US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO460

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, PGOV, PTER, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT FOR SURVEILLANCE RADARS 
FOR STATIC & MOBILE COASTAL RADAR STATIONS 
 
REF: LOR SUBMISSION FOR SURVEILLANCE RADARS FOR BOTH STATIC 
& MOBILE COASTAL RADAR STATIONS 
 
1.  THE GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA HAS SUBMITTED REFERENCE 
(FORWARDED UNDER SEPARATE COVER) REQUEST FOR SURVEILLANCE 
RADARS FOR BOTH STATIC & MOBILE COASTAL RADAR STATIONS. THE 
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE CURRENTLY DESIRES TO ESTABLISH COASTAL 
RADAR STATIONS AND IS REQUESTING FOUR HIGH FREQUENCY OVER 
THE HORIZON SURFACE WAVE RADARS WITH A MINIMUM RANGE OF 200 
NM FOR STATIC RADAR STATIONS AND ONE HIGH FREQUENCY OVER THE 
HORIZON SURFACE WAVE RADAR WITH A MINIMUM RANGE OF 200 NM 
FOR A MOBILE RADAR STATION. 
 
2.  AMEMBASSY COLOMBO STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS SALE AND IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 70003 OF THE SAMM, THE FOLLOWING 
INFORMATION IS SUBMITTED: 
 
  A.  SRI LANKA REQUIRES THE SURVEILLANCE RADARS FOR THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF COASTAL RADAR STATIONS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE 
MARITIME SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY. IN PARTICULAR, THE SRI 
LANKAN NAVY REQUIRES THIS PLATFORM FOR SURVEILLANCE 
OPERATIONS WITHIN THE ECONOMIC EXCLUSIVE ZONE AND IN SUPPORT 
OF GWOT. AT PRESENT, THE SRI LANKAN MILITARY HAS NO COASTAL 
RADAR STATIONS, ONLY SHIP-BASED RADAR SYSTEMS. A US- 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ASSESSMENT OF THE SRI LANKAN MILITARY 
IN SEPTEMBER 2002 REPORTED LIMITED MARITIME SURVEILLANCE AND 
INTERDICTION CAPABILITY TO BE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY IN THE 
WAR AGAINST THE LTTE. ALTHOUGH A CEASE-FIRE HAS BEEN IN 
EFFECT FOR OVER TWO YEARS, THE LTTE SEA TIGERS CONTINUE TO 
OPERATE IN BOTH COASTAL AND INLAND WATERS. GREATER 
SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY IS REQUIRED TO MONITOR THE LTTE 
SHIPPING NETWORK, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED IN 
GUNRUNNING. 
 
  B.  THE ACQUISITION OF THE SURVEILLANCE RADARS AND 
ESTABLISHMENT OF COASTAL RADAR STATIONS WOULD IMPROVE THE 
COUNTRY'S ABILITY TO REACH ITS NATIONAL SECURITY OBJECTIVES 
AND DETER POTENTIAL LTTE VIOLATIONS OF THE CEASE-FIRE 
AGREEMENT BY INCREASING THE SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY OF THE 
SRI LANKAN NAVY. THE INITIATION OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD 
REQUIRE THE SLN TO GENERATE NEW UNITS TO MAN THE RADAR 
STATIONS, CAUSING A SLIGHT ALTERATION IN THE OVERALL 
STRUCTURE OF THE NAVY. 
  C.  WHILE INDIA, SRI LANKA'S CLOSEST AND MOST 
STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT NEIGHBOR, MIGHT VOICE CONCERNS OVER 
THE SPECIFIC POSITIONING OF THE RADAR STATIONS, THEY WOULD 
LIKELY HAVE NO CONCERNS OVER THE ACQUISITION OF SUCH A 
SYSTEM. INDIA CURRENTLY ASSISTS SRI LANKA IN SURVEILLANCE 
OPERATIONS, INCLUDING PATROLS OF THE PALK STRAIT. INDIA 
WOULD LIKELY VIEW SRI LANKA'S ESTABLISHMENT OF COASTAL RADAR 
STATIONS AND THE ACQUISITION OF SURVEILLANCE RADARS 
FAVORABLY AS ANY INCREASED SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY BY THE 
SRI LANKAN NAVY WOULD REDUCE INDIAN NAVY RESPONSIBILITIES. 
 
  D.  TRAINING IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE 
RADAR STATIONS WOULD BE REQUIRED AS A PART OF THE FMS 
PACKAGE. THE SLN WOULD LIKELY TRAIN DEDICATED PERSONNEL TO 
FOCUS ON SURVEILLANCE RADAR MAINTENANCE. WITH APPROPRIATE 
TRAINING, SLN OPERATORS AND MAINTAINERS SHOULD HAVE NO 
TROUBLE KEEPING SUCH SYSTEMS RUNNING. 
 
  E.  THIS SALE SHOULD BE FINANCED WITH COUNTRY FUNDS. 
THESE EXPENSES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL DEFENSE 
PROCUREMENT BUDGET FOR 2004, HOWEVER, SENIOR OFFICIALS HAVE 
INDICATED THAT FUNDING WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. THE OVERALL 
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE TRANSFER ON THE SRI LANKAN ECONOMY IS 
INSIGNIFICANT. 
 
  F.  ALTHOUGH HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATIONS CONTINUE TO BE A 
PRIORITY WITH AMEMBASSY COLOMBO, THE GENERAL LEVEL OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS GUARANTEES IS GOOD AND IMPROVING CONTINUOUSLY IN SRI 
LANKA. THIS CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE PROPOSED 
SALE. 
 
  G.  AMEMBASSY STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THIS 
PROPOSED SALE. 
 
3.  POC FOR THIS ACTION IS LTC RICHARD S. GIRVEN, ARMY AND 
DEFENSE ATTACHE, USDAO COLOMBO, OR MS. HEATHER CARTER, 
MARITIME PROGRAMS SPECIALIST, USDAO COLOMBO. 
 
LUNSTEAD