Intending to see for himself, and formally thank all those who sweated to make the Army-pioneered mock ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike V - 2014’ a resounding success, the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, called at Pulmoddai, Kalarawa where the simulated enemy camp attacks in the final phase of the Exercise, took place on Wednesday (24) and Thursday (25).
With a total of 41 foreign service personnel, either as participants or observers in the operation proper, ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike V - 2014’, together with a record 4300 service personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force participating, got underway on September 3 in the Thoppigala and Punnakuda jungles and surrounding areas, Commanded by Exercise Director Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army Wednesday (24) evening together with a host of senior most tri-service officers, witnessed another mock operation on an enemy camp at Punneikuda, launched by Sri Lanka Army Commandos where MI 24 and MIG fighting jets as well as Naval fighter craft, provided their cover against the enemy.
Simulating rescue operations, operations of joint amphibious task forces, induction and de-induction of the troops, siege of safe houses, under water missions, mock ambushes of unconventional types, planning, preparations, formulations, coordination, commands, control, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), operations within given time frames, air and sea rescue operations, attacks on hideouts, intelligence gathering, etc made up of the entire composition of the ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike V - 2014’.
This year’s 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 reached its climax by Wednesday (24) evening.
Representing seven countries, such as Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, China and the Maldives, those foreign servicemen witnessed mock attacks on makeshift Air Defence Control Headquarters at Thoppigala and elsewhere throughout the whole of the final phase.
Ambassador for Brazil and several diplomats arrived at the closing phase and the medal/certificate awarding parade Thursday (25) morning at Kallarawa where the combined troops of the Special Forces showed their skills and carried out a ferocious attack on another enemy camp.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake during a brief interaction with the visiting Ambassador and other diplomats explained the distinct objective and importance behind such training of Special Forces and Commandos which are a part of any country’s pride and dignity.
The whole concept of having such joint military exercises, was mooted by Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development a few years ago with a view to transmitting and sharing the sea of experiences the Sri Lanka Army and the services, gathered in successfully conducting the world's biggest humanitarian operation to defeat ruthless terrorism.
The Exercise, meticulously designed by Army Directorate of Training, aims to enhance special operation capabilities and maintain combat readiness at all levels, and this has become extremely popular and very well accepted.
Covering a vast patch of island's jungle areas, coupled with simultaneous mock seaborne and airborne operations, the Exercise during its final stages joins with Army troops for direct onslaughts against enemy strongholds.
The preparatory phase began in earnest from Mannar, Wanni, Matale and several other locations in the East in August.
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.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, 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.
Brig R.G. Upali Rajapaksa, Exercise Deputy Director, Brig H. H.A. S. P Senarathna, Special Operation Commander, Lt Col W.T.W.G Ihalage, Exercise Brigade Commander Special Forces and Col D.M.U.G Bandara, Exercise Brigade Commander, Commando actively contributed to the Exercise, joining from the day one of its planning.
At the closing ceremony at Kallarawa, afterwards this morning (25), the Commander posed for a group photo with all the participants and pinned para-wings on those para-jumpers who took part in the Exercise. Later on, at the invitation of the Exercise Director Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri, Commander of the Army, appreciating the participation of all local and foreign military personnel in the Exercise, gave away certificates of participation to all as tokens of memory and goodwill.
The Special Operations Forces of any country, as you all know, mostly play a significant role in the provision of security and maintenance of peace. They are the elite military outfits, organized with specialized training and equipment, structured for the purpose of specifically designated tasks to infiltrate into hostile territory through land, sea, or air, so said the Commander of the Army in a brief address to the gathering.
Underlining the importance of these types of intermittent training exercises to all armies, he further said that this multi-national exercise would serve as a platform for sharing of one another’s experiences in various operational scenarios since it is now an annual event in the Army calendar.
He congratulated all of them on the successful completion of the Joint Services Special Operation Field Training Exercise ‘Cormorant Strike V - 2014’ before the end of the brief ceremony.
The Special Operation Forces during the exercise are trained with an array of rigorous, strong, and unique training schedules to take up any challenge during battles of hostile missions. Individual and small units with specialized, often unconventional combat skills, are applied with adaptability, improvisation, innovation and self-reliance as per the scope of the whole exercise.
The Ex-Cormorant Strike is the largest field exercise in the country, which is conducted for specialized operations forces to maintain their highest physical efficiency and specialization in special operational tactics, techniques, procedures, and skills, to be employed for specialized tasks which may come in handy whenever the security of the country is threatened.
“Today I am very much proud and happy to state that this fifth consecutive exercise marks yet another significant landmark in the history of the Sri Lanka Army for developing it to a Multi-national Joint services Special Operations Field Training Exercise to fulfill the requirements of the services and consequently the Nation. Achievements of this Exercise are multifarious,” the Commander further added.
He also thanked Commander of the Navy and Commander of the Air Force for the cordial cooperation and extensive support, extended through their men and assets for the successful completion of the exercise, without which the exercise wouldn‘t have been a success.
“I take this opportunity to admire our foreign officers and their contribution. I am particularly grateful to friendly foreign countries for accepting our invitation and sending observers and active participants for the exercise. It was certainly an exchange of experience and military training modules of battle preparedness where all parties are benefited. I am sure that members of the friendly foreign countries would have gained and exchanged their knowledge and skills with wide experience of Sri Lankan Special Operations Forces,” the Commander had gone on record saying.
With a total of 41 foreign service personnel, either as participants or observers in the operation proper, ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike V - 2014’, together with a record 4300 service personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force participating, got underway on September 3 in the Thoppigala and Punnakuda jungles and surrounding areas, Commanded by Exercise Director Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army Wednesday (24) evening together with a host of senior most tri-service officers, witnessed another mock operation on an enemy camp at Punneikuda, launched by Sri Lanka Army Commandos where MI 24 and MIG fighting jets as well as Naval fighter craft, provided their cover against the enemy.
Simulating rescue operations, operations of joint amphibious task forces, induction and de-induction of the troops, siege of safe houses, under water missions, mock ambushes of unconventional types, planning, preparations, formulations, coordination, commands, control, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), operations within given time frames, air and sea rescue operations, attacks on hideouts, intelligence gathering, etc made up of the entire composition of the ‘Exercise Cormorant Strike V - 2014’.
This year’s 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 reached its climax by Wednesday (24) evening.
Representing seven countries, such as Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, China and the Maldives, those foreign servicemen witnessed mock attacks on makeshift Air Defence Control Headquarters at Thoppigala and elsewhere throughout the whole of the final phase.
Ambassador for Brazil and several diplomats arrived at the closing phase and the medal/certificate awarding parade Thursday (25) morning at Kallarawa where the combined troops of the Special Forces showed their skills and carried out a ferocious attack on another enemy camp.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake during a brief interaction with the visiting Ambassador and other diplomats explained the distinct objective and importance behind such training of Special Forces and Commandos which are a part of any country’s pride and dignity.
The whole concept of having such joint military exercises, was mooted by Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development a few years ago with a view to transmitting and sharing the sea of experiences the Sri Lanka Army and the services, gathered in successfully conducting the world's biggest humanitarian operation to defeat ruthless terrorism.
The Exercise, meticulously designed by Army Directorate of Training, aims to enhance special operation capabilities and maintain combat readiness at all levels, and this has become extremely popular and very well accepted.
Covering a vast patch of island's jungle areas, coupled with simultaneous mock seaborne and airborne operations, the Exercise during its final stages joins with Army troops for direct onslaughts against enemy strongholds.
The preparatory phase began in earnest from Mannar, Wanni, Matale and several other locations in the East in August.
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.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, 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.
Brig R.G. Upali Rajapaksa, Exercise Deputy Director, Brig H. H.A. S. P Senarathna, Special Operation Commander, Lt Col W.T.W.G Ihalage, Exercise Brigade Commander Special Forces and Col D.M.U.G Bandara, Exercise Brigade Commander, Commando actively contributed to the Exercise, joining from the day one of its planning.
At the closing ceremony at Kallarawa, afterwards this morning (25), the Commander posed for a group photo with all the participants and pinned para-wings on those para-jumpers who took part in the Exercise. Later on, at the invitation of the Exercise Director Brigadier A.M.R Dharmasiri, Commander of the Army, appreciating the participation of all local and foreign military personnel in the Exercise, gave away certificates of participation to all as tokens of memory and goodwill.
The Special Operations Forces of any country, as you all know, mostly play a significant role in the provision of security and maintenance of peace. They are the elite military outfits, organized with specialized training and equipment, structured for the purpose of specifically designated tasks to infiltrate into hostile territory through land, sea, or air, so said the Commander of the Army in a brief address to the gathering.
Underlining the importance of these types of intermittent training exercises to all armies, he further said that this multi-national exercise would serve as a platform for sharing of one another’s experiences in various operational scenarios since it is now an annual event in the Army calendar.
He congratulated all of them on the successful completion of the Joint Services Special Operation Field Training Exercise ‘Cormorant Strike V - 2014’ before the end of the brief ceremony.
The Special Operation Forces during the exercise are trained with an array of rigorous, strong, and unique training schedules to take up any challenge during battles of hostile missions. Individual and small units with specialized, often unconventional combat skills, are applied with adaptability, improvisation, innovation and self-reliance as per the scope of the whole exercise.
The Ex-Cormorant Strike is the largest field exercise in the country, which is conducted for specialized operations forces to maintain their highest physical efficiency and specialization in special operational tactics, techniques, procedures, and skills, to be employed for specialized tasks which may come in handy whenever the security of the country is threatened.
“Today I am very much proud and happy to state that this fifth consecutive exercise marks yet another significant landmark in the history of the Sri Lanka Army for developing it to a Multi-national Joint services Special Operations Field Training Exercise to fulfill the requirements of the services and consequently the Nation. Achievements of this Exercise are multifarious,” the Commander further added.
He also thanked Commander of the Navy and Commander of the Air Force for the cordial cooperation and extensive support, extended through their men and assets for the successful completion of the exercise, without which the exercise wouldn‘t have been a success.
“I take this opportunity to admire our foreign officers and their contribution. I am particularly grateful to friendly foreign countries for accepting our invitation and sending observers and active participants for the exercise. It was certainly an exchange of experience and military training modules of battle preparedness where all parties are benefited. I am sure that members of the friendly foreign countries would have gained and exchanged their knowledge and skills with wide experience of Sri Lankan Special Operations Forces,” the Commander had gone on record saying.
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