Kfir shot over Iranaimadu
[TamilNet, Monday, 30 April 2007, 11:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force's (SLA) Israeli-built, fast attack aircraft Kfir which took off from Katunayake Air Force base Monday on a bombing raid south of Iranaimadu between 2:45 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. spewed large cloud of smoke as the jet suspended the bombing raid and struggled to maintain height, road traders in Kilinochchi said. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports from Colombo said a kfir has failed to return to Katunayake base.
Air defence wing of the Liberation Tigers told TamilNet that their anti-aircraft defence system is automatically activated when an intrusive aircraft is detected in Iranaimadu area.
Defence analysts have previously speculated that either the LTTE does not have Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs), or the types the LTTE possesses are outdated and cannot be used against supersonic fighters of the calibre of Kfirs.