In its annual publication "Military Balance 2004-2005", IISS states that the LTTE has "1 Robinson R44 Astro lt (light) helicopter plus 2 lt ac (aircraft) for recce and liaison".
The IISS also states that the Tigers are reported to have some anti-tank guided weapons and surface-to-air missiles (SAM) besides being equipped with 122mm, 152mm artillery and 120mm mortars.
Asked for more details on the capabilities of LTTE aircraft and whether they could be armed and, if so, with what weapons, Colonel Christopher Langton, Editor of Military Balance and Head of the Defence Analysis Department, told The Sunday Times that he could not "supply this information at the moment."
However, Col Langton did explain the linking of the World Tamil Movement and the World Tamil Association with the LTTE, as shown under the head "Selected Non-State Armed Groups".
"The World Tamil Association and the World Tamil Movement are identified as 'front' organisations for the LTTE. The LTTE may operate abroad under those names sometimes, but this is considered to be fairly rare." The two names do not designate other armed groups linked to the LTTE., Col Langton said.
"Perhaps the point is that the LTTE is sophisticated enough to operate under other names and in a foreign context, rather than to necessarily identify a strict parallel or 'alias' between the LTTE, the WTA and the WTM."
It has been suspected for some time that the LTTE was trying to obtain some air power and the discovery of an airstrip somewhere in the Wanni earlier this year appeared to clinch the suspicion.
However, no outside agency, particularly a think-tank also dedicated to accessing and logging the military capabilities of states and non-state armed groups, had so categorically stated the presence of aircraft in the hands of the LTTE.
It now appears that the 2003/2004 edition of Military Balance had also mentioned the LTTE's air 'power'. So it would seem that the LTTE acquired its aircraft in the last year or so. Some observers now wonder whether the large number of packages brought to the country by LTTE delegations returning to Sri Lanka after so-called peace negotiations and which were allowed to pass unopened by the Customs could have contained parts of the light aircraft.
Others believe they were smuggled in along with arms by the LTTE and still others suspect certain diplomatic missions might have used their immunity to slip them to the LTTE.
While the make of the two light aircraft is not in the public domain, some information is available about the R44 Astro helicopter. It is believed that this was developed by an American aeronautical manufacturer Robinson from its early version, the R22.
The R44, which was first produced and delivered in 1993, is believed to have a more capable engine and a higher capacity. It is a fast, high performance 4-place helicopter and is said to have a rugged reliability and is easy to maintain at a low cost.
The Astro is understood to have a cruising speed of 209 km/hour and a service ceiling of 4265 metres.
