MULLAITIVU: 57 DIVISION troops continuing to conduct extensive searches further deep into newly-liberated KUPPIKULAM, PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU areas for the first time uncovered a useable 106 mm Recoilless Rifle (RCL) that had been kept meticulously intact inside a lonely house for eventual use by evicted Tiger terrorists.
The RCL, kept hidden in the entire sitting room of a large house, believed to have been vehemently frequented by terrorists after driving away the inmates, was the first-ever serviceable weapon of that kind, found by valiant troops who are now conducting extensive search and clear operations in those areas under the command of Major General Jagath Dias, General Officer Commanding, 57 Division.
The 219 kg heavy, 3.4 m long weapon with a firing range of 2200-8400 meters at maximum has a caliber of 106 mm, just taking a minute for loading one round at a time. The most effective range for the weapon stands at 1200 m for static targets and 900 m for moving targets, according to military specifications. The weapon that can be easily deflected too uses four types of ammunition, namely HEAT, HE, HEPT and HESH. Its penetrating power exceeds a little more than 16 x 20 cm iron plate and is generally produced in Asian weapon markets. The two types, 105 mm and 106 mm of the weapon have been produced in 1985. All the signs point to the fact that the weapon has been taken into PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU jungles as the troops were moving further north.
The weapon that can be mounted even on a vehicle using the space between its driver and the rifle operator can be selectively used for bunker, tank, vehicle or any other blasting.
Earlier, after the humanitarian operation in WANNI started, troops recovered three more dismantled RCL barrels of the terrorists, including a damaged one in April this year.
57 Division troops on 4th April 2009 found two RCL barrels from PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU west as the troops went rolling. Again on 11th April one more partly damaged RCL barrel was recovered from the same area in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU, but all of them without their operative tripods. Wednesday’s (29) recovery of this complete 106 mm RCL is regarded one of the major gains, hitherto made by 57 Division troops.
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