The total damage of Anuradhapura LTTE attack
(LeN, 2007 Oct 24, 3.50 PM) Badulla district UNP MP Lakshman Senevirathna revealed the total damage of the LTTE attack at Ahuradhapura airbase at a press briefing held in Colombo today, bearing the responsibility.
According to his details, 18 aircrafts of the Air Force were either destroyed or damaged and the total lost to the country is Rs. 6.6 billion.
The loss from the Beach Craft and its equipment alone is US $ 28 million (Rs. 119.3 million). Sri Lanka had two such Beach Crafts and only the destroyed one was usable.
The damaged aircrafts and their value are as follows:
PT6 Trainers
3 destroyed
Cost of each aircraft, US $ 350,000
Total, US $ 1,050,000
LKR 119,700,000
K8 Advanced Jet Trainer
1 destroyed
Cost US $ 3,500,000
LKR 399,000,000
MI-24 Helicopter Gunships
2 destroyed
Cost of each helicopter US $ 5,000,000
Total US $ 10,000,000
LKR 1,140,000,000
MI-17 Helicopter Troop Carriers
1 destroyed
Cost US $ 5,000,000
LKR 570,000,000
Bell 212 Helicopter
1 destroyed
Cost US $ 5,500,000
LKR 627,000,000
Beechcraft
1 destroyed
Cost US $ 13,000,000
LKR 1,482,000,000
Thermal imaging and surveillance equipment destroyed
Cost US $ 15,000,000
LKR 1,710,000,000
UAVs
3 destroyed
Cost of each unit, US $ 1,000,000
Cost of each camera, US $ 500,000
Total US $ 4,500,000
LKR 513,000,000
Cessna
6 destroyed
Cost of each aircraft US $ 150,000
Total US $ 900,000
LKR 102,600,000
Stating that the Ministry of Defense has gagged the personnel revealing the details, MP Senevirathna said that he has information on the destruction of three more aircrafts and will reveal them as well details were obtained.
He warned the boasting Defense Secretary not to play with the lives of the war heroes. Stating that the government is misleading the public through hiding the real facts of the damage, MP Kiriella said that the people have the right to know the truth.
He said that they would reveal these facts as a responsible opposition and urged the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense and the Air Force Commander to resign.
The MP further said that the UNP would thoroughly deny this attack and urged the LTTE to stop them since they would not be allowed to achieve their target.
Stating that the damage done by the Rajapakse family is enough, MP Kiriella said that the entire family should go home now.
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