Trincomalee is the heart of the navy. During the years of conflict we were all familiar with the word Dvora (a word originating from Israel). It evoked images of a boat sailing at top speed with her guns blazing. These boats are a formidable line of defence for our island nation. To understand the operations of this elite sailing fleet I went to their Command Head Quarters at Naval Dockyard, Trincomalee. There were many grey boats anchored at the pier. Some of the sailors were coming ashore after routine patrols at sea and other crewmen were getting ready to sail. My liaison officer Lieutenant Commander Lakmal Ranasinghe directed me to the office of the Commanding Officer, 4th Fast Attack Flotilla, Captain Damian Fernando.
The need for the FACs (fast attack craft) was realised in the early 1980s when the LTTE was slowly increasing its capacity at sea and its ability to attack with small boats. In 1985 the first FAC was brought to Sri Lanka from Israel, and subsequently other FACs were added forming the Dvora Squadron on September 14, 1988. The boats are all about speed and mobility, resonating the words of British Admiral Horatio Nelson “Time is everything, five minutes makes a big difference between victory and defeat”. The initial Dvora vessels made an important contribution in securing sea lanes and escorting large troop deployments via the sea.
Captain Fernando explained “The role of the FAC at that time was advance movement, screening travel routes, deterring seaborne attacks and disturbing the logistics supply (movement at sea) of the enemy craft. This comes under a broader spectrum of counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations. Today, our men are actively involved in prevention of piracy and smuggling. We train for search and rescue operations. I am honoured to work with such disciplined and brave men.”
The Fast Attack Flotilla has two outstanding heroes who laid down their young lives, and their indomitable courage is a true example of sacrifice for the motherland. Lieutenant Commander Jude Wijethunge is the first of such naval heroes. On March 30, 1996, he was the skipper of Dvora P-458 tasked with the duty of escorting a large vessel carrying many troops. His vessel had absorbed gun fire from enemy craft, and his crew was incapacitated. Realising that the suicide boat would target the larger vessel he had to take a split second decision. Young Wijethunge revved up his engine and intercepted the speeding suicide boat. The boat rammed into P-458 causing an explosion. Jude Wijethunge was killed in an instant. His magnificent gallantry had saved the lives of those on the larger vessel. He became the first navy officer to be awarded the PWV Medal (the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya, the highest medal for bravery awarded to members of the armed forces in Sri Lanka).
Another young officer who made the ultimate sacrifice is Lieutenant Commander Lalith Edirisinghe. On May 11, 2006 Edirisinghe was in charge of Dvora P-418. The vessel was on patrol when they observed a buildup of sea tiger craft. Soon the Pearl Cruise ferry with 710 soldiers, policemen and civilians was to pass this way, escorted by 2 FACs. The men of Dvora P- 418 realized the impending threat. Taking their action stations the men moved forward to intercept the terrorist onslaught. Young Edirisinghe had suddenly spotted one large suicide boat speeding directly towards the Pearl Cruise ferry. Undeterred, he steered his Dvora positioning the boat to cover the ferry. The suicide boat rammed and exploded into P-418 causing a large cloud of smoke. Lieutenant Commander Edirisinghe and his sailors were no more. This prudent officer had to make a momentuos decision within a fraction of a second. As the ancient Chinese General Sun Tzu said “Quickness is the essence of the war”, and in that essence skipper Edirisinghe’s instant decision on that day saved the lives of 710 people onboard the Pearl Cruise ferry. This incident reminds me of a quote by the American Admiral Chester Nimitz” Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best”.
It was time to go onboard Super Dvora class vessel P- 4443 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Asoka Ekanayaka. A Dvora can range between 25-29 metres (length) with a displacement of 72 tons. The main armament is the 30mm Bushmaster gun, along with other guns. This modern Dvora and her 17 man crew were getting ready to demonstrate how they would respond to an enemy encounter. Being built for interception and assault the boat can reach almost 50 knots. The skipper takes his seat in the wheel house. The radar indicates an approaching enemy vessel. Within seconds the well trained crew takes up their positions climbing up and down ladders. The gunner dons his body armour and ballistic helmet and stands at the main gun.
The skipper can also operate the vessel from the upper deck, where two gunners and an alert sentry with binoculars scout the ocean. Working on a Dvora is not for every sailor. It takes a unique set of sailors who can operate within limited space.
We walk down to the small galley (kitchen) where the sailors cook. There are no assigned cooks on a Dvora, as in comparison to a large OPV (off shore patrol vessel). Within weeks of deployment all sailors learn to cook. The close knit team learns to multi task, learning the art of navigation, vessel repair and firefighting. The crews also practise the MOB drill- Man Overboard, when a sailor may fall off the vessel while at sea and the situation requires an immediate rescue.
After sipping a glass of avocado juice we go into the tight space of the crew quarters which has bunk beds. The men maintain a 24 hour watch. The sea endurance of a Dvora is 48 hours, although if required they can be at sea for 72 hours. Consistent training is done to augment the sailor’s skills. Mark Twain once said “Courage is resistance to fear”, and for the sailors of the Dvora known no fear. The men of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla are deployed around our nation’s coast, primed and ready.
