What went wrong?
· An inaccurate estimate at the opposition the helicopters would face is one thing. No one had a clue to the ferocity of the LTTE opposition at the Landing ground – instead of the unopposed landings, it turned out to be a desperate battle for survival.
· The Sikh LI troops were inadequately trained or equipped for the SHBO. SHBOs required troops familiar with embarking and disembarking the Helicopter in quick time. All equipment ammunition would have to be carried on a manpack basis. The Sikh LI troops were unfamiliar with the SHBOs as well as got bogged down with the 500Kg heavy ammunition boxes. It is considered highly probable that the ammunition could not be passed onto the Sikh soldiers in time.
· The Sikh LI troops were also not given enough time to get battle innoculated. They had just then arrived from Gwalior and were pushed into battle within a day. The sudden exposure to battle was a jolt to them. On the other hand, the Para Commandos were at their peak. They carried all ammunition and equipment on a manpack basis and their battle drill was very efficient.
· The four Mi-8s available for the operations was insufficient – The helidrop to land the 480 troops needed much more higher air support – but the outbreak of hostilities was not forecasted – and the operation could not be delayed till more air support could come in. Maj Gen Harkirat Singh, GOC 54 Div, in the interview with rediff.com mentions that he had put in a request for nine helicopters which was bought down four just before the raid. He mentions that he had communicated this requirement to the GOC in C Southern Command, Lt Gen Depinder Singh and he received a confirmation from Maj Gen AS Kalkat, CoS of the IPKF HQ in Madras that the airlift capability had been sanctioned. When and where this was failed to be communicated to the IAF has not been clear.
......he will be ok after 1 day...have patience..
