SLAF flies high today - Air Force Commander

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is flying high today within the defence establishments following its recent victory of getting rid of the second in command of the LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist organisation of the world, Suppaiya Paramu Thamilselvam, who master minded the assassinations of several top politicians and the killing of a large number of innocent civilians while posing as a dove of peace. The Air Force Commander Air Marshal Roshan Goonatilake said that the recent air attack on the LTTE was a big blow to the terrorists and the days were numbered for Prabakaran under the correct leadership and the guidance of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. 'We would go for him and get rid of him somehow', he said.

Q: Can you explain the mission that killed the LTTE's prominent leaders including its political Wing Leader S. P. Thamilselvam?

A: That was an outcome of the information we received two months ago through military intelligence and we studied the targets for some time. We used our own surveillance to verify various aspects of those targets. When the right time came we took our target.

Q: Apart from these intelligence, did the SLAF receive any information from the LTTE to make this mission a success?

A: No. As I said this was purely based on information received by the SLAF and also the Army. The Army intelligence also played a vital role. On the other hand there was not only Thamilselvam but several other so-called LTTE leaders too were there and all of them died. It happened at the place called the International Centre for Communication.

So, I do not believe that they would leak out these vital information to destroy their whole group. Yes, they have their internal problems but we have our own reliable intelligence to destroy the terrorists.

Q: Do you think that this mission is the ever biggest victory that the SLAF achieved in its history?

A: Well, as far as targeting the LTTE leadership, this is a big victory not for the SLAF but also for the whole country. It has its effects going into every part of the LTTE. Leadership is an important thing in any system. When the leadership is isolated, the system suffers. It becomes a directionless organisation.

That is one of our targeting methods. And we also target their war fighting capabilities which will have an immense impact on their morale, that will result in putting them down.

The LTTE believed that they brought a terrible blow to the SLAF by attacking the Anuradhapura Air base. But they suffered much harder attack a few days later. So this is a big blow to them.

The success of the Air Force is not owing to me, he or anybody but the whole Air Force. Our success depends on our 'one team policy'. All members of the SLAF including the pilots, technicians and people who are guarding the airfields, radar controllers and air traffic controllers, are doing an excellent job.

Everyone is part of the success of the Air Force. We are working around the clock to keep the Air Force fully operational. And the victory is a teamwork but not an individual brilliance.

Q: The LTTE accuses the SLAF for bombing places where civilians live. What kind of guarantee that you can give that the Air Force does not take adhoc targets?

A: They gives a wrong picture to the world. Though they claim that the SLAF targets densely populated areas the LTTE could not prove it so far even through a photograph.

We always take accurate targets. In some instances we do not take targets when there are civilians around the specific target mainly to protect the people of those areas.

That this particular attack killed their leaders was a well planned one because there were civilians living around the target. So the SLAF made an extra effort to take the right target. Managing that risk the SLAF pilots took that target very accurately.

The whole credit should go to these pilots and they had done an exceptionally good job. Most of the time ordinary people might not be aware that in many instances our pilots have completed their targets very accurately.

It is a difficult task as lots of efforts go for planning to take accurate targets as we do not have much sophisticated means like certain air forces have.

Under such conditions taking this nature of target speaks about the capabilities of the officers who had involved in this successful mission.

Q: However, the SLAF lost a number of aircraft including training planes. How do you plan to engage in training and other military operations in the future?

A: It is true that the Air Force lost some aircraft but it cannot be tagged as a huge loss.

Actually to be very frank, we never lost any of our attack aircraft. Most of the planes that we lost are training aircraft and we have already announced the type of aircraft that we lost due to the attack.

It is known that we totally lost eight including training planes, one helicopter, one Beech aircraft and another fighting aircraft. The SLAF did not lose our attacking potential capability due to this terrorist attack and this was reiterated by me even soon after the attack on the Anuradhapura air base.

We did not lose our whole training fleet and we are continuing our training without any problem. On the other hand we have already completed repairing those aircraft which suffered medium and slight damages.

Q: Have you already initiated any new security measures to protect these air bases taking the previous three terrorist attacks into consideration?

A: At the moment we have recruited over 1,000 people to provide airfield security. And we did this two and half months ago and until they pass out we had requested the army to provide security for our bases. Therefore, most of our air bases have been beefed up with army personnel.

Q: Can you tell about the Tri-Service Board appointed to look into the Anuradhapura incident?

A: This Board headed by the Navy Commander including a member from the Army, and the Deputy Chief of Staff of the SLAF. And they are in the process of inquiring into the incident and their terms of reference are clear. They will inquire into the incident and see how we can prevent such incidences in the future.

We are looking forward to the outcome of the Board because it gives an independent view of what happened and what went wrong.

Q: Can you tell about the progress of the other two Courts of Inquiry appointed by you to probe the Anuradhapura attack and also the loss of the Bell 212?

A: The inquiry into the Bell 212 is being conducted separately because it is not related to the air base attack. Actually it was happened 12 to 14 kilometres away from the air base.

These inquiries are progressing satisfactorily. I think the inquiry team has found that there has been some malfunctioning of the engine and so we want to know how that malfunction took place, why the pilots could not land safely and why did that crash occurred. The final deliberations are going on now.

And the other Court of Inquiry is also progressing satisfactorily. It is a long process and when this kind of a thing happened you cannot complete the inquiry within a month or so.

All the information including the lives lost, injuries to human beings, damage to equipment and buildings are have to be ascertained. However, all the statements and other details are now being recorded. It will take some time for the investigators to release the final report.

The Court of Inquiry is a fact-finding mission. If there is any evidence of negligence of the duties of the officers the SLAF would take disciplinary action based on the final report of the Court of Inquiry.

Q: Was it due to a friendly fire?

A: I do not think so, as there was no body there to fire. It was away from the Anuradhapura base. And there was no fire directed from Anuradhapura that could reach that far.

Q: Meanwhile, the Police reports have revealed that there were security lapses and those made the LTTE to attack the base easily. Do you agree with this?

A: Generally the terrorists attack and enter the base because there are security lapses.

I also believe that there were some minor security lapses; otherwise the terrorists could not enter into the base in this way. Meanwhile, we should also not forget that the airmen in the base fought with the terrorists bravely and the whole group of terrorists were killed. A whole group of terrorists who tried to enter into the runaway was killed by our airmen. Once the inquiry is over we can come to a correct conclusion about the security lapses of the base.

Q: Is that true that the terrorists were not shot dead but they had bitten cyanide and committed suicide?

A: No. They would have carried cyanide as they were suicide cardres.

Most of them died when they were trying to cross the runaway. But they were shot dead. There are speculations that they carried Moffin and injected it as they could not feel the gunshot injuries due to numbness caused by this drug. There is some truth in it; otherwise they would not act in this manner.

Q: What will be your respond to those who demanded your resignation after the Anuradhapura terrorist attack?

A: As long as people enjoys the freedom of speech, they can say this and that. Our jobs are strenuous and we are working round-the-clock. When we are fighting a war there are certain things that can happen.

We are fighting with enemies and we cannot expect enemies to take the fight lightly. They fight back with us with everything that they get. And they are the most ruthless terrorists in the entire world.

The terrorists have special anger against the Air Force because we have managed to dismantle them completely and put a fear psychosis to them.

So that is why they have sent 21 suicide cardres in a one team to attack us. Unfortunately, they have managed to come for a certain part of the camp and they have failed in their mission though the SLAF suffered a loss to a certain degree.

So, the reply for those people who had asked why I am not resigning is that I do not resign from the SLAF as I have to work further to complete my task.

Q: It is apparent that the LTTE has two to three aircraft. Do you have information about the LTTE's air fleet?

A: They have flown two but there may be three planes. So, we are in the process of establishing our Air Defence System. Upto now 70 per cent of it has been completed but they having an effective radar system is not enough but the SLAF needs to have other things as well.

We are in the process of getting most of them now. In certain areas of the country, we have our defence but we cannot cover the every inch of the ground in some areas even with a very effective air defence system without the other necessary requirements for a complete Air Defence System.

Q: You have said that we have completed a certain percentage of the ADS. So how can the terrorist come, attack and go safely if we have this ADS in place?

A: As I said earlier, we have competed only 70 per cent of the ADS. Radar system, missiles, guns, intercept aircraft are included in the ADS.

We are in the process of getting these now. Radar system in place alone cannot complete the target. These requirements should be fulfilled.

Q: To what extent our radar system is effective and capable enough to identify the enemy planes?

A: We have a good radar system. These two terrorists aircraft were recorded in our radar system and they saw them flying. But the radar system covers the whole country.

On the other had the system would be strengthened more, once we get the new equipment and then we would be able to have a wide coverage.

To establish an ADS takes a long time. The government is very supportive of this and we would be able to establish a very effective ADS soon with all vital components in place.

Q: What are the steps taken by the SLAF to prevent such unfortunate incidences in the future?

A: Well, we have beefed up our security. There is a need to put more people outside our camps. We are doing it now.

We are ready to face any attack. All the other places are on alert. We have learnt some lessons from this and anyway we cannot allow these things to happen in future.

Q: Has the SLAF received any intelligence support from India to identify the recent LTTE targets?

A: No. The SLAF has not received any support from India. Our own military intelligence is very capable in giving us lots of information. In the recent attack the military intelligence played a vital role. They gave us lots of information about the place to carry out very accurate attacks. But India has helped us lot in our ADS.

Q: It is said that two weeks before the Anuradhapura attack, the government has declared Air Defence Identification Zones (ADIZ). Will this help the SLAF to identify the LTTE aircraft in the future?

A: No. These are mainly to control the air space. Then we know every aircraft that flying in the air space. If there is an unidentified aircraft in our air space it can be easily identified. Under the ADIZ there will be restricted areas as well as prohibited areas and then we can control our air space.

Q: MiGs were in the limelight in the recent months. What type of aircraft did the SLAF used to target Thamilselvam?

A: It was a MiG and Kafir. We have used the same MiG that we have purchased for this attack. Though they are old they are quality aircraft. We do not throw aircraft because they are old. They are good as new.

The MiG deal was done in a very transparent manner and it was a good deal. All the MiGs are in good condition and there was no cost for overhauling. We used the MiG to end our mission successfully.

Q:How do you see the development in the SLAF in the past two decades to counterattack the LTTE?

A: Well. I think every commander in his time did his best to improve the air force considering the threats which were prevailing during the tenure of that commander. It is an on-going process from Commander to Commander.

However, in the recent past as soon as I took over, there was an escalation of the level of terrorist activities. We needed to adjust to that quickly. And we will be also modernising soon because the air force need more technology.

Technology is something which is important to use to get the accuracy, fighting in the night, do accurate bombing. So we depend lot on technology. Lots of modernisation and training is going on. The SLAF is being strengthened. Lots of things are happening.

Q: How do you assess the air power of the LTTE?

A: We cannot say that the LTTE has air power because they have very small aircraft, which they now use for flying. Fortunately they are flying very low and slow and in the night. However, they need lots of skill to get into this state.

It is not an easy task to fly in the night. But we would get them down soon. They are Checkoslovakian 143 light aircraft.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: Well. The main target is to modernise the SLAF to increase the effectiveness that we have. Even when the war is over, we need to have a strong Air Force, so that we can deal with any activity that might be propped up in the future.

Strong Air Force is a requirement and we get the excellent support from the government especially from the Secretary of Defence, who knows about military things and what the military wants.

He has lots of experience in that. It is every easy to work with him because we are given clear target. So within that framework we are free to make our own decisions without any problem.

The President who is our commander -in -chief gives us an excellent leadership and it is very easy for us to work with their directions to achieve our goals.

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