By Colombo Telegraph -March 5, 2013

“The Ambassador noted that Army Chief General Fonseka would be able to get the status of the Bushmasters during his visit to Washington later this month. The Ambassador also urged the GSL to receive at a high level a team from Raytheon coming the week of November 13 to discuss Raytheon’s offer of aerial radars on Beechcraft. Such radars would greatly increase GSL capacity to detect LTTE re-supply efforts several hundred miles offshore. Rajapakse said this was an important visit.”  the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Blake wrote “Rajapakse explained that the LTTE is far stronger than is commonly believed. He cited a November 9 attack by 20 LTTE boats on a seven vessel GSL naval convoy south of Point Pedro off the east coast of Jaffna. The LTTE boats engaged in a pincer action during which they managed to separate two GSL vessels, which LTTE suicide boats then rammed and sank. Admiral Samarasinghe said 5 sailors had been killed, fifteen were missing and presumed dead, and four had been captured by the LTTE. He explained that the action came at a time when the Navy is already stretched thin because it is escorting humanitarian convoys from Colombo to help re-supply Jaffna”

“The Ambassador noted that in initial briefings he had received from the Sri Lankan military when he arrived in September, the GSL had believed they had inflicted heavy losses on the LTTE. How had the LTTE been able to reconstitute capabilities so fast? Rajapakse explained the LTTE had been able to re-supply the parts and other equipment lost, which was why they could now increase their operational tempo. He reiterated the urgent need for Bushmaster weapons so that the LTTE could not outgun the Sri Lankan navy. The Ambassador noted that Army Chief General Fonseka would be able to get the status of the Bushmasters during his visit to Washington later this month. The Ambassador also urged the GSL to receive at a high level a team from Raytheon coming the week of November 13 to discuss Raytheon’s offer of aerial radars on Beechcraft. Such radars would greatly increase GSL capacity to detect LTTE re-supply efforts several hundred miles offshore. Rajapakse said this was an important visit.” he further wrote.