The Air Force

The Sri Lanka Air Force marks 60 years today and elaborate arrangements have been made to commemorate the event on a grand scale including air shows and special displays. The country’s Air Force has come a long way since the days when it was merely a utility service deployed for emergencies such as flood rescue operations and mercy missions.

Our fleet were so depleted that during the JVP’s first uprising in 1971 the Government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike had to seek the help of India to send its helicopters for surveillance missions. Our airmen though talented and capable had only limited scope and opportunities to display their skills. In short the Air Force performed only a peripheral role with its men more noted for their prowess on the sporting field than any aptitudes relating to their profession.

All this changed with the Eelam war with the Air Force slipping into its real vocation of a defence outfit in a martial role adding muscle to the operations of the Army and Navy. In fact the Air Force played a not inconsiderable role in the annihilation of the LTTE although it always preferred to remain in the background. If not for the pin point surgical air strikes on identified enemy positions it would have been that much harder to break the back of the enemy.

The air strikes on LTTE communication centres and weapons stores left the enemy depleted and demoralized making the job of the Army that much easier. Its role in the victorious war against terrorism therefore cannot be underestimated or undervalued although it always did not receive the kudos it deserved.

Like the Army and the Navy the Air Force too lost many of its men when their helicopters were shot down by the long-range guns of the terrorists. But it adapted itself quickly and efficiently from its ceremonial role to be a premier fighting unit and in fact proved the linchpin in the anti-LTTE operations particularly during the final days of war.

It is to the credit of President Rajapaksa that he provided all the resources and wherewithal to the Air Force like he did for the Army and Navy. He foresaw the important role that the Air Force would eventually have to play and equipped it with the latest state-of-the-art weaponry, particularly the anti-aircraft systems that prevented the nascent LTTE Air Force causing any major damage to the city. On the contrary it is the Air Force that downed many aircraft of LTTE, protecting lives and vital military installations and was instrumental in clearing the way for the Army to penetrate deep into enemy territory. President Rajapaksa also made no hesitation in appointing the right choice to head the Air Force at a crucial time without external considerations and this proved decisive in the end.

Today our Air Force can stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world and all credit for this should go to all those who strove from the inception to build the country’s Air Force to its present level. Today the Air Force is a big draw with the young and there is a big demand to join the Air Force due to the elite position it enjoys and each year we see many bright young airmen passing out of the Kothalawela Defence Academy to boost the current strength.

This is a good sign since in today’s context there is no gainsaying the importance of strengthening the country’s defence both from internal and external threats. Although the LTTE may be vanquished locally, there is always the possibility of its quislings posing a security threat.

There is also those elements who wish harm to Sri Lanka particularly those who were snubbed by the President when they came to interfere to halt the war. There is therefore the need to keep our Security Forces alert and continue to equip them with latest facilities and equipment and keep them on full alert.

Perhaps the decision by the Government to keep Defence expenditure intact although the war has ended may be borne by the realization of such a security threat both from within and without and the need to keep our forces prepared and the country’s defences strengthened.

The role of the Air Force in this connection cannot be overemphasized.

Today as it chalks up this milestone the country’s Air Force can look back with pride and a sense of patriotic fervour on the contribution it made to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country at a crucial stage in its history. Tribute also goes out to the valiant men of the Air Force who paid the supreme sacrifice in defence of the Motherland. Theirs is certainly not a sacrifice in vain with the country now breathing the air of peace coming out with flying colours on many fronts.