Sri Lanka turned to U.S. for air defense when Indian radars failed to counter LTTE air attacks

Sri Lanka quietly sought the assistance from the United States to counter the threats from the LTTE air wing when the India-supplied two-dimensional radars failed to prevent the LTTE air attack on the Katunayake Air Force Base, a WikiLeak cable obtained by the Indian daily The Hindu said.

In a cable dated April 01, 2007, then U.S. Ambassador in Colombo, Robert O. Blake, Jr. reported a discussion he had on March 30, 2007 with Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa when the Defense Secretary summoned the Ambassador and the Embassy's Defense Attache to request a visit by a U.S. military team to assess how Sri Lanka can improve its air defense capabilities to defend against future LTTE air attacks.

The Defense Secretary outlining the country's current radar configuration had said that the two-dimensional radars provided by India were not sufficient to prevent the LTTE air attacks and the Sri Lankan government is in the process of purchasing a Chinese three dimensional radar. Rajapaksa has sought the assistance from a U.S. military team to enhance Sri Lanka's present air defense capabilities.

Blake has said that during the meeting he underscored the need to work transparently with the Indian government if the U.S. agreed to Sri Lanka's request.

Secretary Rajapaksa has agreed to the condition but has informed that the Sri Lankan government would prefer to approach India before the U.S. contacts them.

The U.S. Embassy has recommended that the U.S. government respond positively to Sri Lanka's request for an assessment team.

The meeting between the Ambassador Blake and Defense Secretary has taken place in the wake of the LTTE's first ever air attack on the main Sri Lankan Air Force base in Katunayake that killed three air force personnel and injured another seventeen on March 26, 2007.

The LTTE attack caused only slight damage to several helicopters including two MI-17 helicopters on loan from India but it failed to inflict any damages on the fighter jets on the ground.

Rajapaksa has told the U.S. Ambassador that Sri Lanka's current radar systems were not sufficient to meet the LTTE air threat.

India had provided two radars that have two dimensional capabilities and would provide two more radars in the future.

Sri Lanka had been working with India to receive three dimensional radars but after years of not receiving them, had decided to purchase a Chinese system that is now in the process of being installed, Rajapaksa had told the U.S. envoy.

In addition to the radar systems, Rajapaksa has noted that not a single L70 anti-aircraft fire direction radar - also provided by India - was working making any attempts to shoot down an aircraft at night difficult, the cable reported.

The Defense Secretary, noting that a U.S. radar may be needed to upgrade the current Air Defense System, has requested a professional military assessment of Sri Lanka's capabilities as a first step.

Rajapaksa has specifically requested that the team comprise professional United States military officers and not contractors, the cable said.

Ambassador Blake has recommended that the U.S. Government approve Sri Lanka's request to send an assessment team.

"Since Sri Lanka remains vulnerable to another attack, we recommend this take place as soon as possible," Blake has suggested in the cable.

Rajapaksa has "clearly understood" that if the team recommends the acquisition of new radar, such radar would likely not be free of charge, the cable commented.

The Defense Secretary has also suggested that since the U.S. had already assisted Sri Lanka in setting up a maritime surveillance radar, there could be merit in establishing an integrated air and maritime system.