite the end of the civil war. The Army also runs two other holiday resorts, one in Kukuleganga and the other in Wadduwa . In November 2011 it was announced that the Army would build a five star hotel in Colombo . During 2010-11, whilst local government
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#17328806225565616-411: The advancing formations. Following the capture of Valvettithurai, militant resistance melted. By the first week of June government forces managed to gain control over the entire zone and captured large amounts of arms left behind by retreating LTTE forces. Military intelligence discovered that LTTE leader Prabakaran, along with then Vadamarachchi leader Soosai , narrowly escaped advancing troops. By 31 May
5724-453: The aim of bringing the war to a military conclusion. The plan was approved by Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene and detailed operational planning was begun by the Joint Operations Command headed by Gen. Cyril Ranatunga , which handled coordination with the armed services, police and military intelligence headed by Col. Lionel Balagalle . The build-up of men and material in the operational bases got underway; diversionary operations in
5832-408: The air force has expanded to specialize mainly in providing air-support to ground forces and landing troops and carrying airstrikes on rebel held areas in the Northern and Eastern provinces. There are two official paramilitary forces under the command of the Ministry of Defence , as well as another under the Minister of Justice : The following Units are known to conduct special operations: Today
5940-419: The armour capability of the Sri Lanka Army , with vehicles such as the T-55AM2 main battle tank ; the BMP infantry fighting vehicle ; and the BTR-80 and WZ551 armoured personnel carriers . It comprises five regular armoured regiments , a volunteer regiment, and a regimental band . It has an independent Armoured Brigade and is headquartered at Rock House Army Camp , Colombo . The Ceylon Army
6048-423: The army killed LTTE Jaffna District leader Anthony Kaththiar (alias Radha), who had carried out the Anuradhapura massacre . The offensive started on the morning of 26 May 1987, with air force helicopters dropping sticks of special forces across the lagoon to block exit points from Vadamarachchi, which the militants could try to take. They dug in, awaiting the progress of the main operation. Another unit of commandos
6156-476: The army. Many houses were rigged to blow when attempting to enter; one such rigged explosion nearly killed Brig. Kobbekaduwa. Reaching the coast, troops from the 1st Brigade, defeating the defensive line commanded by LTTE leader Soosai , made a 90-degree turn undertaking a pincer movement to capture Valvettithurai. This resulted in a friendly fire incident that claimed the life of Capt. Shantha Wijesinghe, who had gained fame two years prior in successfully defending
6264-844: The besieged bases in Valikamam and the Jaffna fort, along with another column advancing from the south from Elephant Pass. Supporting the infantry, the army deployed the full strengths of its armored corps , which included Ferret , Alvis Saladin armoured cars and Alvis Saracen APCs, along with 76mm mountain guns , 85mm Type 60 and 25 pounder field guns of the Sri Lanka Artillery along with 120mm heavy mortars. The Sri Lanka Air Force mustered six SIAI-Marchetti in ground attack role, two Bell 212 helicopters in gunship role and one Hawker Siddeley HS 748 , two Harbin Y-12s , one de Havilland Heron as improvised bombers. Two Hawker Siddeley HS 748 , two Harbin Y-12s and one de Havilland DH.104 Dove were deployed as transports along with eight helicopters of Bell 212 and Bell 412 type. One Harbin Y-12
6372-415: The case with the previous operations Short Shift 1 and 2. In early 1987 the Sri Lankan military formulated a plan to restore government control over the area dominated by the LTTE. This plan called for the use of a large number of troops using conventional warfare tactics to break out from the encircled military bases, destroying the LTTE and capturing the land controlled by them in the Jaffna peninsula, with
6480-470: The ceasefire officially ended on 16 January 2008, following several bombings in the capital. Along with the ceasefire operations of the SLMM also ended. During 2008 there was heavy fighting in the northern province where the Sri Lanka Armed Forces launched major offensives and succeeded in recapturing LTTE controlled areas of the Mannar District , the Vavuniya District and moving into the Mullaitivu District and Kilinochchi District . During December 2008,
6588-410: The civilian population. President Jayewardene and Minister Athulathmudali were furious, as they saw this as a direct intervention by India in the internal matters of Sri Lanka, and a strong protest was lodged with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo. The Indian government supported a flotilla of boats that sailed from Tamil Nadu, claiming it was bringing relief supplies. The Sri Lankan Navy intercepted
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#17328806225566696-425: The command of Lt. Col Eustace Jayasekara with troops from the Ceylon National Guard . With the escalation of the Sri Lankan civil war , three saber squadrons were deployed in the northern and eastern provinces of the country, to provide fire support for infantry and for the protection of road convoys. The forth squadron was deployed in Colombo for the defense of the capital. The Armoured Corps Training Centre (ACTC)
6804-420: The country's booming tourism. From 2011 all undergraduates are required to take part in compulsory leadership training and the government has chosen the military to provide this training. In November 2011 it was announced that the military would take over the maintenance of the country's three international cricket stadiums from the financially troubled national cricket board . The Army has taken over
6912-412: The cover of artillery, mortar and naval fire support. At the same time diversionary action was undertaken by the 2nd Brigade Group. It was difficult for the troops to break out from the Thondamanaru area because LTTE forces had blown up the Thondamanaru bridge months previously to delay government forces from reaching Valvettithurai , the birthplace of LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran . The infantry waded across
7020-503: The current military hardware used by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces is acquired from China , Pakistan , Israel , India , Russia , and the United States . Indigenous weapon systems have been developed and produces within Sri Lanka to suit its requirements. Most of these have been produced by the armed forces. In 1992 the Ordnance Factory was established beginning the manufacture of artillery and ammunition including trip flares in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME)
7128-401: The deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in the North and East provinces, the regiment deployed a saber squadron each in Jaffna and Kilinochchi , while it deployed the remaining two squadrons in Colombo and Gampaha as the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection started in the south of the island. In November 1988, the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment was raised with Saladins, Saracens, Ferrets and
7236-479: The dominant Tamil militant group, had established roadblocks and pillboxes around these bases, preventing any movement out of them. This gave the LTTE a free hand in much of the Jaffna peninsula , reducing the Sri Lankan government's control over this area. In February 1987 the military launched Operation Giant Step with the objective of expanding and clearing areas around major encampments in Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts, as had been
7344-420: The eastern province during 2007. By then the LTTE had been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries. In 2017 Sri Lanka Armed Forces deployed nearly 10,000 personnel and equipment for relief, help and rescue operations of 2017 Sri Lanka floods . This is the biggest military deployment of the peacetime. On 3 January 2008 the government informed Norway of its decision to quit the ceasefire, with it
7452-456: The end of the war it has grown in size to that of an independent brigade, but was de-mobilized in 1946 and disbanded in 1949. In 1937 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was established (later renamed as the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR)), it was mobilized for war in 1939 and was incorporated into the Royal Navy . Following the establishment of the Dominion of Ceylon with Britain granting independence in 1948, work began to establish
7560-418: The family or next-of-kin of service personnel confirmed to be killed - or missing in action . The highest civilian decoration awarded by the armed forces of Sri Lanka is the Weerodara Vibhushanaya , the military equivalent being the Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya . The most recent commemorative decoration awarded was the Sri Lanka Air Force 50th Anniversary Medal , awarded in 2001. The armed forces (especially
7668-430: The first conventional warfare engagement on Sri Lankan soil after the end of British colonial rule. The operation involved nearly 4,000 troops, supported by ground-attack aircraft , helicopter gunships and naval gun boats. The offensive achieved its primary objective, however operations were suspended when the Indian government dropped food supplies over Jaffna in Operation Poomalai on June 4, 1987, which prompted
7776-649: The first amphibious landings made by the army in Operation Balavegaya to break the siege on Elephant Pass . The siege on Elephant Pass made it clear that the civil war had shifted from an insurrection into a conventional war. The army looked for new sources of heavier weaponry and found it in China and Czechoslovakia. It looked for tracked vehicles for better cross country movements and larger caliber guns. In 1991, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps received from China twenty Type 85 light tanks , ten Type 90 APCs , command vehicles and
7884-518: The flotilla within Sri Lankan territorial waters. After the navy threatened to open fire if the boats crossed into Sri Lankan territorial waters, the flotilla turned back. The Indian government responded by sending five An-32s of the Paratroop Training School escorted by Mirage 2000s of the No. 7 Squadron armed with Matra Magic II AAMs with the threat that "force" would be used if opposed by
7992-457: The form of air traffic and troop movements were carried out in order to confuse LTTE cadres observing the army bases. The Minister of National Security, Lalith Athulathmudali was notified of the planned operation shortly before it started. The army planned to deploy three brigades—the 1st Brigade, under the command of Col. Vijaya Wimalaratne , consisting of the 1st Gemunu Watch (commanded by Lt. Col. V.S. Boteju and Lt. Col. Wasantha Perera) and
8100-543: The government and the LTTE claimed that the ceasefire was still in place. The offensive by the Armed Forces was launched when the LTTE closed the sluice gates of the Mavil Aru reservoir on 21 July and cut the water supply to 15,000 villages in government controlled areas. This led to several major attacks by the LTTE in the eastern province and the north. The Armed Forces went on the offensive successfully recapturing LTTE control areas in
8208-428: The government declared that the Vadamarachchi region had been recaptured and several army camps were established. With the objective of Phase One achieved, the second stage of this operation was launched on June 3, 1987, with a thrust towards Achchuveli, the goal of which was to capture the city of Jaffna , less than 20 km away. Iddaikadu was captured and the militants fell back to Achchuveli Maha Vidyalayam, making
8316-580: The growing tension between the President and the Prime Minister. In 2003 the President took the decision to bring an end to the work of the DRC and, instead, assigned the task of SSR to the Joint Operations Headquarters, since when little progress has been evident. In April 2006 following a suicide bomb attack on the Commander of the Army, airstrikes began followed by skirmishes, however, both
8424-601: The insurgency of Tamil militant groups in the north of the island. This was the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War . The size of the Armed Forces grew rapidly in the 1980s. By the mid-1980s, the Armed Forces began launching operations in the like of conventional warfare against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which had by then became the most powerful of the Tamil militant groups and had been proscribed as
8532-515: The issue of accountability with regard to any alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the civil war found "credible allegations" which, if proven, indicated that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the LTTE, with most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war being blamed on indiscriminate Sri Lankan Army shelling and
8640-509: The key Battle of Jaffna . The 6th recce regiment was disbanded in February 2007 with its personal and equipment transferred to the newly formed Mechanized Infantry Regiment . In August 2007 a new 6th Reinforcement Regiment was raised followed by the 10th Reinforcement Regiment was raised in August 2008. In 2009 more Chinese WZ551 APCs were added and the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment was re-designated as
8748-402: The lagoon while the engineers prepared an alternative crossing for the armor. The eastern side of Thondamanaru was heavily mined by the LTTE; the advance company under Capt. Bahar Morseth took the brunt, with the lead platoon losing 90% of its men in the first half-hour. The command vehicle of the 1st Gajaba Battalion was blown up by a land mine, but the battalion commander was on foot. Clearing of
8856-559: The mines and booby traps were left to a 2nd Field Engineer Squadron of the Sri Lanka Engineers commanded by Maj. Lucky Rajasinghe. The first day of the battle depended mainly on the field engineer squadron, as sappers —constantly under fire—neutralized and removed mines and booby traps left by LTTE cadres. They lost 42 men in four hours and the squadron commanding officer, Maj. Rajasinghe, was wounded. The militants had set up clusters of mines connected to each other, tripping one set off
8964-521: The north, tension increased with the LTTE and the IPKF leading to open war with the two suffering heavy casualties. In 1990 the IPKF pulled out and the war commenced with the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and the LTTE. In 1994, a brief ceasefire came into place and peace talks began. The ceasefire ended when the LTTE sack two SLN gunboats . The phase of the war that followed, known as Eelam War III , saw
9072-490: The objective of reaching Chempionpattu to seal off the southern part of Vadamarachchi, which it achieved. The foray from the Jaffna fort, however, was turned back after heavy resistance from the militants led by LTTE Jaffna commander Kittu. Following Thondamanaru, the army progress gathered steam and the LTTE withdrew, but the army units faced threats from land mines and booby traps set by the militants in anticipation of an attack by
9180-552: The police. There was an attempted coup in 1962 by a group of reservists, which led to cuts in military spending and the disbandment of several regiments. This, together with the lack of an intelligence agency , left it ill-prepared for the insurgency launched by the Marxist JVP in April 1971. The 1971 JVP Insurrection saw Ceylon Armed Forces mobilizing for combat operations. for the first time and its size grew rapidly. The insurrection
9288-546: The sale of Cadillac Gage armored cars without turrets and guns and the British government's refusal to supply spare parts for the Alvis Saladins and Ferret armoured cars. The SLAC received 10 Type 63 (YW531) APC from China in 1988. The 2nd (Volunteer) Regiment was transferred to the Sri Lanka Light Infantry as its 5th (Volunteer) battalion in 1989. Three saber squadrons from the two regiments were deployed for
9396-569: The short-term, internal security is considered the main threat to the nation's future. In the long-term, the threat is seen as primarily external from current and future superpowers in their rival quests for dominance of the Indian Ocean ; at one point these were the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or more commonly known as the Soviet Union As head of state ,
9504-479: The signing of the Indo-Sri-Lankan accord . Troop morale was at its highest peak with the success of the first phase and capture of the Vadamarachchi region. The abrupt halt of the second phase of the operation drastically affected morale of the troops involved, as the military and many in Sri Lanka believed victory was certain with the capture of Jaffna and the LTTE leadership that was trapped. This, many believed,
9612-493: The south of the country. The military had sustained the heaviest number of casualties suffered so far in a single operation undertaken by it, with 33 killed and 182 wounded. The defending LTTE fighting back from secure fortified positions lost 631 KIA. The government issued the Vadamarachchi Operation Medal for all those who participated in the offensive. Gerry De Silva and Lionel Balagalle went on to serve as
9720-399: The squadron was deployed to counter the communal riots and on 15 December 1958 it was expanded to a formation reconnaissance regiment with two recce squadrons and had increased its fleet with BSA M21 motorcycles, eight Ferret Mk II Scout Cars and two Daimler Armoured Cars . The 1st Reconnaissance Regiment became allied to and inherited the traditions of Queen's Dragoons Guards and it became
9828-401: The town with strong concrete walls that withstood 37mm shells of the gunboats as well as a militant training camp and a workshop that manufactured mortars called " baba ". Another column (commandos, under the command of Maj. Sarath Handapangoda) captured Nelliady and advanced towards Point Pedro without giving LTTE units time to regroup, with troops from Point Pedro breaking out to link up with
9936-434: The training of all armed services are carried out in Sri Lanka. With a Defence University, a Staff College , three Military Academies for the three armed services and many specialized training schools and centers members of the Sri Lanka armed forces have a high-level training and professionalism. The Sri Lankan military has received specialized training assistance from other nations such as China , Pakistan , Australia ,
10044-486: The war affected north of the country , where the military presence is significantly higher than the rest of the country even after the end of the conflict, the military operates numerous small restaurants and shops catering mainly for tourists from the south. Most of the roadside cafes along the A9 highway are owned and operated by the Army. The Army runs a luxurious holiday resort called Thalsevana near Kankesanthurai inside
10152-466: Was attempting to flee. On 22 May 2009, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa confirmed that 6,261 personnel of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces had lost their lives and 29,551 were wounded during Eelam War IV since July 2006. The Armed Forces along with the LTTE have been accused of committing war crimes during the war, particularly during the final stages. A panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to advise him on
10260-712: Was brought under control in a few months. In 1972, Ceylon became the independent socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, with it the Ceylon Armed Forces became known as the Sri Lanka Armed Forces as the Ceylon Army became the Sri Lanka Army, the Royal Ceylon Navy became the Sri Lanka Navy and the Royal Ceylon Air Force became the Sri Lanka Air Force. By the early 1980s, the Sri Lanka Armed Forces mobilized against
10368-417: Was dedicated for casualty evacuation, as medical evacuation received high priority. This was the largest assembling of aircraft for any operation so far. The Sri Lanka Navy deployed its Shanghai class fast gunboats for naval bombardment and an array of smaller vessels for coastal operations enforcing an exclusion zone around the coast of Vadamarachchi. On Good Friday , 17 April 1987, the LTTE carried out
10476-499: Was dropped on the beach around Manalkadu to prevent any escape to the sea, where the navy had deployed its gunboats. At first light, air force planes dropped leaflets advising the civilian population to take shelter in designated safe zones, and a dusk-to-dawn curfew was enforced across the peninsula. An hour later the air force sent in its ground attack aircraft and bombers. At 8:30 am 1st Brigade and 3rd Brigade began their move to their designated objectives against heavy opposition, with
10584-471: Was established as the youngest of the three forces. From the outset Britain played a significant role in helping the Ceylon government in developing its armed forces. The growth of the Ceylon Armed Forces was slow due to lack of foreign threat, since Ceylon maintained cordial relations with its neighbor India and had a defence treaty with Britain. In the 1950s it was mainly employed in internal security assisting
10692-526: Was established in 1949. Under Prime Minister Colonel Sir John Kotelawala , the Government of Ceylon decided on the need to add armor to support infantry elements of the newly established regular army. To this effect a cavalry arm was considered and the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron was established on 1 October 1955 under the command of Major D. S. Attygalle at the Echelon Barracks . Squadron moved to Ridiyagama for training with British Army advisers from
10800-514: Was established on 1 January 1984 at Kalattewa, Anuradhapura . The regiment received several Alvis Stalwart amphibious vehicles in 1985 and thirty two Alvis Saracen APCs in 1986. With the Saracens the SLAC was able to allocate two Saracens per troop providing assault troops to provide close combat support in the form of mechanized infantry . In the 1980s the regiment supported all major military operations, notably Vadamarachchi Operation . Following
10908-550: Was established to monitor the ceasefire and certain progress archived until the LTTE withdrew from the peace talks in 2003. Although the ceasefire continued no peace talks took place till 2005. In 2006, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) reported that the LTTE had violated the CFA 3,471 times and the Sri Lankan security forces 162 times since the signing of the ceasefire. Some defense reforms also commenced in 2002 when
11016-858: Was followed by deployments of a mechanized infantry company in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); field hospital and helicopter flight in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS); a combat convoy company in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA); a helicopter flight in the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA); and military observers for
11124-889: Was largely composed of Malays . It was disbanded in 1873. The lineage of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces dates back to 1881, when the British created a volunteer reserve on the island named the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers . Created to supplement the British garrison in Ceylon in the event of an external threat, it gradually increased in size. In 1910 it was renamed the Ceylon Defence Force (CDF) and consisted of several regiments. The CDF mobilized for home defence in World War I and again in World War II when its units were deployed along with allied forces in Asia and Africa. At
11232-470: Was prevented by India with its intervention and show of force . Following the Indo-Sri Lankan accord, the Indian Peace Keeping Force arrived on the island to keep peace and the Sri Lankan Army withdrew to its camps in Jaffna. This initiated the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection in the south in the form of a low-intensity conflict with many targeted assassinations, resulting in the redeployment of army units to
11340-453: Was recaptured by the 59th Division of the SLA. Boxed into a small land area north of Mullaitivu, the LTTE with its remaining cadres and leadership was effectively trapped, with this land mass being slowly reduced until May 2009. On 19 May 2009, the Sri Lanka Armed Forces won its final battle against the LTTE with the death of several LTTE leaders, including its head Velupillai Prabhakaran while he
11448-445: Was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. The Army of approximately 255,000 regular and reserve personnel including 90,000 National Guardsmen and is responsible for overseeing land-based military and humanitarian operations. At present the army has deployed 12 divisions and forming 4 more in while carrying out combat operations. Since 2004 the Sri Lankan Army maintains a battalion and support units of around 1000 personnel in
11556-546: Was suspended in Colombo using emergency regulations, the Army took over many of the functions of the Colombo Municipal Council such as supervision of the collection of rubbish, demolition of low income housing and even decoration of the streets during festivals. The Navy's Jetliner (A542) passenger ship is used as a recreational cruise ship providing onboard weddings, receptions, corporate events, parties and other social functions. The Navy's A543 vessel provides
11664-447: Was to move east along the coast from Thondamanaru, while 3rd Brigade moved eight miles south parallel to the 1st Brigade protecting its flank. A group of commandos were to be landed by helicopter in the south, south-west and the east coast of Vadamarachchi to prevent militants from escaping. The 2nd Brigade under the command of Brig G. H. De Silva , who was also the overall commander, was tasked with diversionary action including forays from
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