Cormorant Strike III in top gear

Over 2,000 Tri Services personnel, 40 foreign military representatives participating :

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Over 2,000 Tri Services personnel, including 40 foreign military representatives are taking part in the third Cormorant Strike, the joint military exercise organised by the Sri Lanka Army which commenced in the Minneriya area on Monday.

The 16 day-long joint military exercise is a suggestion, mooted by Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to the Commander of the Army, two years ago. The exercise is comprised of mock raids on boat yards, Taking of high value targets, Reconnaissance, Surveillance on targets, Airborne operations, Seaborne operations, Amphibious landing, Path-finding missions, Para jump into enemy strongholds, Ambushes, Search operations, Counter terrorist actions and Hostage Rescue Mission.

Accordingly, nine teams of eight-member Special Forces together with trainees proceeded to Verugal area by dusk on Monday to commence the exercise.

Unlike the two previous Cormorant Strikes, more foreign Security Forces personnel have shown a keen interest in participating in the joint operation.

As a result of this, more foreign security personnel have been allowed to take part in the event. Under this, 11 officers and 29 other ranks from the Armed Forces in China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives and India are in the East to participate in the event.

Last years exercise consisted of a mock operation, Hostage Rescue Mission, one of the most daring simulated feats in the project where over 110 Commando Regiment officers, 90 Special Forces officers, 400 Sailors and 150 Air Force personnel took part.

According to the schedule of the exercise, the Task Force will conduct a series of tasks ranging from inducting and de-inducting troops to providing naval gunfire support while naval troops involved in landing tanks and craft will carry out major amphibious landings at first light during this exercise.

The first joint Exercise of this nature and magnitude took place in November 2010, nearly one and half years after culmination of the war against terrorism.

At the first exercise the Sri Lanka Air Force inducted Special Forces and Commandos into enemy-held areas and staged a simulating rescue operation as a special feature to the training components which received the attention of the participating troops.