20th August 2021 12:00:04 Hours
Adding a new dimension to the field of Sri Lanka's amphibious military parachuting operability that goes hand in hand with the Army Commander's 'Way Forward Strategy 2020 -2025' for the first time, a total of one Officer and 25 Other Ranks of Tri Services who followed the 'Special Pathfinder Course No: 2 for Water Landing and Combat Air Training' at Kuda Oya-based Commando Regiment (CR) Training School in order to improve chances for survival from both intentional and unintentional water landings, had their final Exercise segment at Maduru Oya reservoir on Monday (23) before they passed out.
The Exercise after completion of the 5-week long military training was combinedly launched with the support of the Sri Lanka Navy diving team, MI-17 Helicopter Squadron of the Air Force, Special Forces Training School, Combat Diving Team of the Commando Regiment, Special Forces Combat Diving Squadron, for the trainees inclusive members of tri service elite units, such as the Special Forces team, Commando Regiment team with a view to improving their amphibian skills with special focus on Water Landing from an altitude of some 25,000 ft, where modules for entry into land combat operations, offensives, aerial operations and landing through static line parachutes were prioritized.
The Course, designed and meticulously planned by the Parachute unit in the Commando Regiment also identified varying strategies for entry into enemy strongholds, parachute landing techniques and locations, selection of the accurate landing spots, security of landing points, mobilization of troops for combat operations, helicopter landing and preparation of ground work, etc and offered extensive training to the attendees for such tasks. Amphibious warfare includes operations, defined by their type, purpose, scale and means of execution.
The Course was brought to successful completion under the guidance and close supervision of Major General A. K. G. K. U Gnanarathne, Colonel of the Regiment Commando Regiment, Brigadier Vijitha Hettiarachchi, Commando Brigade Commander, Brigadier Shymal Silva, Centre Commandant of the Commando Regiment and the Commandant at CR Training School.
On 29 January 1990, the introducing Parachute Training Course for Tri service personnel was inducted at Ganemulla Commando Regiment HQ with the participation of a team of CR troops. The history of parachute jumps in Sri Lanka is however traced to 29th December 1979 after a team of 3 Officers and 23 Other Ranks of the CR in Sri Lanka upon successful completion of the basic training at Agra Parachute Training School returned to the island from India. Major S. D Peiris, founder of the CR joined history as the first Sri Lankan who did parachute jumps, and the current Parachute Combat Air Training and Pathfinder Training Course is fully supplemented with free-style falls, airborne jumps, jump master falls, maintenance module, and all other associated strategies and needs for air falls.
