Sri Lanka Navy: The Only Operational Navy in the World
"The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory" - Sun Tzu-
Sailing towards fifty seven (57) years of silence service to the nation, Sri Lanka Navy has shown in the past that she is very much capable of protecting the territorial waters of mother Lanka. The naval traditions of this country dates back to the periods of Sri Lankan kings where they dominated the Sea Lanes of Communication by projecting naval power by challenging other sea going nations in the region.
Following those naval traditions, Sri Lanka Navy has sailed through rough seas to become what she is today. The gradual transformation of her role from a ceremonial service to an operational Navy took place with the gradual increase of tiger activities out at sea.
Operations in early stages were aimed at apprehending illegal immigrants, drug traffickers, human smugglers etc. But the Navy took no time to understand that the tigers are using the Palk Strait to connect their life wire between the southern parts of India and northern parts of Jaffna. Story from there to the present day is known to us. As we all know, out of all the other navies, only Sri Lanka Navy fights a terrorist out fit that have extended sea assets (the role played by the Army and Air Force is not discussed here).
It is fair to say especially after the World War II, the Officers and the men in the Sri Lanka Navy have gathered the most battle experiences out at sea. Each victory, loss of men or craft, underwater/ground attacks, seaborne suicide attacks, improvised devices etc. have made them perform better. One who looks into analysing or recording the sea battles and experiences of the twentieth century will certainly have an exclusive chapter on the Sri Lanka Navies fighting abilities.
Understanding the dynamics of a terrorist outfit and its tactics need time. At the same time, the one who takes time to understand and then to develop countermeasures in an extremely tension and suicidal atmosphere will have no time and space to put those into action. Sri Lanka Navy stands as the only navy in the world to operate in a suicidal environment. The others have only heard it or seen it on film. It is not surprising in any way to hear that navies of the power full nations do take lessons from the Sri Lanka Navy in order to make Standing Operational Procedures (SOP) to fight suicide boats. Many get it wrong when they think that they have a set of good SOPs in hand. They (SOP) simply don't work. The suicidal attack on the USS Cole (Guided Missile Destroyer-DDG 67) is the best example.
If we compare the powerful navies of the world, it is clear that they cannot be termed as operational navies. They may have the biggest naval assets in the world, latest technology, advanced communication systems and modern weapon systems etc. but they do not fall into the category of an "Active Operational Navy" in the form of confronting the enemy out at sea. Mere projection of naval assets in various theatres of the world alone will not help to term a navy as an operational navy.
Sri Lanka Navy for that matter can be quite easily termed as the only active operational navy in the world when compared with the task that she performs not only in the territorial waters but also in the deep seas.
- Asian Tribune -
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/8027
