Sri Lanka Navy

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Sri Lanka Navy
Sri Lanka Navy Insignia
Active	December 9, 1950 - Present
Country	Sri Lanka
Role	Naval and Maritime Defense
Size	20,000^[1]
Part of	Ministry of Defence
Motto	Defenders of the Nation
Anniversaries	December 9
Battles/wars	World War 2,Sri Lankan Civil War, Insurrection 1987-89
Commanders
Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy	Vic. Adm. Wasantha Karannagoda, RSP, USP
Notable commanders	Admiral W.W.E.C. Fernando VSV,ndc, psc,

Sri Lankan Navy Ensign.

The Sri Lankan Navy is the key maritime division of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defence force of Sri Lanka. It conducts maritime operations at sea for the defence of the Sri Lankan nation and its interests. The Sri Lankan Navy is comprised of five commands each being commanded by a flag officer and is ultimately commanded by the Commander of the navy, who exercises his command from the Naval Headquarters in Colombo. The rank structure of the Sri Lankan navy follows that of the Royal Navy.

Sri Lanka situated in the middle of the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean was always a magnet for sea farers. In 1937 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was established. After World War II CNVF was absorbed into the Royal Navy as Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR). After independence from British rule, a nucleus of 100 Officers and Men prepared to form the Regular Navy gradually. On 9th December 1950 the Navy Act was enacted and Royal Ceylon Navy was formed. In 1972, with Sri Lanka becoming a Republic and the introduction of new constitution Royal Ceylon Navy was renamed as the Sri Lanka Navy. In recent years it had played a key role it the Sri Lankan civil war, conducting deep sea, costal & inshore patrols, amphibious and supply operations. The navy has its own elite special forces unit, the Special Boat Squadron.

As a part of the Military of Sri Lanka, the Commander-in-Chief of the Sri Lanka Army is the President of the country.

1 Role
2 History
3 Ranks structurer
- 3.1 Commissioned Officer ranks
- 3.2 Junior Commissioned Officer, Non Commissioned Officer and enlisted ranks
4 Training
5 Fleet
6 Fleet Air Arm
- 6.1 Helicopters
7 External links

[edit] Role

Navy is the most vital defence force of an island nation. The maritime role is to conduct operations at sea for the defence of the nation and its interests.

[edit] History

[edit] The Beginning and World War 2

In January, 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force(CNVF) was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer.On 31st August 1939, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties. Three years later, the CNVF was offered to, and accepted by the Royal Navy (RN) as a Volunteer Reserve, the "Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve", or CRNVR. It continued under RN operational and administrative command till March 1946. With the end of the war, it reverted to Ceylon Government Control, though yet CRNVR in name. In the 1939-1946 period, the CRNVR carried out several operational duties, mainly at sea. Cutting its teeth on the Port Commission Tugs SAMSON and GOLIATH, it later manned and operated trawlers and Antarctic whalers converted as Minesweepers and fitted out with guns, submarine detection equipment and anti-submarine weaponry. They were the H.M. Ships OVERDALE WYKE (the first ship to be purchased by the Government of Ceylon), OKAPI, SEMLA, SAMBHUR, HOXA, BALTA and H.M Tugs BARNET and C 405. In addition it manned several Motor Fishing Vessels (MFV) and miscellaneous auxiliary vessels. All were manned exclusively by CRNVR personnel. These ships were meant to sweep and guard the approaches the harbors but were often used on extended missions outside Ceylon waters. In the course of these operations, the ships came under enemy fire recovered essential information from Japanese Air Craft shot down, sailed to Akyab after the Burma front was opened in two FMVs for harbour duties and, was called upon to accept the surrender of the Italian Light Cruiser ERITREA and escort her to port with a prize crew on board.

[edit] Royal Ceylon Navy

Sri Lankan Navy Troop Transport Ship

After Independence from British rule in 1948 the government believed a island nation should possess a strong navy to be it first line of defense. Therefore on 9th December 1950 the Royal Ceylon Navy was created with Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve forming the nucleus. The first war ship was commissioned H.M.Cy.S. VIJAYA a Algerian class Minesweeper, ex-H.M.S. FLYING FISH along with other patrol boats and tugs. Later the fleet was expanded with , H.M.Cy.S. PARAKRAM another Algerian class Minesweeper (ex-H.M.S. PICKLE), two Canadian built "River" class Frigates H.M.Cy.S. MAHASENA (ex-H.M.C.S. VIOLETTA, ORKNEY and ex-Israeli ship MIVTACH), H.M.Cy.S. GAJABAHU (ex-H.M.C.S. HALLOWELL, ex-Israeli MISNAK) and Ocean going Tug(ex-H.M.S. ADEPT). During the 1971 insurrection the navy sent its sailors for combat operations against the insurgents.

In 1972 the "Dominion of Ceylon" became the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" and the Royal Ceylon Navy became the Sri Lanka Navy. The Naval Ensign along with the Flag Officers' flags were redesigned. The term "Captain of the Navy", introduced in the Navy Act, was changed to "Commander of the Navy", in keeping with the terminology adopted by the other two services. Finally, "Her Majesty's Ceylon Ships" (H.M.Cy.S.) became "Sri Lanka Navy Ships" (SLNS).

[edit] Resent years

At the begin of the civil war in the 1980’s the navy found it self poorly equipped to face the new treats the LTTE created. But this was soon over come by increasing the fleet of patrol boats and the introduction of fast attack crafts. These proved highly successful in limiting the LTTE’s use of the seas. The weapon systems on these were upgraded with time as the sea tigers resorted to using sophisticated suicide crafts against naval crafts. During this time the navy took part in its first amphibious operation in its history. The size of the force along with the fleet increased in the years of war. In the early 80’s a land combat force was created witch at first limited it self to base defense and as its numbers increased took part in offensive operations against terrorists along with the Sri Lankan Army. An elite naval special forces unit called the Special Boat Squadron was created in the late 80’s based on the British Special Boat Service. In 2000 the Navy started a Fleet air arm(FAA) by acquiring a HAL Chetak from India. Today the FAA operates from the two Offshore Patrol Vessels of the fleet. At present conventional warfare capability is increased by the addition of Missile Corvettes.

[edit] Ranks structurer

Main article: Military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Navy

The following tables present the military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Navy. These ranks generally correspond with those of Western or Commonwealth Nations militaries, and reflect those of the British Junior Commissioned Officer and Non Commissioned Officer ranks and the Commissioned officer ranks.

[edit] Commissioned Officer ranks

NATO Code	OF-9⁽¹⁾	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Insignia
Title	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant- Commander	Lieutenant	Sub- Lieutenant	Midshipman
Abbreviation	Adm	VAdm	RAdm	Cdre	Capt	Cdr	Lt Cdr	Lt	S/Lt	Mid
¹ Awarded only when selected as Chief of Defence Staff.

[edit] Junior Commissioned Officer, Non Commissioned Officer and enlisted ranks

NATO Code	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-3	OR-2		OR-1
Insignia						No Insignia
Title	Master Chief Petty Officer	Fleet Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer	Leading Rate	Able Rate	Ordinary Rate	Recruit
Abbreviation	WO1	WO2	CPO	PO	LH	AB	ORD