Recently former Sri Lankan President and current PM Mahinda Rajapaksha confirmed that during the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil war the rebels(LTTE) used a tactic which was totally new to the World. He confirmed that SL Air force jets were unable to launch air-to-air missiles on Rebel planes.
During the final years(2007–2009) of the Sri lankan Civil War the rebels(LTTE) introduced World’s first and only non-state Air Force .
Image: LTTE pilots on improvised Zlin Z 143 planes.
To avoid getting shot by SLAF(Sri Lankan Air Force) Jets’ air-to-air missiles the rebels have diverted the plane’s exhaust from rear to other direction. As a result SLAF Jets was unable to lock and launch IR guided Air-to-air missiles on rebel plane. The rebels carried out totally 9 air missions and 8 times their planes were able to return back safely. The final and 9th raid was a suicide mission so they were not expected to return back and were shot down by Anti-Aircraft guns and not by any Fighter jets.
Image: LTTE chief Prabhakaran(R) with senior commander Shankar(L) at an LTTE pilot training ground in late 1990s.
When the reports of LTTE planes being seen emerged in mid-1990s GoSL rejected the rumors and claimed that it was another psychological tactic of LTTE. When they faced the reality in 2007 they were totally unprepared for that.
SLAF was still using the outdated IR Guided missile technology. As a result it can only detect extreme heat coming from the exhaust of the plane to lock and launch.
With no extreme heat was detected SLAF planes couldn’t lock and launch the air-to-air missiles on LTTE planes.
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