News Features
Shelter from “Protectors of the Nation”
According to the Cambridge dictionary, the word “house” means ‘a building that people, usually one family, live in.’ “Home” is the place where you live or the location where you feel you belong.
SL Navy in North: A strength to islanders
On a sunny Saturday morning, we set off from Jaffna, travelling by jeep to the Navy pier at Kuriyakkadduvan, known among the sailors as KKD. We passed Mandaithivu and Punguduthivu. I observed vast expanses of land dotted with palmyrah trees. As we neared, the pier boats belonging to local fishermen were visible. A naval crew was already waiting in their Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) commonly known as water jet.
SLAF’s Air Power for Aerial Reforestation
The forest sustains life. Our nation has been embellished with tropical forests. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) under the guidance of Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana together with the Forest Conservation Department and the Agriculture Faculty of the Peradeniya University initiated the fifth wave of aerial sowing.
Nature under Army’s protection
Nature, the phenomenon of the physical world, is invaluable to all human beings. All human activities are co-related to nature. At the beginning of civilisation, the life journey of man started with the blessings of nature. But gradually the nature was cursed by humans, with certain transformations in behaviour, such as the industrial revolution, the destruction of nature began in numerous ways.
Air Mobile Brigade: For the Nation’s Dazzling Future
The word „Air Mobile? gives a wider meaning when it is connected to military operations, correlating to different activities in battles, though it generally means the ability to mobilise in the air by means of aircraft, helicopters etc.
Undaunting courage in the face of Covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to every corner of the world by affecting not only human lives but the lives of animals too. It has made a huge impact on almost every sector of the country: agriculture and livestock, sports, technology, manufacturing, welfare, etc.
Sri Lanka Army’s yeoman service to achieve 50 pc vaccination
With the spread of COVID -19 pandemic around the world, scientists and medical experts are committed to finding a solution to eradicate the Coronavirus or at least to minimize its spread by strengthening the human immune system which will help to reduce the death toll and further transmission of the virus.
Ranaviru Seva Authority dedicated to transform war heroes to organic warriors
As a result of the 30-year ethnic conflict, many soldiers lost their lives while some lost their limbs. The Ranaviru Seva Authority was established to look into the well-being of war heroes. In an interview Maj. Gen. Nandana Senadeera (Retd), Chairman of the Ranaviru Seva Authority talks about its mission.
Zestful rotary rangers in the blue skies
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has served the nation with dedication for seven decades. Today we discover one of the pioneer flying formations, the No.07 Helicopter Squadron.
Air Mobiles: The Nation’s Dazzling Future
The word ‘Air Mobile’ gives a wider meaning when it’s connected to military operations, correlating to different activities in battles, though it generally means the ability to mobilise in the air by means of aircraft, Helicopters etc. The concept of airmobile was initiated by the US military as a sling load mission during the Korean War on 13 September 1951. Since then, the airmobile concept has been implemented by all militaries in the world as a versatile, credible and a powerful military tool. The first recorded airmobile operation was conducted by 45 Commandos and Royal Marines in the Operation Musketeer on 5 November 1956 during the Suez Crisis.
Diversified Mega Agriculture, Afforestation, Farming & Livestock Projects of the Army Bear Fruits
The Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) of the Army, well geared up towards the successful implementation of the Army Chief's 'Thuru Mithuru Nawaratak' green drive that goes hand in hand with the Presidential policy, 'Saubhagye Dekma' government framework with its troops is currently engaged in a multitude of country-wide agro-livestock projects of different magnitude and kinds across the country as per guidelines given by General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army under the close supervision of Brigadier Arosh Rajapakse, Director, DAL.
From a call to arms to tillers of soil
The Civil Security Department (CSD) celebrates its 15th Anniversary today. It was established as the National Home Guard Service which was a Voluntary Service in the mid 1980s set up to protect the threatened villages. They were initially armed with 12 bore shotguns and they protected the threatened villages which were liberated by the Armed Forces in order to prevent these villages from falling back into the hands of the LTTE. Those who served at that time were not paid anything for their services as it was a purely voluntary service. However, some rations were issued to them through cooperative outlets.
SLAF spreads wings of care
The Heated Humidified Oxygen Therapy (HHOT) Unit manufactured by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has been distributed to many hospitals and saved the lives of Covid infected patients. The project has become a success due to the hard work of SLAF engineering officers and technicians who have been guided by specialist doctors.
The cradle of Sri Lanka Air Force aviators
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has an impressive fleet of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. For seven decades the SLAF has produced many pilots. When these pilots were aspiring officer cadets they were all trained at the No-01 Flying Training Wing, which is presently located at SLAF Base China Bay, Trincomalee.
Army Quarantine Centres – A Home Away From Home
The word ‘Quarantine’ became familiar in Sri Lanka after the COVID19 pandemic. It has however, a long history around the globe during various time periods with the emergence of various different diseases reported.
SLNS Shakthi: Sailing to Save Lives
A voyage to fulfill oxygen requirement of the country amidst COVID-19
Denzil Kobbekaduwa, a General loved by all
On Aug 8, 1992, a landmine planted by the LTTE assassinated Lt. Gen. Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa and the finest of the top military brass
The cradle of the Sri Lanka Air Force
The salubrious green hills of Diyatalawa are embellished with natural beauty. For decades, this hill station has been a garrison town, first discovered and established by the Royal Army in 1859, and subsequently enhanced by the Royal Air Force.
KNDU bill won’t cause any hindrance to the country’s free education
The 90% of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University’s (KDU) lecturers are civilians, and therefore, new Act broached for Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) won’t cause any hindrance to the country’s free education, said the Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) yesterday (July 22).
SLNS Sagara: the Nation’s Guardian at Sea
A few years ago, I remember the following words inscribed on a wooden plaque, a quote by Joseph Conrad which best captures the role of a naval captain at sea - “There is one who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire and morale of his ship. This is the most demanding assignment of the Navy.”
Seva Vanitha: A tower of strength for brave heroes of motherland
First Lady Ioma Rajapaksa presenting an award while Army Seva Vanitha Unit President Sujeewa Nelson looks on.
Proposed KDU Bill will only govern KDU : Maj. Gen. Milinda Peiris
With a vision to educate males and females to be commissioned officers in the armed forces the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy was established in October 1980. In 1988 the educational establishment achieved university status thereby being able to confer degrees to its students. Renamed as the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in 2007, the University has kept its doors opened for civil students (day scholars) since 2012 with the objective of enhancing the civil-military relationship. However the proposed General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (Special Provisions) Bill has been heavily criticised as many claim that it would bring about militarisation within the higher education sector. “The General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill is only for KDU. With that you cannot govern any other institution in the country,” said Kotelawala Defence University Vice Chancellor Maj. Gen. Milinda Peiris (RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil (Ind)) in an interview with the . Following are excerpts of an interview done with Maj. Gen. Peiris:
SLNS Sindurala: A Tight Ship
Sri Lanka is a resplendent island blessed with natural resources.
The Magnificent iron giants of the blue skies
In our continuing series on the flying formations of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), today we journey into the realm of the heavy military transporters. The No. 2 Squadron located at the SLAF Base in Katunayake is the home of the pilots and formidable aircraft that give the Air Force its heavy lift capability.