A team of 7 officers and 3 Senior Non Commissioned Officers of the People’s Liberation Army of People’s Republic of China, headed by Lt Colonel Gao Guangkin joined the ongoing ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike – V’ on Sunday (7 September 2014), the latest and the biggest foreign team, in addition to six other countries joining it.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by Exercise Director Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri on arrival at the Exercise Control at the 21 Division Headquarters, Anuradhapura.
The delegation was briefed regarding the Exercise by the Exercise Director and other major appointment holders in the mock operation. After the medical check-up and briefing at the 21 Division, the delegation left for Special Force Brigade at Vavuniya, in order to actively participate in the ongoing Exercise.
The execution proper of the ongoing 'Exercise - Cormorant Strike V - 2014' commenced during pre-dawn hours on Wednesday (3) in the general areas of Thoppigala and Punnakuda in the East with the participation of Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force troops and 18 foreign servicemen representing seven countries, such as Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, China and Maldives.
The day’s programme started with Commandos and combined Special Forces including foreign participants staging a mock attack on a makeshift Air Defence Control Headquarters at Thoppigala. Air interdiction with Kafirs and Migs as well as naval protection from Punnakuda areas contributed to the mock Exercise.
More than 2500 tri-service personnel and representatives from foreign countries, joined the mega Exercise beginning from Tuesday (2). This is being held for the fifth consecutive year with meticulous planning done by Directorate of Training at Army Headquarters.
This mock Field Training Exercise (FTX), now an annual event in the Army calendar of training, set in from different locations in Mannar, Matale, Wanni and the East before it winds up by September 23.
In the mock Exercise, these foreign servicemen contribute either as participants or observers while closely cooperating with Army, Navy and Air Force troops, engaged in the Exercise.
The Exercise aims to enhance special operation capabilities and maintain combat readiness at all levels, and this has become extremely popular and very well accepted, Brigadier Ralph Nugera, Director Training had reportedly commented.
Covering a vast patch of island's jungle areas, coupled with simultaneous mock seaborne and airborne operations, the Exercise at its final stages expects to join with Army troops for direct onslaughts against enemy strongholds.
The whole concept of having such joint military Exercises was mooted by Secretary Defence and Urban Development Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa a few years ago with a view to transmitting and sharing the sea of experiences the Sri Lanka Army gathered in successfully conducting the world's biggest humanitarian operation.
The preparatory phases of the annual joint military 'Exercise - Cormorant Strike V - 2014', with more than 2500 tri-service personnel began in earnest from Mannar, Wanni, Matale and several other locations in the East under the command of Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri, Exercise Director, three weeks ago.
This Army-initiated mock Field Training Exercise (FTX), organized and implemented in close cooperation with Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force has been designed for deployment of their troops in a war milieu of Special Operations at any given moment and planned for conduct of joint operations as one team, using manoeuvrist approach, encompassing planning, execution and command.
It also focuses on planning, preparations, formulations, coordination, command, control, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), execution of Special Operations within given frameworks and is organized by the Directorate of Training at Army Headquarters.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, contributing to the initial preparatory phases of the Exercise, maintains that the Sri Lanka Army, having defeated the world's most ruthless terrorist outfit, should sustain the status quo in relation to national security concerns and be always well-geared to take on any future challenge against the country or her people as the most prominent defender of the nation.
Brigadier R.G. Upali Rajapaksa, Exercise Deputy Director, Brigadier H. H.A. S. P Senarathna, Special Operation Commander, Lieutenant Colonel W.T.W.G Ihalage, Exercise Brigade Commander Special Forces and Colonel D.M.U.G Bandara, Exercise Brigade Commander, Commando are already in respective areas, readying for final preparatory arrangements.
Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri, Exercise Director, Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera, Director Media and Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force representatives were also associated with the press briefing.
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