Air Tigers

The Air Tigers (Vaanpuligal) is the air-wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, who are fighting a civil war with the Government of Sri Lanka. The LTTE is the only rebel organization which has an air wing, without outside support. 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.

Early reports of the Air Tigers

The LTTE credits the formation of the Air Tigers air-wing to Colonel Shankar, alias Vythialingam Sornalingam, a graduate of Hartley College in Point Pedro. He has an Engineering Degree in Aeronautics from Hindustan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu, India.

On November 27–28, 1998, Tamilnet reported [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=2391 TamilNet] .] [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=2388 TamilNet] .] 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) [http://sundaytimes.lk/981101/sitrep.html Sunday Times] , 1998-11.] “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 Sky Masters flying overhead for several months. The report also said it was believed the acquisition had been made between April and July of 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. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BDCED416-507F-4C89-8DAA-0CDA370B1F3C.htm Aljazeera] ] .

Alleged air attack on Palali

On August 11, 2006, quoting unidentified sources in Jaffna, Tamilnet reported [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19186 TamilNet] .] 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 AthasATHAS, Iqbal. [http://sundaytimes.lk/060813/index.html Sunday Times] , 2006-08-13.] 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 form the cockpit [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18723 TamilNet] .] .

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 Kfirs 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.

While the attack was largely symbolic, it was the first instance of a rebel organisation using aircraft. 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.

Palali raid

On April 23, the Air Tigers conducted their second raid. One aircraft flew toward the Palali Air Base near Jaffna, which is the main military complex in the region. Anti‐aircraft fire prevented the aircraft from bombing the runways, but it instead dropped its bombs on a nearby military bunker, killing six soldiers.Fact|date=March 2008

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. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6597959.stm BBC News] South Aſia 2007-04-26.]

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. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6604645.stm?ls BBC News] South Aſia, 2007-04-29.]

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 222007, Air Tiger's launched a pre-dawn combined arms assault on a SLAF airbase at Anuradhapura, about 212 kilometers (132 miles) north of the capital, Colombo.

The assault started at around 3:20 am [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/22/asia/AS-GEN-Sri-Lanka-Civil-War.php 13 troops, 20 rebels killed during battle at Sri Lankan air base - International Herald Tribune ] ] , 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.

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. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080426/wl_afp/srilankaunrest_080426215811 Yahoo News] ]

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. [http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080427_01]

trike on Trincomalee harbour

The Sri Lanka Navy confirmed that at least one LTTE plane dropped bombs on the naval base at Trincomalee 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 in Vavuniya, in northern Sri Lanka. As it was returning from the bombing raid, a Sri Lankan air force plane shot down the LTTE craft, the first downing of one of the Tiger's planes. [http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/September904545KA.html]

References

ee also

*Sea Tigers
*Bandaranaike Airport attack

External links

* Tamilnet: [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19186 Tiger aircraft rockets Palaly base] , curfew in Jaffna.
* [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18723 LTTE leader pays homage to Black Tigers] .
* [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=2391 Tiger Air Wing participates in celebrations] — VoT.
* [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=2388 Tigers confirm Air Wing] .
* [http://sundaytimes.lk/981101/sitrep.html Sunday Times Situation Report] . November 1, 1998.
* [http://sundaytimes.lk/060813/index.html Sunday Times Situation Report] . August 13, 2006.
* [http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2005/3/1212.html Air capabilities] of global terror groups and non-formal states.