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People misidentify SLAF aircraft in bid to report suspicious flying objects
Sunday, 1 April 2007 - 6:32 AM SL Time

The emergency telephone number 116 set up by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to seek public information on suspicious flying objects has generated an overwhelming response, but the avalanche of calls received from alert citizens anxious to help, have so far related to sightings of SLAF aircraft itself.

`Yes, when the SLAF verified information conveyed by people about sighting suspicious aircraft, they were found to be our own flying machines`, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said.

He said that there has been a flood of calls from concerned members of the public, some of which related to `low flying, suspicious aircraft`, but all of them were found to belong to the SLAF.

`They were all cases of misidentifying SLAF planes`.

Asked about reports of a `low-flying LTTE aircraft` being sighted off Omanthai yesterday, Brig. Samarasinghe replied: `That was another one the SLAF did check on and found to be one of their own`.

Questioned whether any suspicious aircraft had been spotted by the military in the Wanni yesterday, he said, `No, absolutely not`.

Brig. Samarasinghe explained that a considerable number of calls originated from people living in areas of conflict as the role played by SLAF aircraft in the North-East theatre was more intense.

`As these people see more aircraft than others, the volume of sightings are obviously more`.

The SLAF rolled out a special emergency telephone number for public assistance on sightings of suspicious flying objects following the unprecedented LTTE air raid on the SLAF Katunayake base which killed three airmen and injured 16 others.

Despite conflicting claims, the government maintains that no SLAF aircraft were hit in the surprise attack by two low flying LTTE planes which dropped three bombs on the base. However, only two exploded.

Related News Articles:
30-2-2007   Call 116 if you spot flying objects
29-2-2007   call 116 not 69 ( 116= luxury bunker call)
13-11-2006   Oldest person dies at 116

Source(s)
• Associated Press

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saliya
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 545
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 		1 Apr 2007 04:09:11 GMT  Report for Abuse   
How long our people will be vigilent and respond. How long 116 will work in SL..!
Edited By - saliya - 1 Apr 2007 04:10:12 GMT
Thambi
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5612
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 		1 Apr 2007 04:30:36 GMT  Report for Abuse   
The Fools' Paradise

We Sri Lankans are rudely awoken when disaster strikes and get back to pleasant slumber soon after, not doing anything about it.

Remember when the tsunami struck causing unprecedented devastation? Inquiring minds queried: Did we not have any equipment or any system to give us prior warning? After days some equipment that could have warned us, was discovered. It had been donated by a well meaning country and was lying in some place at Kundasale.

Of course it was a day after Christmas (and was it a Sunday?) and no Sri Lankan: Christian, Buddhist or an adherent of any other religion will work on such days. Then came the glut of information about tsunami warning systems. They were being offered by many countries and foreign organisations. But after two years, could any one tell us if such a system had been installed and is being maintained?

Tigers' folly

Velupillai Pirapaharan sent shock waves throughout the country when he sent two toy planes with bombs and blasted some parts of the air force base. He is considered a master military strategist but we think he erred in his timing. Had he timed the event for the night of the India-Sri Lanka World Cup match, we may have found out that we were bombed only the next morning!


We Sri Lankans have imbibed traditions of the English gallants of yore such as Francis Drake playing bowls while the Spanish Armada was closing in. We play cricket while a war is raging in the country.

Now comes the question of the chattering classes of Colombo. Did we not have an air defence system or even radar equipment? Apparently, we did. Our good and friendly Big Brother donated such equipment when the Chinese had already volunteered. But our Big Brother did not like that, it is made out in some quarters.

The Chinese radar it has been reported enabled us or anyone else to look into Southern Indian airports and sea ports. What they sent us has been described as 'first generation radar,' whatever that means. World War 1?
BABA
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1582
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 		1 Apr 2007 07:33:43 GMT  Report for Abuse   
Next step -Tigers are manufacturing a flyng sauce!

.
kiwikanga
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
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 		1 Apr 2007 13:38:04 GMT  Report for Abuse   
The idiots who set up this 116 number should have first considered as to how an ordinary human on the ground is going to distinguish a tiger air craft from an Air Force aircraft flying in the sky, which even the airmen themselves could not figure out while the tiger aircraft flew from Vanni all the way to K'nayaka and back passing the radar even at the Anuradhapura Air Base.

A better alternative would be to ban all light aircraft and set up checkpoints in the sky! Our guys are good at checking Road Buses so why not start checking Air Buses also!!
Edited By - kiwikanga - 1 Apr 2007 13:44:01 GMT
Damed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 164
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 		2 Apr 2007 00:32:04 GMT  Report for Abuse   
116 will soon shotdown a friendly aircraft.
GOLS should take immediate responce to fix radar or a ative air defence system to support our course.
Its a dream if SL going to get any support except lip service from India.
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