Sri Lanka Navy

Sri Lanka Navy
Sri Lanka Navy Insignia
Active	December 9, 1950–present
Country	Sri Lanka
Branch	Sri Lanka Armed Forces
Role	Naval and Maritime Defense
Size	48,000[1]
Part of	Ministry of Defence
Naval Headquarters	SLNS Parakrama, Colombo
Motto	රට වට බැදි රන් ‍වැට Rata Wata Badi Run Weta Sinhala:"The golden fence around the country"
Anniversaries	December 9 (Navy Day)
Engagements	World War II 1971 Insurrection Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War
Commanders
Commander of the Navy	VAdm. Thisara Samarasinghe, RSP, VSV, USP, SLN
Notable commanders	Admiral W.W.E.C. Fernando VSV, ndc, psc, SLN   †

Sri Lanka Navy

Components
Sri Lanka Navy
Volunteer Naval Force
Fast Attack Flotilla
Naval Patrolmen
Special Boat Squadron
History
History of the Sri Lanka Navy
Ships
Current Fleet
Historic Ships
Personnel
Commander of the Navy
Naval Ranks

The Sri Lankan Navy is the naval arm of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defense force of Sri Lanka, due to the country's island geography. It conducts maritime operations at sea for the defense of the Sri Lankan nation and its interests.

Sri Lanka situated in the middle of major sea lanes passing through the Indian Ocean was always a magnet for sea farers. In 1937 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was established. After World War II CNVF was absorbed into the Royal Navy as the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR). After independence from British rule, a nucleus of 100 Officers and Men prepared to form the Regular Navy gradually. On 9 December 1950 the Navy Act was enacted and the Royal Ceylon Navy was formed. In 1972, with Sri Lanka becoming a Republic and the introduction of new constitution Royal Ceylon Navy was renamed as the Sri Lanka Navy. In recent years it had played a key role in the Sri Lankan civil war, conducting deep sea, costal & inshore patrols, amphibious and supply operations. The navy has its own elite special forces unit, the Special Boat Squadron.

The professional head of the navy is the Commander of the Navy, at currently Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe^[2]. The Commander-in-Chief of the Sri Lankan Military is the President of the country, who heads the National Security Council through the Ministry of Defense, which is the highest level of military command charged with formulating, executing defence policy and procurements for the armed forces.^[3]. However operations of the Sri Lanka Navy are coordinated by the Joint Operations Command, with other two armed forces. The Sri Lanka Navy numbers 48,000 people of whom approximately 15,000 are deployed for land operations and duties.^[1]

Contents 1 Role 2 History 2.1 The Beginning and World War II 2.2 Royal Ceylon Navy 2.3 Recent years 2.4 Major combat operations 3 Organisation 3.1 Naval Headquarters 3.2 Commands 3.3 Units 3.4 Branches 4 Current deployments 4.1 Domestic 4.2 Foreign 5 Training 6 Current Fleet 6.1 Offshore Patrol Vessels 6.2 Fast Missile Vessels 6.3 Patrol Vessels 6.4 Fast Attack Crafts 6.5 Inshore Patrol Crafts 6.6 Littoral Attack Crafts 6.7 Amphibious Warfare Vessels 6.8 Auxiliary Vessels 6.9 Equipment 7 Fleet Air Arm 8 Special Forces 9 Naval Patrolmen 10 Provost Branch 11 Personnel 11.1 Parama Weera Vibhushanaya recipients 11.2 Notable fallen members 11.3 Women in the Sri Lanka Navy 12 See also 13 References 14 External links and Additional References

Role

The role of the Sri Lanka Navy is

“

Navy is the most vital defence force of an island nation. The maritime role is to conduct operations at sea for the defence of the nation and its interests.[4]

”

History

The Beginning and World War II

In January, 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer under Volunteer Naval Defence Force, ordinance No I of 1937. On 31 August 1939 at the out set of World War II, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties. Three years later, the CNVF was offered to, and accepted by the Royal Navy (RN) as a Volunteer Reserve, the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR). It continued under the Royal Navy operational and administrative command until March 1946. With the end of the war, it reverted to Ceylon Government Control, though yet CRNVR in name. In the 1939-1946 period, the CRNVR carried out several operational duties, mainly at sea. Cutting its teeth on the Port Commission Tugs Samson and Goliath, it later manned and operated trawlers and Antarctic whalers converted as Minesweepers and fitted out with guns, submarine detection equipment and anti-submarine weaponry. They were the HMS Overdale Wyke (the first ship to be purchased by the Government of Ceylon), HMS Okapi, HMS Semla, HMS Sambhur, HMS Hoxa, HMS Balta and HM Tugs Barnet and C 405. In addition the CRNVR manned several Motor Fishing Vessels (MFV), Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML) and miscellaneous auxiliary vessels. All were manned exclusively by CRNVR personnel. These ships were meant to sweep and guard the approaches the harbors but were often used on extended missions outside Ceylon waters. In the course of these operations, the ships came under enemy fire recovered essential information from Japanese Air Craft that where shot down, sailed to Akyab after the Burma front was opened in two FMVs for harbour duties and, was called upon to accept the surrender of the Italian Light Cruiser Eritrea and escort her to the Colombo port with a prize crew on board.

Royal Ceylon Navy

After Independence from British rule in 1948 the government believed a island nation should possess a strong navy to be it first line of defense. Therefore on 9 December 1950 the Royal Ceylon Navy was created with Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve forming the nucleus. The first war ship was commissioned HMCyS Vijaya a Algerian class Minesweeper, ex-HMS Flying Fish along with other patrol boats and tugs. Later the fleet was expanded with, HMCyS Parakram another Algerian class Minesweeper (ex-HMS Pickle), two Canadian built "River" class Frigates HMCyS Mahasena (ex-HMCS Violetta, Orkney and ex-Israeli ship Mivtach), HMCyS Gajabahu (ex-HMCS Hallowell, ex-Israeli Misnak) and Ocean going Tug(ex-HMS Adept). During this time the navy took part in several joint naval exercises and a goodwill mission visiting the far east. However the expansion of the navy was dramatically halted in 1962 when the captain of the navy who was relieved of command at the time was implicated in a attempted military coup. The navy suffered a great deal as result of the governments retribution that followed, with several of its ships sold off, reduced its size by stoppage of recruitment of officers cadets and sailors for over seven years, the loss of important Bases and Barracks and the stoppage of training in England. As a result the navy was poorly prepared when in 1971 the 1971 JVP Insurrection began, the navy had to send its sailors for ground combat operations against the insurgents.

In 1972 the "Dominion of Ceylon" became the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" and the Royal Ceylon Navy became the Sri Lanka Navy. The Naval Ensign along with the Flag Officers' flags were redesigned. The term "Captain of the Navy", introduced in the Navy Act, was changed to "Commander of the Navy", in keeping with the terminology adopted by the other two services. Finally, "Her Majesty's Ceylon Ships" (HMCyS) became "Sri Lankan Naval Ships" (SLNS).

During the 1970s the navy began rebuilding its strength with the acquisition of Shanghai class fast gun boats form China to carry out effective coastal patrolling and carried out several cruises to regional ports.

Recent years

At the begin of the civil war in the 1980’s the navy found it self poorly equipped to face the new threats the LTTE created. But this was soon over come by increasing the fleet of patrol boats and the introduction of fast attack crafts. These proved highly successful in limiting the LTTE’s use of the seas. The weapon systems on these were upgraded with time as the sea tigers resorted to using sophisticated suicide crafts against naval crafts. In addition two locally build Jayasagara class Off Shore Patrol Craft added to the fleet to carry out anti-smuggling operations and coastal surveillance.

During this time the navy took part in its first amphibious operation in its history. The size of the force along with the fleet increased in the years of war. In the early 80’s a land combat force was created witch at first limited it self to base defense and as its numbers increased took part in offensive operations against the LTTE along with the Sri Lankan Army. An elite naval special forces unit called the Special Boat Squadron was created in the late 80’s based on the British Special Boat Service. In early 90's the SLN carried out injunction with the army its first amphibious operation code named Operation Sea Breeze followed by the lager Operation Balavegaya an year later and on the seas it began a aggressive clap down on LTTE actives including gunrunning. It was during this time in 1992 Admiral W.W.E.Clancy Fernando, the commander of the navy was assassinated by a suicide bomb attack by the LTTE. In 2000 the Navy started a fleet air arm (FAA) by acquiring a HAL Chetak from India. Currently the FAA operates from the three Offshore Patrol Vessels of the fleet. During the same time conventional warfare capability is increased by the addition of Missile Corvettes.

Following the resumptions of hostilities between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE since early 2006, the navy has take an active role in limiting the LTTE's use of the seas. This has resulted in several major sea battles curring the course of 2006, 2007 and most likely continue in to the near future. Most significant of the events during this time were the interception and sinking of several large cargo ships that were bringing illegal arms shipments to the LTTE in the Indian Ocean. These naval operations have proven the blue water capability of the Sri Lankan Navy.

Major combat operations

The navy has played a significant role in supporting all major operations carried out by the Army including several amphibious operations.

1971 JVP Insurrection (1971-1972) Eelam War I (1976-1987) Vadamarachchi Operation JVP Uprising (1987-1990) Eelam War II (1990-1995) Operation Sea Breeze Operation Thrividha Balaya Operation Balavegaya I, II

Eelam War III (1995-2002) Operation Riviresa Operation Jayasikurui Operation Kinihira I, II, III/IV, V/VI, VII, VIII ,IX

Eelam War IV (2006-2009) Eastern Theater Northern Theater Anti arms smuggling operations

Organisation

Naval Headquarters

The professional head of the navy is the Commander of the Navy (C of N), at present Rear Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and reports directly to the Minister of Defence. The Commander of the Navy exercises operational and administrative control of the Navy from naval headquarters in SLNS Parakrama, Colombo. He is assisted by the Chief of Staff (C of S), at present Rear Admiral DWS Dissanayake, who along with Director Generals and Directors comprise the Board of Management (BOM) and Board of Directors (BOD) of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Board of Management

The Board of Management comprise of the five Director Generals, who are of Rear-Admiral grade on appointment;

• Director General (Operations) - DG (O)
• Director General (Services) - DG (S)
• Director General (Engineering) - DG(E)
• Director General (Electrical & Electronics) - DG(L)
• Director General (Logistics) - DG (LOG)
• Director General (Health Services) - DG (HS)

Commands

The Navy has six commands known as Naval Area Commands, each under the control of a flag officer for effective command and administrative control. This is in order to efficiently maintain all ships, crafts and vehicles; and to ensure the operational readiness of commands and units each area shall have its own harbour/ base, repair and refitting facilities, signal centres, logistic, civil engineering and medical facilities.

Six Naval Area Commands

• Eastern Naval Area
• North Central Naval Area
• North Western Naval Area
• Northern Naval Area
• Southern Naval Area
• Western Naval Area

Units

• 3rd Fast Gun Boats Squadron (3 FGS)
• 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF)
• 7th Surveillance Command Squadron
• Special Boat Squadron
• Rapid Action Boat Squadron

Branches

Sri Lanka Navy consists following branches;

• Executive Branch
  • Navigation and Direction
  • Communications
  • Gunnery
  • Missiles
  • Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
  • Diving
  • Hydrography
• Engineering Branch
• Medical Branch
• Logistics Branch
• Electrical & Electronics Engineering Branch
• Naval Patrolman Branch
• Information Technology Branch
• Musical Branch
• Legal Branch
• Provost Branch

Current deployments

As of present, most of the Sri Lankan Navy is deployed for domestic defensive and combat operations, while a foreign deployments are carried out from time to time.

Domestic

Due to the Sri Lankan Civil War the navy has been on a constant mobilized (including reservist) state since the 1980s (except for a brief period from 2002-2005). The majority of the naval units both at sea and ground based are deployed in the North and Eastern provinces of the country, as well as in other parts of the country. The security of all major ports of the country is the responsibility of the navy, due to terrorist activity.

Foreign

• Since 2004 the navy personal have been attached to Sri Lankan contingent to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.^[5]
• In 2007 the navy carried out anti arms smuggling operations in international waters in the Indian Ocean, sinking 6 rouge merchant ships smuggling arms for the LTTE.

Training

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) formed in 1981 and situated in Ratmalana, fourteen kilometers south of Colombo, is Sri Lanka's only university specializing in defense studies. Each year, approximately fifty cadets from all three services are admitted to the university (aged 18-22) to participate in a three-year program of academic work and basic training.^[6]

Senior officers of the ranks of Lieutenant Commander and Commander are given advanced training and education at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Batalanda, Makola which was established in 1997 as the Army Command and Staff College. In addition KDU conducts Masters Of Science (Defence Studies) degree for the senior officers of Sri Lanka Navy.

Basic officer training is carried out at the Naval & Maritime Academy at the SLN Dockyard in Trincomalee and short/specialized officer training is conducted at the SLNS Gemunu, Welisara. This training includes theoretical aspects covered at the training institute followed by a practical exposure on board the Sri Lanka Navy fleet at sea.

Basic training for new recruits (approximately six months) are conducted at Advanced Naval Training Center, SLNS 'Nipuna'; Naval Artificer Training Institute, SLNS 'Thakshila', Welisara; and at Naval Recruit Training Centres at several shore establishments . This basic training will be followed by on-the-job training on-board fleet units and at shore establishments. Combat Training School at SLNS 'Pandukabaya' conducts combat training for Naval Patrolmen

Additional training is carried out in UK, India, Pakistan, Australia.

Main training establishments,

• Naval & Maritime Academy - SLN Dockyard
• Advanced Naval Training Centre - SLNS Nipuna
• Naval Artificer Training Institute - SLNS Thakshila
• Naval Recruit Training Centre - SLNS Shiksha
• Naval Recruit Training Center/Combat Training School - SLNS Pandukabaya

Current Fleet

The Sri Lankan Naval fleet consists of above fifty combat, support ships and inshore patrol crafts, with most originating from China, India or Israel. ^[7]

Offshore Patrol Vessels

The Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) are the largest warships of the Sri Lanka Navy. There are 4 OPVs in service of the SLN; SLNS Sayura, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Sagara, SLNS Sayurala with all capable of operating naval helicopters and another the locally built SLNS Jayasagara,. These ships are deployed in the high seas to carry out surveillance and interception of illegal arms smuggling and to monitor naval activity within the EEZ.^[7]

Fast Missile Vessels

The Fast Missile Vessels (FMV) were added to the SLN in 2001 when two Israeli Saar 4 class missile boats were acquired. These vessels which referred to as the Nandimithra class and equipped with Gabriel II anti-ship missiles, they increased the SLN's conventional warfare capability and provide a multi-role platform for different operations undertaken by the navy.^[8]

Patrol Vessels

The large patrol vessels of the Sri Lankan navy are found in two categories which are the Submarine Chaser and Fast Gun Boat. The SLNS Parakramabahu is a Haiqing class submarine chaser armed for anti-submarine warfare missions. Fast Gun Boats (FGB) carry out a multi-role missions from coastal patrols to shore bombardment in support of amphibious operations. FGBs consist of ships from the Chinese Lushun class, Haizhui class and Shanghai II class.^[9][10]

Fast Attack Crafts

Fast Attack Crafts (FAC) have proven to be the work house of the SLN in combating the sea tigers of the LTTE in the coastal waters of Northern and Eastern parts of the island. Attach to the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla these boats are of 25 meters in length, around 50 tons displacement, with the ability to reach speeds of 45 Knots and are armed with rapid fire weapons. Primarily deployed in offensive operations for the denial of sea, they are also used for defensive operations to counter sea tigers suicide crafts from attacking both naval and civilian ships. There are several classes of FACs such as; the locally built Colombo class, the Israeli Super Dvora class, Dvora class, Shaldag class; British Chevron class and the American Trinity Marine class.^{[7] [11]}

Inshore Patrol Crafts

Inshore Patrol Craft are small 14 meters long vessels which are capable of operating inshore as well as for beaching. They are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots and are used for small boat operations, harbor defense and amphibious operations.^[7]

Littoral Attack Crafts

Littoral Warfare Crafts are small 23 ft-long Arrow class attack speed boats, capable of high speed and maneuverability it these have the capability of projecting a high degree of fire power for a vessel of its size. Introduced in 2006 these boats are manufactured by SLN's own boat yard and is used by the elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS) and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) for small boat operations.

Amphibious Warfare Vessels

The SLN has several vessels to support amphibious operations it carries out. These include Yuhai class Tank landing ship SLNS Shathi; 29 M utility landing crafts (Locally built); Yunnan class mechanized landing crafts and a M-10 Utility craft air cushion.^[9]

Auxiliary Vessels

The Navy also has several auxiliary vessels such as fast personal carriers and replenishment ships. Fast personnel carriers are Catamarans which are used for both troop and civilian transport, running the gauntlet LTTE suicide crafts. SLNs fleet of non commissioned replenishment ships have been used for different proposes including recent for replenishment at sea during operations in international waters.

Equipment

• Gabriel - Anti-ship missile
• Typhoon - Naval Optronic Stabilized Weapon Platforms
• M242 Bushmaster - 25 mm (25x137mm) chain-fed autocannon

Fleet Air Arm

With the navy deploying offshore patrol vessels (opv) in its fleet since 2001 when SLNS Sayura was commissioned, the navy has been considering the development of a fleet air arm to operate from these offshore patrol vessels. Two types of helicopters are believed to be able to operate from these ships are being tested by the navy. They include;

• HAL Chetak
• HH-65 Dolphin

Special Forces

The navy has its own elite special forces unit, the Special Boat Squadron. Established in the 1980s SBS was modeled after the Special Boat Service of the Royal Navy. It has roles in naval special operations such as amphibious raids, Maritime Counter-Terrorism, Reconnaissance and target indication, combat swimmer missions and small boat operations. As a Special Forces unit, its role is not limited to water-borne operations. It also conducts operations on land, either with ground combat units of the Navy and the Army, or separately.

Naval Patrolmen

A branch formed recently to augment the land combat capabilities of SLN. Effectively members of this branch are soldiers of the navy performing the role of naval infantry. Originally limited for base and harbors security. In recent years Naval Patrolmen have taken parting offensive and defensive operations against the LTTE in conjunction with the army or independently, using both infantry and light armored units.

Provost Branch

The Naval Provost branch of the Sri Lanka Navy is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining discipline and enforcement of law and order among the Naval personnel by way of prevention of crimes, detection of crimes, apprehension of offenders, conducting preliminary investigations for necessary disciplinary action and providing assistance to all naval authorities on all disciplinary and other connected matters.

Personnel

Parama Weera Vibhushanaya recipients

• Lieutenant-Commander Jude Lakmal Wijethunge  †

Notable fallen members

• Admiral W.W.E.Clancy Fernando   † - Commander of the Navy
• Rear Admiral Mohan Jayamaha   † - Commander Northern Naval Area ^[12]

Women in the Sri Lanka Navy

Today women are recruited to both the regular and volunteer forces. Although at first limited to the medical branch currently both lady officers and female rates are able to join any branch of service including the executive branch as well. In 2007 the navy appointed its first ever Lady Commodore, Surgeon Commodore Indranee Y. Amarasinghe.^[13]

See also

• Military of Sri Lanka
• Commander of the Navy
• Military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Navy
• Fast Attack Flotilla
• Special Boat Squadron
• Rapid Action Boat Squadron
• Naval and Maritime Academy
• Hoods Tower Museum
• Sri Lankan Civil War

References

External links and Additional References

• Ministry of Defence Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka Navy
• General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy
• Atricle from Divaina

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