Sri Lanka Navy celebrates its 58th Anniversary

Sri Lanka Navy has evolved into the present prestigious status as a pioneering, brave and successful maritime force observing the standard naval protocols and executing a tremendously vital role in the present crucial scenario of eradicating the scourge of LTTE terrorism from our motherland. It traces its genesis as far back as the year 1937 when it began its voyage under the name of Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) which was established to meet the objectives and the requirements of the British Imperialist Crown who ruled our country then. Thereafter, it got absorbed into the Royal Navy after the World War II as the Ceylon Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) which eventually turned out to be the Royal Ceylon Navy on 09th of December 1950 consisting of a nucleus of 100 officers and men. In 1972, with the introduction of the first republican constitution, the Royal Ceylon Navy took on its present name, the Sri Lanka Navy.

The humble voyage of the Sri Lanka Navy thus begun, has journeyed many a nautical mile gathering fair winds most of the time since its inception. It has so far been boldly and strategically steered forward by many a stalwart Commanding Officer at the helm. When we trace back along its illustrious history line, we begin to see how the Navy has evolved under all the Commanders who have steered it hitherto. As such, the qualitative and quantitative development in various aspects of the Navy has been in existence all along in varying degrees. However, the resurgence that has taken place in the Navy in the present war scenario under the present Naval High Command stands above them all; unique and inimitable.

In the past, the Navy used to be orthodox and remained largely ceremonial; moreover, as far back as mid 2005, it was complacent about the role it was playing by being only reactive to the threat posed by the emerging LTTE sea power in our territorial waters. This traditionally languid attitude of being only reactive helped the enemy to forge into a force which, at one time some thought that it was a force that was difficult to be tackled because of the superiority it had exhibited in certain encounters with the Navy.

This cliché of the misnomer, largely perpetrated by its supporters and pro-media,  that the LTTE is  powerful at sea and posing a huge  threat to the Navy, has been made to track back towards its nullity because of the timely and strategically prudent measures initiated and implemented by the present Naval High Command who have brought about an all round resurgence in every aspect of the Navy, both at  sea  and  on land  where naval personnel, proving their  prowess ,competence and bravery, stay on constant alert to fight LTTE terrorism. The Navy is being fortified in its task of protecting the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the motherland.

Under the present Naval High Command, weapons in the Navy do not get corroded and blunt by sea breeze; they are kept ever honed as sharp as finely thinned and tempered arrow points; all the craft, from the low profile small Fast Attack Craft, which has proven deadly against LTTE sea tigers, to the big Off Shore Patrol vessel, which destroyed the LTTE international logistics network, remain in constant readiness with ultra modern weapons mounted and competent gunners and sailors ready to meet any enemy attack.

Naval personnel are never idle, jittery, and lethargic; they are agile being physically fit; they are dexterous having been trained by battle experts; they are well groomed in their ardent fervour of love for the motherland. Above all, they are unbelievably patriotic and dedicated to the service they render in safeguarding the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the country. The high quality of their performance, excellent morale in the battle field, unrelenting determination to execute a task assigned, the disciplined and orderly manner in which they act, the fine dexterity, competence and the precision that they exhibit in targeting their enemy and, above all, the humane qualities ingrained in the naval personnel  are the results of the fine training and  the constant care and concern shown towards its men by the competent hands that handle the helm so strategically and shrewdly.

It is in this context that one can witness the Navy coming of age heroically and remarkably leaving from littoral waters to deep blue seas where the Navy caused the destruction of the enemy supply vessels,  which were rightly named as “floating arms warehouses” that fed the LTEE with ultra modern weaponry and warlike materials which the terrorists used against a democratically elected Government and its security forces which are dedicated for the security and the wellbeing of all communities living in the country, irrespective of their ethnicity, religion and language.

Finally, it is pertinent to note that the Navy today has immensely developed with the passage of time ushering in an era where it can transit from its traditionally confined limitations to broader farseeing perspectives with much ease enabling it to register more decisive victories in the annals of the country’s history.

Congratulations Sri Lanka Navy on your 58th Anniversary!