Navy Commander observes Cormorant Strike VIII FTX
 

The joint tri-services Field Training Exercise (FTX), 'Cormorant Strike VIII - 2017', organized by the Sri Lanka Army for the 8th consecutive year, is taking place covering the Eastern Province. The State Minister of Defence, Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Kapila Waidyaratne, PC, were also present today (14 September 2017) to witness the troops in action staging a simulated multi-pronged joint amphibious attack on enemy hideouts.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Travis Sinniah, the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy were also present as observers of the ‘Critical Engagement ‘ phase of the exercise at Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee.

370 Sri Lanka Navy personnel are taking part in the annual joint exercise along with 2,160 Army and 197 Air Force personnel as well as 69 foreign counterparts from Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Russia, USA, Brazil, Sudan, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Turkey, Iran and Kenya.

The largest joint field exercise in the country is aimed at enhancing the preparation, operational readiness and efficiency of Special Operational Forces. It has been augmented with the participation of an elite contingent of naval personnel along with a range of SLN platforms such as, gun boats SLNS Ranavijaya, SLNS Edithara II, and SLNS Wickrama II, landing craft L 820 and L 821, 06 Fast Attack Craft and 10 Inshore Patrol Craft. Commodore Udeni Serasinghe functions as the Joint Force Naval Component Commander.

The multi-national Field Training Exercise commenced at the mock Operational Headquarters at the SLA’s Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Minneriya on 03 September.