Page 100 - MDSL Final

MARITIME DOCTRINE OF SRI LANKA

SBS in Action

Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS)

The RABS came into being specializing in small boat combat tactics
during the final phase of the Humanitarian Operation when coastal
strongholds of the LTTE was defeated and SLN filling the vacuum by
moving in small boats for coastal domination and guarding the sea
water flank for the operations in progress. The Squadron is based on
swarming tactics in which a flotilla of small boats, operating as swarm
confronts enemy craft. Together with SBS, the RABS engaged with many
close quarter significant encounters with the enemy up to the final days
of the war in preventing the enemy leadership from escaping the barrier
and compassionately assisting those civilians escaping from the clutches
of the enemy.

With the increasing demand for supporting the civilian population in
times of frequent natural disasters occurring in our country, the role of the
RABS has been reviewed and restructured after the conflict to suit these
challenges. Accordingly, this squadron has been divided in to two main
units as the Rapid Action Boat Unit (RABU) which will be the offensive
boat component of RABS for exercising sea control and sea denial in
limited maritime domains either as a standalone unit or in company

82 To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea