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India carries out checks of missiles, provides Indra Mk-II radar spares

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/18

As part of India’s commitment to maintaining high serviceability of weapons equipment provided by the government of India to Sri Lankan armed forces, an Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 aircraft landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport on Jan. 10 with 341 Indra Radar Spares worth LKR 200 million to augment maintenance support for four INDRA Mk-II Air Surveillance Radars, gifted to Sri Lanka Air Force by the government of India in 2011, the Indian HC said, yesterday (17).

Sri Lanka has been accorded the status of ‘Priority One’ partner by India, the IHC said.

The following is the text of the IHC statement: “The spares were formally presented to the Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, by High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay at a grand function organised by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) at SLAF Base, Katunayake. These spares would ensure continued optimal availability of the radars and provide the much needed redundancy to the SLAF. Indian Defence Forces have remained committed towards ensuring high operational availability and capacity building Sri Lanka Defence forces, towards realisation of India’s Vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).The INDRA Mk II radars is mobile 2D radar capable of detecting low flying aircraft. It was developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) wing of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The radar has been manufactured by M/s Bharat Electronics and is the main stay of the SLAF Surveillance capability. With friendly assistance from India, SLAF has been able to maintain 100% operational availability of the system. It is testimony to the technological prowess of India’s defence research and development sector and reliability of the products of Indian defence industry.

“The event also marked the successful completion of annual life extension checks of 54 shoulder launched surface to air IGLA Missiles held with Sri Lanka Air Force. The IGLA System was gifted to GoSL by the Govt of India in 2007. Thereafter, Indian Air Force Training Team had assisted Sri Lanka Air Force in setting up of the system and have also conducted multiple courses on the missile system. Further, to ensure the operational availability of the IGLA missiles, they are annually taken by IAF for Life Extension check as a goodwill gesture. The entire expenditure of airlifting the missiles, their Life Extension and their repositioning is borne by the Govt of India, in the spirit of strong and friendly relations between the two countries. The assurance of India’s fullest cooperation in the field of security was recently reiterated to Sri Lanka’s leadership by the National Security Adviser of India, Mr Ajit Doval during the recently concluded trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation talks among India, Sri Lanka and Maldives hoisted by Sri Lanka in November 2020. The expeditious positioning of the spares and the Igla Missiles is indicative of the growing cooperation, camaraderie and friendship between the two nations, with Sri Lanka being accorded the status of ‘Priority One’ partner by India.”

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.