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The RAF s heavy transports flew into Katunayake airbase on April 17th, 1971 carrying six US-built Bell 47-G2 helicopters. Premier Sirimavo Bandaranaike s government secured the choppers through Britain for the ill-equipped Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF). It was undoubtedly an emergency acquisition.

After a week-long crash training programme, the choppers joined in the action against the JVP. The RCyAF mounted them with 7. 62 machine guns. But by that time, the JVP attempt had collapsed and its leaders were either killed or on the run.

The ACM s father had been the then Chief of Staff of the RCyAF.

Britain demanded, negotiated and secured Defence Agreements which were considered a pre-condition for the granting of independence to the then Ceylon. This was part of their strategy to ensure that their security interests and that of her allies would not be jeopardized by the newly independent state which may at some future time come under the control of a government which was not friendly to Britain.

Britain s concerns were genuine against the backdrop of the world being largely divided into two camps at the end of the Second World War . Britain s need to secure Defence Agreements was viewed in this context. Their concerns were genuine and understandable. But the Defence Agreements were held up as a symbol of continuing colonialism.

By early 1967, the RCyAF was fully manned by Ceylonese, but close ties with the UK/RAF continued.

The US built chopper fondly nicknamed Bubble was used for counter insurgency operations and subsequently as a trainer. The RCyAF was named SLAF on May 22, 1972 after Ceylon became the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The single engined Bell 47-G2s acquired to fight the JVP were in service with the SLAF until 1981.

The Indian Air force took over security at the Katunayake airbase and the adjoining Bandaranaike International Airport. The Indian deployment helped the RCyAF to re-deploy its personnel in support of the army. India also ensured that there would not be any effort to bring in outside support. This was extremely important in the context of the perceived involvement of North Korea in the 1971 insurgency. Pakistan provided a few pilots to facilitate operations. It was a clear case of both world and regional powers responding to Sri Lanka s desperate call. Had they ignored our call, the destiny of our nation would have been different.

Mrs. B. also obtained help from the Soviet Union. Sri Lanka acquired MIG (Mikoyan Gurevich) 15 UTI, the trainer version of the MIG 15 fighter along with the MIG 17, a formidable fighter aircraft which served the RCyAF/SLAF from 1971 to 1981. The Soviet era fighters joined the British built Hunting Percival Jet Provost (JP as it was known) MK 3 A acquired in 1959 to hit the JVP. JP was the first jet aircraft to join the service. Both the US and the Soviet Union came to Sri Lanka s rescue swiftly.

Jets screamed over areas dominated by the JVP. This terrorized the organization and its supporters.

JRJ s government ordered US built Bell 212 which had acquired a reputation for itself during the Vietnam War. The twin-engined chopper used extensively as a helicopter gunship was inducted in 1984 and a year later the Bell 412, a four-rotor version of the Bell 212, joined the SLAF fleet. The Bell 412 is primarily used for VIP travel.

But due to negligence on the part of successive governments and the SLAF leadership, Sri Lanka failed to take the upper hand by increasing her firepower until 1995 and 1996, when Mi 24s and Kfirs joined the service. Unfortunately, even after acquiring them and subsequently adding the powerful MiG 27 in 2000, the SLAF failed to deliver for want of a cohesive war strategy and the weakness on the part of political leaders.

The SLAF, which had its origins as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with a fleet of a dozen Chipmunk aircraft is now a formidable force with over 100 different types of aircraft and helicopters, ranging from the Y 12, a light aircraft built in China, to the sophisticated F7 GS, also a Chinese product.

Jet squadrons and Mi 24 helicopter gunships carried out over 3,000 missions during Eelam War IV. Of them, some 1,900 targets were taken mostly in the Vanni theatre under difficult circumstances due to the presence of civilians. The SLAF also transported about a million personnel, airlifted about 10 million kgs and evacuated 21,000 casualties during this period.

Air Chief Marshal Goonetileke said the Tigers could have been brought to their knees had the government ignored the civilian factor. The SLAF chief said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had been firm about his decision that civilians shouldn t be harmed even if the forces had to miss taking a positively identified enemy target.

The LTTE and a section of the media always targeted the SLAF. They alleged that the SLAF had cluster ammunition in its arsenal, targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools, and deployed Pakistani fighter pilots in its campaign.

The air campaign was conducted under trying conditions. One of the major problems had been the shortage of the required number of pilots to conduct an intensified campaign. At one point, there had been only 16 pilots to fly Kfirs (6 aircraft), MIG 27s (5 aircraft) and F7 (5 aircraft). There had been 20 pilots for Mi 24 helicopter gunships. But the SLAF gradually improved the situation to meet the challenging task.

The LTTE had a range of anti-aircraft weapons in its arsenal, including mobile anti-aircraft guns also known as peddle guns acquired from China and surface to air missiles. The LTTE had hit some of the Mi 24s engaged in operations, but never managed to bring one down. Unfortunately, the SLAF lost one Mi 24 months after the end of the war, flying over the South.

During the CFA (Ceasefire Agreement) with the LTTE brokered by the Norwegians, the LTTE strongly objected to any form of air reconnaissance, particularly by UAVs. Once the SLAF spotted two fixed wing aircraft on the ground at Iranamadu, east of the A9 road, but the CFA prevented the SLAF from bombing the place. Within three years after that the SLAF had succeeded in forming an air defence network. The LTTE mounted a series of sorties in the south and targets in the Northern and Eastern Provinces using Czechoslovakian built Zlin 143 fixed wing aircraft. Of them, the SLAF shot down three in three separate confrontations. Once they almost succeeded in targeting the Katunayake-based jet squadrons.

Had the LTTE succeeded, the war effort would have suffered a massive setback.

The SLAF lost 38 pilots during the entire war. Among them were several commanding officers including Wing Commander Shirantha Goonetilike, Commanding Officer of the No 2 squadron. Shirantha, the elder brother of the SLAF chief, was one of the first victims of surface to air missile attacks.

The SLAF had lost about 25 per cent of pilots due to attacks and accidents. Although the loss of pilots and assets had been minimal during Eelam War IV, the SLAF had lost 62 aircraft during the entire war. The loss of several aircraft, particularly AN 32 transport aircraft during the Kumaratunga administration (95 and 96), was one of the worst periods in the war.

The SLN, too, received tremendous support from the SLAF. The Sea Tigers received a heavy beating at the hands of the SLAF. According to SLAF headquarters, jet squadrons and Mi 24s destroyed 52 Sea Tiger craft, targeted enemy training facilities on 425 occasions and engaged 32 artillery points.

The MiG squadron engaged over 700 LTTE targets during the fourth stage of the Eelam War. The Opposition and a section of the media targeted the SLAF and the Defence Secretary over the acquisition of MiGs. They alleged it was influenced by financial benefits received by the powers that be. The SLAF with available assets performed exceptionally well. During the entire war, the SLAF lost 38 pilots and 430 officers and other rankers. The number of wounded was estimated at around 350 during the entire war.

On a few occasions, the SLAF choppers landed in LTTE-held territory to evacuate LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols), operating deep within enemy-held territory.

The Katunayake-based No 12 squadron comprises seven MiG 27s and one MiG 23 trainer acquired in two batches in 2000 and 2007. During Eelam War IV, No 12 squadron carried out 854 sorties. The squadron estimated the weight of ammunition used by MiGs during this period at 1,071 tons.

The SLAF used general purpose ammunition against targets, particularly buildings, while special ammunition (deep penetration bombs), were directed at runways. To target runways, the MiGs had dived and bombed at a height of about 100 metres flying at a speed of 1,000 kmph. Each bomb released at that height had been fitted with a parachute to ensure flying shrapnel wouldn t hit the bomber.

Although the SLAF targeted LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on several occasions, he and his family survived only to be shot on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon last May. Once, jet squadrons deployed five MiG 27s, four Kfirs and three F7s to engage two targets in the Vanni, believing Prabhakaran could be at one of the locations. Seven jets targeted an LTTE hideout at Jayanthinagar, and the remaining aircraft bombed Puththukudirippu.

The SLAF received the support and expertise from Pakistan, China, India, Russia and Israel to enhance jet operations.

In the final stages of the ground battles on the Vanni east front, Goonetileke had stationed two MiGs at China Bay base for about three weeks. Had the Sea Tigers made an attempt to rescue Prabhakaran and his chief lieutenants, the SLAF would have swung into action. Their presence at China Bay would have given the SLAF a shorter reaction time.

Sri Lanka acquired Italian-built Siai Marchettis, a light attack aircraft in 1985. It was capable of carrying just two 50 kg bombs. Argentine-built Pucaras joined the fleet in 1993, but were grounded in 1995 following the introduction of shoulder-fired heat seeking missiles.

Since the acquisition of Kfirs in 1996, the multi role aircraft had played a pivotal role in the war against the LTTE. Although a computerized bombing programming system was available with Kfirs, bombs had to be released manually.

Had Sri Lanka retained a jet capability after phasing out Hunting Percival jet provost MK 3 A and MiG 15 UTI and MiG 17 instead of going for Siai Marchettis and Pucaras, the LTTE wouldn t have lasted over three decades. This shortcoming was similar to Sri Lanka s unpardonable failure to acquire off-shore patrolling capacity to engage LTTE ships on the high seas.

Sri Lanka acquired two pairs of Chinese F7s in 1991 and used them against the LTTE. In January 2008, the SLAF took delivery of four F7 GS, the most sophisticated jet in Sri Lanka s arsenal today with in-built air interception radar. It could also carry four heat seeking missiles and no other jet in service with the SLAF has this capability.

The SLAF formed No 5 squadron to meet the threat posed by the Air Tigers. The squadron comprises eight F7s (two types). No 5 squadron carried out about 400 missions in Eelam War IV.

Before the deployment of F7 GS, the Air Tigers had carried out five strikes. Wing Commander Sampath Wickremeratne, the then Commanding officer of the No 5 squadron is credited with the shooting down of the first LTTE aircraft over Iranapalai with a Chinese heat seeking missile as the enemy plane was returning to its base, following the attack on Vavuniya. Following the end of the war, a part of the No 5 squadron has been moved to China Bay.

Today, the SLAF is over 30,000 strong with a sizeable ground deployment in different sectors. The SLAF Regiment, now a force to be reckoned with, is responsible for security at all bases, stations and units. The Regiment includes Special Forces and is responsible for turning out a range of improvised explosives devices (IEDs) and training security forces personnel in bomb disposal.

The Hingurakgoda-based Mi 24 helicopter gunship squadron, too, played a vital role with nearly 400 missions in the Northern and Eastern theatres. Known as the No 09 squadron, it had caused heavy

losses in coordinated attacks directed at fortified LTTE positions situated close to forward location of own troops. Mi 24s had been hit on many occasions, maybe about 35 instances, during the entire offensive. Sometimes, damaged choppers had to touch down in areas where fighting was raging, but its engineering section had always responded swiftly and decisively to any emergency.

The Mi-24 squadron engaged targets right across the Vanni theatre from the north-western coast to the north-eastern coast. A range of powerful armaments, enhanced technology, technical support and most importantly, freedom to coordinate missions with field commanders paved the way for the squadron s success.

The squadron mounted four missions to evacuate LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols) teams sent on daring missions into LTTE-held territory. The LRRP teams took on high profile targets deep inside enemy held territory both east and west of the A9. On four occasions, the army called for swift evacuation of LRRP teams and the No 09 squadron met the challenging task.

LRRP teams played a played a pivotal role in Gen. Fonseka s overall strategy to destroy the LTTE.

The No. 9 squadron established on November 23, 1995 with three choppers acquired on a wet lease basis from Ukraine, subsequently grew to 14 machines over the years.

During Eelam War IV, the squadron had fired 19,762 80 mm rockets. Among the weapons available to the squadron were 23 mm twin barrel system and 12.7 mm Gatlin and 30 mm cannon. They also had 250 kg bombs. The squadron also caused considerable damage to the Sea Tigers.

The 80 mm rockets with a three km range had a devastating effect on the LTTE. A Mi 24 crew comprises a Captain, co-pilot and two door gunners.

The electronics specialists of the squadron had kept the avionics systems in shape in the midst of logistical maintenance challenges.

The SLAF s objectives could not have been realized without light and heavy transport squadrons (No 8 and No 2), No 6 Mi 17 squadron and No 7 comprising Bell 212s and Bell Jet Ranger meeting their tasks. The pilot training wings too, played a significant role to meet a challenging task. Despite severe constrains, primarily due to lack of assets, the transport squadrons helped the war effort. Perhaps their task was far more difficult than various attack squadrons. In the absence of an overland route to Jaffna since June 1990 after the LTTE smashed Army bases north of Vavuniya, the SLAF and the Navy had maintained supply routes.

The SLAF established No 32 Land based Air Defence Wing in 2006 in response to the threat posed by Air Tigers. This came in the wake of the deployment of Indian-built radar to help detect Air Tigers under an accelerated plan to neutralize the threat. The SLAF subsequently acquired state-of-the-art Chinese radar to further enhance its capability. Among the weapons in its arsenal are costly shoulder fired heat seeking missiles, though it may never get an opportunity to fire one again.

I would like to end this piece thanking the outgoing media spokesman, Group Captain Janaka Nanayakkara, who handled the media exceptionally well during the war after succeeding Air Commodore Ajantha Silva. Both officers met a challenging task in spite of working during an extremely difficult period. Group Captain Andy Wijesooriya, who had been in charge of the SLAF media for a brief period during eelam war IV succeeded Nanayakkara.

India increased annual defence spending by about 11.6 percent on Monday, aiming to overhaul the military to counter the rapidly growing capabilities of giant neighbour China.

The hefty increase suggests the government plans to move ahead with some of a slew of planned defence acquisitions, analysts said, including a $10.5 billion fighter jet contract, one of the world's largest on offer.

India, among a host of countries wary of China's economic and military heft, is also eyeing surveillance helicopters, transport aircraft and submarines to beef up defences in the air as well as in the Indian Ocean.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, presenting the 2011-2012 budget to parliament, set the military budget at just over 1.64 trillion rupees ($36.28 billion), up from last year's 1.47 trillion rupees. Last year the increase was about 4 percent.

'China is the real long-term challenge on the strategic horizon and India's security planning is geared toward it,' said retired brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal who heads the government-funded Centre for Land Warfare Studies.

China, which considers the U.S. military as its main rival, set its defence spending at $78 billion last year. It is expected to announce a defence budget for 2011 later this week ahead of an annual session of parliament.

The core U.S. defense budget - not including war funding - was $530 billion in 2010.

More than 40 percent of the Indian defence budget for 2011 will be spent on capital expenditure, Mukherjee said, while the rest will go toward maintaining one of the world's largest standing armed forces.

'Needless to say, any further requirement for the country's defence would be met,' he said seeking to assuage concerns that the rise in spending was short of the military's expectations.

Old rival and neighbour Pakistan, which like India, also has nuclear weapons, is also a factor in India's defence planning.

DEALS

Indian officials expect to conclude negotiations to buy 126 combat aircraft by the end of the current fiscal year, the country's largest-ever defence order.

Saab's JAS-39 Gripen is competing with Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault's Rafale, Lockheed's F-16 and Russia's MiG-35 to win the fighter contract which Indian officials said can eventually go up to 200 aircraft.

Kanwal said the defence allocation was enough to proceed with the fighter aircraft deal, although it may not leave much room for other arms imports.

'In the first year there is a signing amount you have to pay which shouldn't be a problem,' he said.

India, which traditionally has had an edge over China in terms of combat air superiority with more modern planes, has in recent years seen the gap closing as Beijing modernised its air force.

China's plans for a stealth aircraft, designed to rival the U.S. F-22, have in particular unnerved Indian security planners prompting a race to overhaul the air force with its Soviet-era planes.

India, which long focused its military planning on Pakistan, is also scrambling to modernise its navy to counter China's influence in the Indian Ocean through its 'string of pearls strategy' of developing a network of friendly ports from Gwadar in Pakistan to Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka.

Another military expert said given the scale of the challenge facing India, the increase in defence expenditure was modest.

'It's not a dramatic increase if you take inflation into account. Military inflation will be even higher,' said Ajai Sahni, director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management.

'It doesn't really demonstrate a will to completely overhaul the armed forces to meet the challenges.' ($1=45.2 rupees)

Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama assumed duties as the 13th Air Force Commander this morning at the Air Force Headquarters.

He vowed to give priority to research and development activities and also to develop welfare activities carried out on airmen.

Russia has announced $650 billion rearmament plan, which is to increase its share of modern weaponry up to 70 percent. The ambitious weapons procurement program is to take place until 2020.

Besides 600 jets and 1,000 helicopters, much of the new spending will go on Russia s navy: 8 nuclear submarines, 35 corvettes and 15 frigates will be ordered.

'The main task is modernization of our armed forces,' Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said. 'We are not interested in purchasing any foreign weapons or military equipment.'

According to the new procurement plan, which is to counter US military dominance, Russia s navy is to equip its new nuclear submarines with Bulava ballistic missiles that have been under development since the late 1990s.

While the new divisions equipped with the modern S-500 anti-missile system are to become the backbone of the country's missile defenses, the new aircraft will include Su-34 and Su-35 fighters, and Mi-26 transport and Mi-8 gunship helicopters, the AP reported.

Russia s Finance Minister Alexei KudrinAlexei Kudrin confirmed military development spending as a percentage of GDP would rise from 0,5% to 1,5%.