(Lanka-e-News -30.March.2016, 11.30PM) The Sri Lanka Navy destroying two ships which were as far as 1700 meters away, with LTTE cadres carrying arms during the final phase of the Eelam war is indeed an epoch in Sri Lanka ‘s history. Never before such an enemy ship at that long distance away had been destroyed by our Navy. The Amercan warship that provided communication ,intelligence messages , guided and provided information to the Navy to accomplish that feat is these days anchored at the Colombo harbour.
This warship bearing the name ‘Blue Ridge’ which reinforces the US battle power in the Asia Pacific zone attached to the camp of Yokosuka, Japan ,is the chief commanding ship belonging to the seventh fleet of the US which comprises 70 ships and 300 aircrafts. In addition this ship ‘ Blue Ridge’ controls the main communication exchanges of the seventh fleet garnering intelligence information .It is 637 feet long and has a height of 108 feet. This huge vessel has a total of 1173 marines employed in it .
Day before yesterday (28), president Maithripala Sirisena visited the ship Blue Ridge and did an inspection . He was welcomed by the present commanding officer Joseph P. Aucoin and Athul Keshap , the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka (SL) . A souvenir was gifted to the president.
Later a dinner was hosted within the ship to the American friends in SL . Speaker Karu Jayasuriya , foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera , minister of justice Wijedasa Rajapakse , SL Navy Commander , ministers Susil Premajayantha , Rauff Hakeem and many others attended the dinner . After a gigantic cake was cut with the sword of the commanding officer of the vessel , the dinner commenced.
This famous warship that is anchored in the Colombo Port for the last days is due to conduct a naval execrcise during this period jointly with the SL Navy on how to rescue those who face disasters and in peril .
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by (2016-03-30 21:46:44)
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I suppose 1700 meters should read as 1700 kilometers?
-- by Frank on 2016-03-31
