Page 159 - MDSL Final

CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION OF MARITIME POWER
shore or base support. Reach is further advanced with the use of logistics
supply ships. SLN also possesses a limited capacity of sustainability in
reaching distances with the platforms available.

Resilience

Warships are designed to absorb a fair amount of damage before
they become non-operational. However, crews of ships are trained to
restore systems at least possible time to minimize the degradation of
operational performance due to loss of capability through damage.
Further, all officers and sailors are trained to perform basic tasks on
board ships/craft. SLN personnel have been groomed to restore systems
expeditiously in the event that a ship/craft sustains damage or become
non-operational.

SLNS Abeetha was originally a RO-RO (Roll on –Roll off ) ship
acquired in 1984 which was converted to a military task and
deployed as a Surveillance Command Ship (SCS) with the
installation of a sophisticated surface search directing radar
and other logistic features to support Fast Attack Craft (FAC)
operating in the Northern area. This was a very effective
force multiplier for operations in the North which seriously
jeopardised the activities of the LTTE. On 4th May 1990
around 0155hr SLNS Abeetha was rammed by a suicide boat
on its starboard side and the explosion resulted in extensive
damages to the ship extending to approximately 80 feet and
listing it 10-11 degrees to starboard due to flooding of ballast
and fuel tanks and the loss of nine lives. Prompt action taken
by damage control teams headed by the Engineering staff
acted with resilience and saved the ship from sinking by
stabilising the ship, shifting its top weights and by restoring
a few systems making it possible to be towed only with a 2
degree list all the way from Point Pedro to Trincomalee.

To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea 141