COLOMBO May 4: The Sri Lankan Tamil rebels have restarted the separatist war with a bang. introducing knti-alr craft missiles into the 11 year-old conflict for the first time, and throwing the military Into confusion. The rebels have killed close to 150 soldiers in the first ten days of the war which Sri Lankan newspapers are calling Eelam War 3'.

Two British made "Avro troop transporters were blown up with missiles by the rebels, killing all 94 soldiers and three Journalists on board in the first week of the war. gaining a major psychological ad vantage over the military

"The key advantage the military had In the past 11 years was that It has total air supremacy. The LTTE (the Liberation Tigers of Tamil EeUmi only had 150 machine guns till the early 1990s. They acquired a few anti aircraft cannon in the early 199Os but the air force has no big problems about these. But the heat seeking missiles are a different story." a senior air force official conceded.

Even with the limited antiaircraft fire power the rebels did manage to hold off helicopters from landing in the crucial Elephant Pass army camp in northern Sri Lanka in their abortive attempt to overrun the camp in June 1991. The missiles attacks took the armed forces completely by surprise.

"Although we knew that the LTTE have been trying very hard to acquire anti-aircraft missiles we had no information that they had succeeded." military intelligence officials said.

The Air Force provided crucial support in the form of air cover and close group support for the army in offensive operations and in defending their camps. Air Force provided the crucial ground sup port and casualty evacuation that allowed the military to operate in rebel controlled areas without having to keep a land supply line with its camps. Some of the camps in the north are also totally dependent on air supplies Willi the air force h<»|’ having hn.i|

superiority in the- Northern Theatre until it can come up with counter measures for the missiles some of the camps are facing major problems

The LTW had to attack cagnps in the night and cease their attacks during day time because the Air Force attack aircraft and helicopters would come into operations as soon as there was enough light The Air Force shook: have gone for night capability long lime ago." former Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshall Harry Gune tillake told the Pioneer laat week. Three days later his son. an Air Force pilot who was piloting the second ill-fated Avro was killed in the missile

The camp that is under immediate threat from the rebels is the highly cor> tentioud Pooneryn army camp in the northern mainland. The rebels overran the camp in 1994 killing more than 600 soldiers and military had to launch a major sea and air operation to recapture the camp The removal of the camp which would allow the rebels unhampered access to the mainland from their stronghold of Jaffna peninsula was one of the key demands of the rebels during 7 months of peace talks with the government of President Chindrika Bandarnaike Kumaratunga. President Kumaratunga refused to withdraw the camp saying It had crucial military significance. As far as we are concerned the camp is much stronger that it was last year. LTTE will not be able to overrun the camp despite limited air cover we can provide. But when they can do is lay a siege on the camp and cut off air and sea access," Brigadier Sarath Munasinghe, the military spokesman. said.

The military also worried by reports that the rebels have also acquired ultra light aircraft and have trained suicide pilots. Earlier military intelligence confirmed that the Air Force had bombed a runway constructed by the rebels in the Kilinochchi jungles in the north. The army can do very little l<> coiuMer Kamikaze at-

tarks on their air fields and camps.

The rebels are also expected to concentrate their attacks on the navy Two naval ships were sunk by rebel frogmen in a suicide attack on the Trincomalee Navy base just liours after the rebels announced that they were pulling out of the peace process A similar attack on the Kankas, niturai Navy base was averted when alert sentries shot three frogmen Tae LTTE Is trying to cripple the military supply lines to their camps in the north They have strengthened their sea arm and by creating an air ann the rebels have now become a lully fledged con ventton army. They are not a guerrilla force any more P -‘Sivaram. the respected colurn nisi Of the Sunday Island newspaper said '

The rebel tactics wouM put greater pressure on the null tary to regain the rebel held laffna peninsula. The only way i he imiitary can put pressure on the LTTE now is to go for Jaffna and push the LTTE Into the Jungles, a retired senior military official said. However the arrfiy Is at least six months away from-being in a position to launch such an attack. The controversial deal with Russia to purchase the necessary military equipment was cancelled by the government during the peace talks and now teams from the three forces are visiting Russia and China to purchase the weapons. The army have asked for at least 200 track armoured personnel carriers (APC) and heavy field guns while the Navy is looking for petrol crafts, war ships and landing craft. The Air Force needs Transport aircraft and transport helicopters. The army says they need the ability to fight a fast moving war the Jaffna peninsula and the track APCs are crucial for mobility. "1 always took the positions that the government should go all the way to find a peaceful solution but must be prepared for war if the peace talks failed. But the government was not ready for war. The end result

•is that the LTTE has a six month lead." Air Vice Marshall Guneiillakc said.