Defences Against Midget Subs, Frogmen and Amphibious Assaults

The Sri Lanka Navy has installed underwater surveillance equipment, including sonar and also sea mines to face a possible threat from a midget submarine or an amphibious attack. Sea Mines have been laid in non-fishing areas, specially near Delft Island and underwater surveillance equipment installed at areas with vital Naval assets in the Northeast. These preparations come in the wake of reports of a possible attack by Sea Tigers using frogmen and Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) midget subs.

Indian newspapers were the first to announce the laying of sea mines following an official notice issued by the SLN Northern Area Commander to Tamil Nadu Naval Commander- Commodore Philip Van Haalten, was released to the media. The new mines laid are possibly of the new generation of Influence Mines, or even older generation Contact Mines, that will be useful against Midget Subs or Sea Tiger landing boats, in case they make a landing attempt.

Special Self Containing and fully closed Underwater Breathing Apparatus' (SCUBAs) and underwater weapons have also been acquired to assist Military Assault/Clearance Divers of SLN. The SCUBA equipment will be useful for the Navy's own frogmen from the Special Boat Squadron, that maybe required to search and destroy Sea Tiger frogmen manually.

The traditionally used depth charges of the SLN are effective only against midget submarines and frogmen in bay areas like Trincomalee and Colombo harbour mouths. The sound waves of exploding charges bounce off sea walls and can kill frogmen through shock-effect, depending on the proximity of the charge.

Security needs to be tightened against Frogmen since they can place limpet mines on Naval vessels for sabotage or conduct recce for a larger infiltration unit. In recent years, Naval Intelligence has pieced together an LTTE plan to attack Colombo harbour using fully closed-circuit underwater breathing apparatuses. A specially trained team, whose leader was trained overseas, was nabbed near Negombo after the attempt was foiled by bad weather.

Fully closed-circuit apparatuses do not release air bubbles that would normally alert small patrol craft defending Navy installations to the whereabouts of a frogman. Only a handful of effective techniques exist against frogmen. In many instances, frogmen intruders hold the advantage over the defenders.

Crowds Jubilate, But Prabha's Demise Unverified

6 jets from the SLAF's number 10 fighter jet squadron bombed an LTTE strong point dubbed 'X-Ray Base around 11am today. The attack was launched targeting LTTE leader V. Pripaharan. X-Ray base is situated east of Iranamadu Tank in Kalmadukulam and is an important nerve center specially constructed for Pripaharan himself.

The base was manned by Imran-Pandyan Regiment and was bustling with activity when the attack was made, following credible ground intelligence. All 6 pilots have confirmed direct hits. However, the presence of AA batteries was not verified.

Meanwhile crowds around the island took to the streets lighting firecrackers in the belief that Pripaharan himself has been killed in the attack. DefenceWire does not have confirmation of Pripaharan's death. Credible ground intelligence will take upto several days to verify such claims, unless LTTE declares otherwise.

Air Force attack targeting Pirabhakaran

Sri Lanka Air Force today claimed that they have successfully attacked the place where the LTTE leader Velupillai Pirbhakaran believed to be presant in a suburb of Kilinochchi,the main town area in the tiger held Northern Wanni region.
Air Force spokesperson confirmed to the media that the supersonic figther jets of the Air Force hit the hideout in Kalmadukulam in Iranamadu near in Killinochchi,where they have credible intelligence information that the LTTE leader was present.
There were no immediate comments from the LTTE on the latest attack, the organization never confirmed or denied,when military claimed that they attacked their leader in the earlier occasions too.
In late last year,on his 54th birthday, Air Force had launched a similar attack targeting him at Jayanthi Nagar in Killinochchi.
There were wide spread of rumours after the veteran journalist D.B.S.Jeyaraj reported in a weekend newspaper that Pirbhakaran was slightly injured in the attack,after two weeks of the incident.Government also confirmed the news after few days but gave different date citing as the Air Force carried out the attack.
Defence Secretary Ghotabhaya Rajapaksha said in an interview with the state run Sunday Observer,late last month that the military intelligence belive that Pirabhakaran was either killed or wounded during that attack,the claimed still not confirmed by any of the foreign intelligence agencies monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka.
Air Force has used six of its fighter jets of its number 10 fighter jet squadron to carried out the today's attack,which was launched based on the ground information and the real time aerial surveillance information.
A high ranking official who personally involved the attack confirmed,that the target was 100% successfully carried out,with high accuracy.

Clashes in Mannar, LTTE Propaganda Machine Go on the Overdrive

Sources indicated that 10 Tigers were killed at Pallaikuli and 5 more were killed at Parappakandal last morning in North Mannar. Internet sources loyal to the LTTE claimed 12 soldiers were killed by snipers, which was refuted by the Army. No casualties were reported to own troops.

Meanwhile the search operation inside Yala, comprising several thousand security personnel, including the Sri Lanka Army, Special Task Force and the Civil Defence Force (home guards) are continuing. Troops have detected several weapons dumps inside the jungles that were used by the Tigers. The large jungle area, estimated to be close to 1,000 square kilometers, will be systematically searched and the infrastructure supporting the Tigers will be dismantled in the coming days.